Navan Preview: Should be a fruitful return for Jade

On this card last year the talented, but very temperamental Labaik won the Grade 3 Novice Hurdle before, of course, going on to win the Supreme at the Cheltenham Festival, beating the well-fancied Willie Mullins runner Melon by two and a quarter lengths. A small field is also set to go to post for this year’s renewal, though it doesn’t appear short on quality.

Gordon Elliott saddled the first two home 12 months ago, and could potentially do so again in the shape of Mengli Khan and Morgan. The former was a useful winner on the Flat for Hugo Palmer, and he confirmed the promise he showed over hurdles last season when winning a maiden at Navan on his return in September by six lengths. That was a fairly impressive performance, travelling well throughout and quickening up nicely after the last to win in ready fashion. He remains a useful prospect and looks well up to making his mark at this level. Morgan, on the other hand, has won three times over hurdles, but is more exposed, and looks vulnerable to anything with potential. One that could fit the bill is Stratum, who made the perfect start in this sphere for new connections at Galway in September. He was useful on the Flat for John Gosden, and won with more in hand than the five-length winning margin suggests on his hurdles debut. The same connections enjoyed ample success with Albert Bartlett winner Penhill last season, and Stratum could well take high rank in the novice hurdle division this season.

The Lismullen Hurdle sees the return of the very smart Apple's Jade, who won three times at the highest level last season, including the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Given the opposition she is set to face on Sunday, Apples Jade won’t have to be at her best to make a winning return, and it will be disappointing if she doesn’t. A tall, relatively unfurnished mare there is every reason to think she will prove even better this term, and she will likely follow a similar path to Cheltenham. Also representing the Gordon Elliott/Gigginstown House Stud combination, Duca de Thaix looks an interesting French recruit and could well emerge as the chief threat to his stablemate. A half-brother to fairly useful hurdler/smart chaser Antartica de Thaix, he is very much bred for the job, and shaped well when winning a newcomers race at Auteuil by a neck from Dame de Compagnie in October 2016. That rival has recently advertised the form, winning a maiden hurdle at Uttoxeter in good style on her debut for Nicky Henderson this month, and Duca de Thaix is open to improvement on just his second start over hurdles. He certainly needs to progress to challenge Apple’s Jade, but it will be interesting to see how he fares in the market.

Just like the two races which precede the Fortria Chase, Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown are again well represented, though this race has a more close-knit feel to it. The Game Changer narrowly tops Timeform’s weight-adjusted ratings despite shaping as if amiss when pulled up over hurdles at Punchestown last month. He isn’t the force of old, but he ended a long losing run over fences when landing a Ballinrobe chase in August, and needs considering on the pick of his form. Clarcam was last seen finishing mid-field in the Irish Grand National in April, and doesn’t appear to be crying out for a drop back to two miles, a comment that also applies to Fine Rightly. The Henry de Bromhead-trained Alisier d’Irlande looks, therefore, the most interesting runner in what appears only an average renewal. He was an impressive winner over this C&D in February and wasn’t disgraced when last seen at Aintree in April.

Elsewhere on the card, very smart hurdler Footpad is set to make his chase debut over two miles and one furlong. A good-topped gelding, there is no reason to think he won’t prove just as good over the larger obstacles and is an exciting recruit to fences. There are also a couple of interesting types on show in the bumper, though none more so than Invincible Cave, who was purchased for £210,000 after winning on his point debut in May by seven lengths.