Traffic issues at Navan today !

It’s Troytown day at Navan this Sunday where a big crowd will descend on the County Meath venue for an excellent day’s racing.The eponymous Troytown was bred locally around the time of the great war and won an Aintree National in 1920 under crack amateur of the day Mr Jack Anthony.Sadly Troytown perished in France a few months later after suffering a fall in the Grand Steeple Chase De Paris.It’s not exactly the race that stops a nation but traffic in Navan will be only ‘savage’ at around 12 noon today!

This year’s big race runs at 2.20 and has attracted a huge field of twenty five runners indicating the open nature of the race.Leading owner J.P McManus runs four in his colours with hat trick horse Groody Hill the apparent select although Prince Of Fire is a horse that Charlie Swan has always rated highly.Willie has a chance with Some Target, a dour stayer who finished 2nd over hurdles at Clonmel a few weeks back ,while others that deserve a mention are Stephen McConville’s progressive Leggy Lad and the grey Wicklow Lad, trained in Grangecon by Francis Flood.Finally the stats over the last ten years in this handicap indicate you are looking for a seven year old carrying ten stone four and only one horse fits that bill today,Ainama.An outsider to consider perhaps?

Racing opens with a juvenile hurdle at 12.15, a race where His Excellency hold strong claims.He hasn’t always look the most tenacious of battlers but he won’t get a better opportunity than this to open the account.Chill might have a chance also, he ran a decent fifth at Gowran on his latest start in a race which has spun a few subsequent winners.

Local trainer Noel Meade is looking for his third win in the last four runnings of the Monksfield Novice Hurdle (12.45) .He runs Texas Jack here, a horse who has won three out of three thus far in his career.He’ll be hard to beat in what looks a strong renewal of this race with Gordon’s Mount Belbulben nominated as a possible danger .

Twenty eight runners line up for the and a half mile handicap hurdle at 1.15 and finding the winner of this will not be easy.The locally trained Formal Bid comes into the reckoning in his first handicap with Robbie Colgan up ,Johnny Two Keys represents Dessie Hughes and Paul Flynn’s Whats Up Britta appeals at a price after an encouraging run at Naas on her latest start.

Dantes King was a frustrating horse to follow last season and was turned over at shortish odds on more than one ocassion.He lines up in the maiden hurdle at 1.50 and might be worth one more chance dropping back to two miles today.Globalized,Formidableopponent and the expensively bought Home Farm are others to consider in a race where the market is sure to be the real guide.

The beginners chase at 2.50 looks competitive but Tony Martin will fancy his chances with the useful Nearest The Pin the mount of Ruby Walsh.This horse  was unlucky to run into the subsequent graded winner Day’s Hotel on his latest start.Peter Casey’s Flemenstar was an expensive failure here on his latest start and will look to recoup losses in this event while the one eyed Cotrellsbooley is another to consider in this contest.

Racing closes with the mares bumper at 3.25 a race where Michael Winters will fancy his chances with the progressive Missunited who comes here on the back of wins recorded at Punchestown and Listowel.Willie runs a couple but I do like the chances of Hats And Heels who impressed when winning a Mallow bumper on her racecourse debut.

Enjoy your racing and don’t forget to call Star Spreads at 1800 624 624  (0808 2349709 from UK ) for all the latest market information from today’s meetings.