Sunday Irish Preview: Min makes chasing debut

A lot of the focus at Navan on Sunday – rightly or wrongly – will be on Min in the beginners’ chase at 1.45pm. There have rarely been horses hyped up as much as Min was last season, even before a hurdle had been jumped in Ireland (had run twice over hurdles without winning in France), and, after wins at 4/11 and 1/7 at Punchestown last winter, it looked as if those whispers about the next big thing at Closutton were accurate. “The rumours are true!” said Willie Mullins, following the first of Min’s wins, after which he was a clear favourite for the Supreme Novices’ at the Cheltenham Festival. Though still a clear market leader on the day, Min was uneasy in the market, and despite running a career-best, had no answers when Altior surged past him approaching the last.

The Timeform report: “Min had been all the rage for this for much of the winter and, though he came up short on the day, still ran well, likely beaten only by a top-notch 2-miler; prominent, travelled well, mistake third, led briefly after 2 out, not quicken before last, kept on run-in; he has the physique of a chaser and it would be no surprise to see him back here in 2017 as a leading candidate for the Arkle.”

Bookmakers will be at the ready on Sunday lunchtime, should Min make a winning start over fences. With due respect to Edwulf, Squouateur and Fire In Soul, he really should. But that might not be the highlight of Sunday’s racing…

Monksfield won the Champion Hurdle in 1978 and 1979 and was competed in an era when horses ran on the Flat, then in the Triumph Hurdle, and then the Champion Hurdle. Sea Pigeon and Night Nurse (who had won the Champion Hurdle in 1976 and 1977) chased Monksfield home in 1978, with Sea Pigeon filling the same position in 1979, though the last-named exacted his revenge when reversing the placings a year later, and then winning it again 12 months on for good measure. Monksfield and Sea Pigeon both won once as two-year-olds, while Night Nurse won as a three-year-old; in contrast none of the seven runners in Sunday’s “Monksfield” Novice Hurdle at Navan even made the racecourse at three!

Regardless, Sunday’s race (due off at 12.40pm) looks a cracker, with six of the seven runners boasting a ‘p’ next to their Timeform rating – and the one who doesn’t has a ‘P’! The horse in question is Willie Mullins’ Livelovelaugh, a stoutly-bred recruit from the point-to-point world who unsurprisingly improved on his bumper form (eighth in Champion Bumper at Punchestown under a forcing ride) when an impressive winner of a 15-runner maiden hurdle at Ballinrobe on his hurdling debut in May. It’s not hard to imagine that Mullins will have Livelovelaugh ready to go as he looks to break the stranglehold of Gigginstown Stud – who acrimoniously parted ways with the trainer in the summer – on these early-season graded novice races.

Henry de Bromhead has made a good early impression with his new recruits, however Lion In His Heart has always been with the Knockeen-based trainer and he improved on his two bumper efforts – which included signs of immaturity – when winning at Tipperary on his hurdling debut last month. This longer trip should suit and he has an old-fashioned pedigree that should see him improve with time. Gigginstown retained rider Bryan Cooper rides Gordon Elliott’s Death Duty who won two bumpers last season and improved when winning an 18-runner maiden at Roscommon on his hurdling debut by eight lengths with plenty in hand. Stablemate Monbeg Notorious is yet another who is unbeaten from one start over hurdles, though his task was made easier by the late departure of the strong-travelling The Storyteller.

However, this is a race that has been dominated by Noel Meade in recent years, and the Co. Meath trainer saddles two as he bids for a fifth win in nine years (no runners in last two renewals). Stretchingthetruth was successful on his sole outing in points and has since added bumper and hurdle wins, both in big fields at Punchestown. He was only workmanlike on the latter occasion, though can be marked up for this performance, doing well to overcome interference. He is still far from the finished article and looks sure to progress and win more races over hurdles. She’s A Star has won all four starts when wearing a hood (one on the Flat) and did well to win under the circumstances at Galway last month, hampered two out. Both look to hold live chances, a comment that also applied to Stand Up And Fight who completes the field. Enda Bolger’s four-year-old tanked along when successful at Punchestown last month and is not one to take lightly.

The supporting card at Navan also features two Grade B handicaps, most notably the Troytown Handicap Chase at 2.20pm. Gordon Elliott trained Balbriggan to win in 2014 and also saddled the 1-2 last season, Riverside City and Georges Conn, so his runners are the first to focus on. That may take a while, however, as he has 11 (yes, 11) declared. No prizes, merely a pat on the back if you can name the last Flat and jumps trainers to saddle 10 in a race.* Killer Crow is expected to improve now back up in trip, however the ante-post market suggests that Cheltenham Festival winner Empire of Dirt and Lismullen Hurdle fifth Noble Endeavor are the main stable hopes. Weight-adjusted ratings are topped by Hash Brown, who won with a bit in hand at Galway last month, and Bonny Kate, who should be suited by the likely stern examination of stamina. Thirty minutes later at 2.50pm, in the Proudstown Handicap Hurdle, The Crafty Butcher is set to have his first start for Willie Mullins, having arrived from Michael Hourigan via Gary Moore. With his last win coming in May 2014, The Crafty Butcher has slid down the weights and he is potentially well treated starting out for a new yard. Tony Martin’s Mydor, stepped back up in trip and returned to hurdles, looks another interesting contender.

*Dandy Nicholls saddled 11 runners in the 2004 renewal of the Stewards’ Sprint Stakes (he'd also had 12 in the corresponding race the year before), while Martin Pipe saddled 10 runners in the 2001 Grand National and the same number of runners in a handicap hurdle at Taunton in 2003.