UK Horse Racing Tips: Navan

BEAUTY CRESCENT was withdrawn having gone too keen to post in first-time blinkers at the Curragh, but had previously run well twice. A 180,000-euro yearling and out of an American Grade 2 winner, his form is useful, he has been gelded since May and while blinkers are again applied, he is suited by this distance and good ground. Congo River ran well on debut but has disappointed in two runs since. He could be forgiven his poor Galway performance due to unsuitably soft ground, but wore a first-time tongue-tie then and is on a retrieval mission today. Jackstaff is race-fit and has form but needs to improve to win. Phil's Dream attracted support on debut behind the selection 103 days ago and runs in a tongue-tie on reappearance.
Prediction : 1st Beauty Crescent 2nd Congo River 3rd Jackstaff

MIDNIGHT TOKER, a 330,000-euro yearling, has his first run since May and has been gelded since. His first three runs were smart, notably finishing third to the high-class Aesop's Fables here in April, and while disappointing here in May, can prove better than his 81 rating. Thunderbear was twice beaten long distances by top juvenile Little Big Bear, but his other form is useful. He runs in cheekpieces on his handicap debut but can compete from his rating. Pub Talk ran well on handicap debut at Killarney and while 2lb higher, is ridden by a 7lb claimer, although dropping in distance is a concern. As It Was won over course and distance on debut but was well held in a recent valuable sales race and now runs in a tongue-tie. Distillate and Static Charge have both shown handicap form but might struggle to win.
Prediction : 1st Midnight Toker 2nd Thunderbear 3rd Pub Talk

POP STAR was behind Sioux Spirit and Jer Batt 12 days ago but might turn the form around. A half-brother to a Listed-winning sprinter and sent off favourite on debut, he was outpaced but finished nicely and should improve. Sioux Spirit broke well in that race, is dependable and should trouble the selection. Jer Batt is related to useful sprinters and improvement is also likely. Drunk In Love showed impressive ability when finishing strongly, despite bucking in the early stages of both her first runs. Her runner-up effort to Meditate reads fantastically well, albeit the beaten horses are ordinary and her comeback run in a sales race was disappointing, when easy to back. Polar Bear should find a few too good, while Carlotta beat misbehaving Drunk In Love in April and makes her reappearance.
Prediction : 1st Pop Star 2nd Sioux Spirit 3rd Jer Batt

POLLANASSA shaped with promise on his Tipperary debut and should improve. Bought for 34,000 pounds at a June breeze-up sale, he finished quite well on debut, with the third-placed horse boosting the form by winning easily next time. Sir Dragonet's half-brother The Lute Player is from the family of Galileo and Sea The Stars and was found to be lame following his debut disappointment 426 days ago. He has no big-race entries and should improve from his comeback but is nonetheless interesting. Westernesse is 79-rated and is consistent, while 77-rated Grant Wood, drawn 16, is tried in first-time blinkers. Actually drops markedly in distance, while five-year-old Blackberry Jack has a tough task.
Prediction : 1st Pollanassa 2nd The Lute Player 3rd Westernesse

There might be another race in SNAG IT who won nicely over a furlong further at Tipperary earlier in the month. The German import may appreciate getting back on turf after being well-held in sixth at Dundalk last time, but in fairness that was a premier handicap and he drops in grade here. Bridgehead put up his best effort so far when fourth at Leopardstown and blinkers now go on. Noel Meade's string is in good form and the Belardo gelding hasn't had much racing and is open to improvement. Howyoulikethat has had seven weeks off since beating a subsequent winner at Leopardstown. A 9lb hike will make life harder but he merits respect along with three-year-old filly Molly's Gamble. The latter followed up her Killarney win with a fine second at Galway but got another 6lb for that latest run.
Prediction : 1st Snag It 2nd Bridgehead 3rd Howyoulikethat

A nursery winner over a mile on testing ground, PALE MOONLIGHT was pipped in a competitive 1m4f handicap at the Galway festival and the winner franked the form at the Curragh last weekend. Jake Coen's claim negates the filly's 4lb rise and he knows her having been on board when she was third over 1m2f at Naas in July. A length further back in fifth at Naas was Butterfly Garden who is now 1lb worse off. The latter gained reward for her consistency when winning at Tramore and, like the selection, is trying this trip for the first time. Alice Diamond ran poorly last time but had been just a head off Butterfly Garden when third at Killarney on her previous start. She gets a healthy pull at the weights and is now tried in blinkers. Caramel Lizard, whose full-brother was a 1m4f winner last year, showed more on her third maiden outing and is a possible improver on handicap debut.
Prediction : 1st Pale Moonlight 2nd Butterfly Garden 3rd Alice Diamond

Jake Coen has a good ride here too on WALNUT BEACH who wouldn't be winning out of turn on the Flat. He was placed three times on the level in the autumn and, after finishing second over hurdles at Cork in early August, ran well back in this sphere when third over two miles at Tramore. The winner franked the form with a solid run under a penalty next time. Fox Fearless also mixes hurdling and Flat racing and won over this trip at Bellewstown in April. He finished well to be third at Leopardstown on his latest Flat outing and that form has been boosted since. Benz has moderate enough Flat form but won a maiden hurdle last time and may be competitive from a lowly mark. Building Bridges has been in very good heart over hurdles this summer with two wins and was a course winner on the level in 2019.
Prediction : 1st Walnut Beach 2nd Fox Fearless 3rd Benz

SWELLTIME has been running well under both codes this summer and gets the vote. He was a decisive winner over hurdles at Kilbeggan last month and then had Nailed Down back in fourth when runner-up to Barometer in a 2m Flat handicap at Tramore. The winner ran well under a penalty next time and third home Walnut Beach bids to further advertise the form in the first division. Britzka will be popular after bouncing back to form with a couple of wins over hurdles at Perth. He had good placed form on the level for his previous yard and may fare better than when well held in two runs in this discipline earlier in the summer. Sil Ver Klass was a C&D winner a couple of years ago and twice ran well in handicap hurdles at Galway while Rips Dream finished well over 1m4f when third at Tramore and appears to be on a fairly competitive mark.
Prediction : 1st Swelltime 2nd Britzka 3rd Rips Dream