UK Horse Racing Tips: Navan

Aidan O'Brien introduces a pair of expensively-purchased Wootton Bassett colts and Ryan Moore is on board RIVER TIBER. Bought in Newmarket for 480,000 guineas as a yearling, he's from the family of Group 1-winning juvenile Sudirman. The other O'Brien runner, Unquestionable, cost 340,000 Euros as a yearling at Arqana and is from the family of Cityscape and Bated Breath. Fozzy Stack has his team good and forward and Smash Factor, a half-brother to last season's 7f two-year-old winner Tiverton, is one to note. Jessica Harrington is another trainer who has really hit form and she unleashes The Bear Trap, a brother to The Kodi Kid who won over a mile at two for Andrew Balding.
Prediction : 1st River Tiber 2nd Unquestionable 3rd Smash Factor

Eddie and Patrick Harty have snared a couple of Curragh handicaps already this season and QUEEN'S PARDON had several of these rivals behind when winning over 6f last month. She has gone up 7lb to a perch of 68 after that success but went close off an even higher mark last season so may be able to follow up. Tawaazon has won three of his five starts since joining James MacAuley and was successful over the bare 5f here last month. He couldn't land a blow at the Curragh last weekend but that was in a much better race and his chance has to be respected in this grade. Stanhope's three victories for his current trainer have all come at Navan, including this race, off this mark, first time out last year. The nine-year-old isn't the most consistent but his track record means he has to enter calculations.
Prediction : 1st Queens Pardon 2nd Tawaazon 3rd Stanhope

THE ANTARCTIC looks the pick at the weights here on his return to action. The Dark Angel colt, a full-brother to brilliant sprinter Battaash, chased home stablemate Blackbeard in the Middle Park Stakes on his final start last season and was a very smart sprinting juvenile. He got the six furlongs well in Group 1 company and this looks a nice starting point ahead of a sprinting campaign this season. Shartash was twice placed at Group 1 level and looks the danger. Johnny Murtagh's charge was third in both the Phoenix Stakes and National Stakes and also beat the aforementioned Blackbeard in the Group 2 Railway Stakes. He has to give the selection a couple of pounds now. Aesop's Fables, stablemate of the selection, is another that has to be on the shortlist. He has a length-and-a-quarter to find with Shartash on their running in the National Stakes.
Prediction : 1st The Antarctic 2nd Shartash 3rd Aesops Fables

A few of these have potential for improvement going up in trip now and the beautifully-bred JACKIE OH gets the vote. The daughter of Galileo and disqualified Guineas winner Jacqueline Quest was the stable's second string on her debut at Naas but proved too strong for the better fancied Red Riding Hood. The winner has franked that form since and Jackie Oh looks a filly with plenty of potential. Lumiere Rock sets the standard off a mark of 103 and commands utmost respect. She ended last season with a front-running success in Group 3 company at the Curragh and looks like she should thrive over middle distances this season. Keep In Touch beat Lumiere Rock in a Galway maiden earlier in the campaign and ran well in a couple of stakes races subsequently. She's another for the shortlist.
Prediction : 1st Jackie Oh 2nd Lumiere Rock 3rd Keep In Touch

EMILY DICKINSON thrived when going up in trip last season and could be a leading contender for 'Cup' races this season. The regally-bred filly, a daughter of Irish Oaks winner Chicquita, was fourth in the same classic as her dam but really came into her own over two miles at the end of the year when running out an impressive winner of the Group 3 Loughbrown Stakes. She is currently disputing favouritism for the Ascot Gold Cup and this was the starting point for brilliant stablemate Kyprios last term. Aidan O'Brien also saddles Bolshoi Ballet, who is top rated in the race with a mark of 110. He was a Grade 1 winner in the US last year but that came over ten furlongs and he's unproven at this kind of trip. French Claim was impressive when winning over course and distance on his return last month. This is a tougher task but he has to be respected.
Prediction : 1st Emily Dickinson 2nd French Claim 3rd Bolshoi Ballet

THE GOSSIPER looks capable of winning a handicap off this kind of mark. Emmet Mullins' charge ran well on his return in a maiden at Bellewstown 16 days ago when finishing third to Star Kissed. Based on that run a rating of 67 could be lenient. Fenomeno also ran well on his return this year when runner-up at Dundalk late last month. He got a 3lb rise for that effort but could still be a big player in this company. Boola Boola won last time at Dundalk and is another for the shortlist here despite a 7lb rise for that victory.
Prediction : 1st The Gossiper 2nd Fenomeno 3rd Boola Boola

Three of these hold entries in the Irish Derby and QUEENSTOWN may prove the pick. The Galileo colt is a full-brother to Group 3 winner, and Irish Oaks runner-up, Rain Goddess and their grand-dam was Guineas winner Virginia Waters. Jessica Harrington has her team in fine form and Galileo's Compass is, not surprisingly, another son of the great sire. He is a full-brother to a smart horse in Changingoftheguard, fifth in last year's Derby and winner of the Group 3 Chester Vase and Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot. Dermot Weld introduces the other Derby entry, Collaborative. This Fastnet Rock colt is a half-brother to Listed winner Red Stars from the family of St Leger winner Simple Verse.
Prediction : 1st Queenstown 2nd Galileos Compass 3rd Collaborative