Ireland's Eye on Saturday

Saturday 28 March

IRELAND'S EYE 

Though our saver Mutenbar (5-9/2) did collect for us yesterday there was a touch of seconditis with our main plays with Mizen Raven (7/2-3/1) soundly beaten by the gambled on Fire And Rain whilst Ashka was doing her best work late when filling the runner up berth in Dundalk last night.

Today we have selections at three meetings with a few horses who have done the business for us in the past and we unearth a big priced winner in a Navan handicap.

Kangaroo Court never really featured behind Go Native in Cheltenham but Ema Lavelles decent 5yo can get back to winning ways in the opening 2m 3 1/2f novice hurdle on the Linfield card under Jack Doyle at 2-15. He looks to have Nicky Hendersons recent good Sandown winner Tanks For That to beat but he just gets the nod over the six year old.

Though Arthur Moores Takendo has yet to taste success in the National hunt sphere the 7yo can land the 3-40 on the Navan card, a 2m hc hurdle under Paddy Flood at the seventeenth attempt! He showed his well being with a victory in a Dundalk 1m 4f flat hc a month ago and a reproduction of his fourth to Sky Captain in a competitive Naas hc in early January should suffice here with drying ground another positive. Eric McNamaras Jafra rates the main danger whilst the favourite Mutadarek will also have his supporters.

Predateur is hardly one of the stars of the talent laden Paul Nicholls yard and the 6yo is still looking for his first win over fences in the 3-45 in Uttoxeter which is a 2m 4f novice event. Though he has plenty in hand of his main rivals on hurdle ratings we will take him on here on his ninth attempt over the larger obstacles where Personal Column, who has been beaten some way on both starts to date could step up appreciably on these efforts for the Sturgis stable with better ground a cause for optimism.

Another former Irish pointer who did not show his true colours at the Festival was Fair Point who did not jump well in the four miler before finishing well behind in mid field. Though it can be costly following horses who could have had hard races in Cheltenham subsequently this 7yo who represents the Charlie Mann yard has shown plenty of battling qualities over fences to date and he can bounce back by landing the 4-00 on the Linfield card – a 3m novice chase under the in form Noel Fehily where the talented but somewhat flawed Lodge Lane will start favourite sporting first time blinkers.

The 4-50 on the Navan card is a typically open looking 2m 6f hc hurdle and though we are tempted to side with Halfback again following his good second to the gambled on Liscarton Oscar in Naas a fortnight ago we will go with an interesting low weigh in the shape of the Eric McNamara trained Emona Lad who is having his third run back following an absence. Though the 7yo ‘cut no ice’ in these runs on soft ground he will appreciate the drying ground here and at big odds and a 7lb claimer to bring his weight to 10-4 he rates a speculative bet.

Willie Mullins Deutchland finally delivered for us last time when landing the odds in style in Leopardstown and the Ruby Walsh ridden 6yo can make it a double in the closing 2m novice chase in Navan at 5-50 and in the process overturn the returning Aran Concerto. The latter would be a worthy favourite on easier ground and a longer trip but he could be vulnerable over this trip despite the fact that he is defending an unbeaten 3 win record at the venue.

ADVICE
5pt win KANGAROO COURT 2-15 Linfield
lay to lose 6pts FOSTERS CROSS 3-05 Navan
4pt win TAKENDO 3-40 Navan
2pt win (saver) JAFRA 3-40 Navan
4pt win PERSONAL COLUMN 3-45 Uttoxeter
lay to win 8pts PREDATUER 3-45 Uttoxeter
4pt win FAIR POINT 4-00 Linfield
3pt win 1pt place EMONA LAD 4-50 Navan
2pt win (saver) HALFBACK 4.50 Navan
6pt win DEUTCHLAND 5-50 Navan