2024 Navan & Exeter Sunday Preview & Tips – DS
2024 Navan & Exeter Sunday Tips
Newbury didn’t go to plan. All four of our bets attracted support but only Knickerbockerglory ran with any credit. He managed to finish sixth, hopefully some of you were on for 6 or 7 places. Norman Fletcher never got into the race and On The Blind Side folded tamely in the opening handicap. Sam Brown didn’t jump well and had to settle for fourth. We try again this afternoon, 2024 Navan & Exeter Sunday selections are below.
2.45 Navan – Boyne Hurdle (Grade 2)
The only horse I have any interest in from the opening few races is Trelawne at Exeter. On his antics last time going right handed might help him and it is no surprise to see the cheekpieces applied too. I have no doubt that he is a horse capable of winning in Graded company, hopefully he shows what he can do this afternoon.
With a long odds on fav and just six runners in the preceding race at Navan, I decided to skip straight to the feature. Eight have been declared for this 21f G2 and Blazing Khal is 13/8 to repeat last year’s heroics. However, while he did win his bumper on heavy it was good to yielding here last season and there’s been good in the description for three of his four best runs.
Hard To Win With
Ashdale Bob’s wait for a first win since April 4th 2021 continued at Gowran Park last time (24f hvy). Two of his three career wins have come at Navan, with one coming on heavy in a 20f G2. That offers hope to his backers as he clearly likes it here (overall form figures of 11323).
He was beat a head in this race on heavy by Thedevilscoachman in 2022 and if he is going to get his head back in front, it will most likely be in this race. His odds of 6/1 look fair and while he’ll probably find one too good, he should finish in the money.
Even with the eight runners, this doesn’t really make any appeal from a betting perspective. The three longest priced horses will be using the race as a stepping stone towards Spring targets. It was a similar story last year.
If you are hard up for a bet, the Beacon Edge/Ashdale Bob reverse forecast might be worth a few pennies given their decent records at Navan and their liking for bad ground. However, this is one I’m more than happy to swerve. No bet.
2024 Navan & Exeter Sunday Tips: No Bet
3.15 Navan – Gibney’s Handicap Hurdle (80-102)
There’s been money for Dragon’s Pass who we backed at big odds at Naas last time out. She likes Navan, she likes testing ground but she has twice run here over 21f on this type of ground off lower marks than today’s and she came up short. Jake Coen’s claim will help and if she was still 33s I might have been tempted. The e/w value is gone from her price now though so we’ll have to look elsewhere.
I’m going to break my handicap debutant rule again here with the Declan Queally trained Fromheretoeternity. Under rules, this mare has shown the square route of sweet f all. However, she did win and place in two of her three P2P starts and both those good runs came on left handed tracks with uphill finishes. Just like Navan.
Right Handed
Queally got this daughter of Doyen handicapped with two runs at Gowran, a run at Fairyhouse and a run at Cork. All right handed tracks. Beaten 330+ lengths across all four starts, the assessor eventually gave her an opening mark of 88.
She now switches to a left handed track with a stiff finish, Kevin Sexton (3/24 with 8 top 4s for Queally) rides and I’d imagine they’ll be hoping she shows something today. Maybe she is simply no good but there are reasons for optimism with the track/jockey booking and in what is not a strong race, maybe Fromheretoeternity can outrun her odds of 28/1.
2024 Navan & Exeter Sunday Tips: Fromheretoeternity e/w @ 28/1 (4 places)
3.35 Exeter – Pertemps Hurdle Qualifier (Class 2)
This is a relatively decent pot in its own right, with the winner taking home £15k. It also serves as a qualifier for the Pertemps in March and the top four home will be in with a chance of running at the Festival.
The only one that makes any appeal at double figure odds is Shallow River. He’s been in great form all season but he hasn’t managed to win a race. His mark has risen from 116 to 125 after a string of solid placed efforts, including a 1L third behind J’Ai Froid in another Pertemps qualifier at Warwick last time out.
That came off a mark of 121 and he was also second behind Goshwoshposh in another Pertemps Qualifier at Wincanton on Boxing Day. He has 4l to find with today’s fav and he is worse off at the weights so you would fancy the Hobbs’ horse to uphold that form.
However, he’ll handle this ground and a repeat of that run or his Warwick effort should be enough to land more place money in this field. So, at odds of 12/1, Shallow River is the each way selection.
2024 Navan & Exeter Sunday Tips: Shallow River e/w @ 12/1 (4 places) NAP
3.45 Navan – Ten Up Novice Chase (Grade 2)
This looks between the top two in the betting. Nick Rockett is edging favouritism at 5/4 after an easy win on heavy at Fairyhouse last time out. His last three runs have come there so it’ll be interesting to see if he is as effective on this left handed track. He did win his maiden hurdle going that way round at Naas but he didn’t jump great and that would be my only negative for him.
Minella Cocooner is a horse with proper hurdling form in the book. A G1 winner in 2022, he has also placed at the Cheltenham Festival and he bounced back to form over this C&D on bad ground on his last start. Paul Townend prefers his stablemate but Danny Mullins is a quality replacement and he’d be my idea of the most likely winner.
Fact To File Form
American Mike’s win over Fact To File was advertised at Leopardstown earlier this month. However, he has since disappointed in a Limerick G1 but this step up to 3 miles could elicit an improved performance. Odds of 11/2 are not enough to tempt though.
Favori De Champdou has run on right handed tracks in all but two of his career starts. That’s obviously for a reason and on the two occasions he went left handed, he pulled up at Cheltenham and was beat over 30L at Leopardstown. Going the other way he has form figures of 4212111421. Punchestown will surely be his long term aim.
Senecia looks well out of his depth and he’ll be aiming to complete and pick up as much prize money as possible. Not a betting race for me but it’ll be interesting to watch. No bet.
2024 Navan & Exeter Sunday Tips: No bet
4.35 Exeter – Veterans’ Handicap Chase (Class 2)
At odds of 22/1 maybe Conkwell Legend can run big here if putting in a clear round. Trained by Neil Mulholland, this 10yo has been contesting some hot races since returning to chasing at the start of this season.
A two time winner over timber off 117 and 119 on soft/heavy ground, his jumping has left a fair bit to be desired over the bigger obstacles. He unseated in his second handicap chase at Haydock in December and he was left well behind in a novice handicap and Grade 2 Novice on his previous two starts.
Unexposed
Compared to most of his rivals, Conkwell Legend is unexposed in races of this nature. He actually jumped the first fence well last time at Haydock and maybe he just lost concentration on the long run to the second obstacle, which he dived at.
The first two fences at Exeter are closer together and if Richie McClernon can get him over those, he might just get into a rhythm. Obviously, Conkwell Legend isn’t one for maximum stakes given his jumping frailties but he should stay and he will like the ground. Plenty of his rivals have questions to answer on the back of their last runs and odds of 22/1 are big enough to warrant an e/w interest.
