Inthepocket has class to fend off challengers at Navan
Jockey Rachael Blackmore and Inthepocket.
On this afternoon’s card in Navan, the Download The Tote App Foxrock Handicap Chase is replete with out-of-form or unreliable sorts, and thus much depends on how top weight Inthepocket fares after his recent fall.
He was in contention when departing two out in a Grade Three won by Only By Night and that sort of form stands up to scrutiny, particularly against this afternoon’s opposition. Provided he is none the worse for that spill, and it looked quite innocuous, his class should get him through this time.
Copacabana can make a winning start over hurdles in the Timeless Sash Windows Maiden Hurdle. He has a little to find with Colcannon on last term’s bumper meeting at the Punchestown Festival, but he seemed to have something of a rushed season, fitting in a debut in early February and then trips to Cheltenham and Punchestown. Just a five-year-old, he has plenty of scope for improvement and the promise of his debut success lingers.
When behind Colcannon at Punchestown, he led for much of the trip and after looking as though he was going to fade tamely, he stuck to his task quite well. In time, he is likely to be better over further than today’s two-mile trip, but under a positive ride here, he will be hard to pass. Colcannon, who was patiently ridden when two and a quarter lengths in front of the selection at Punchestown, was put in his place on hurdling debut and must step up on that.
Burrows Drive was no match for the selection when they met on the winner’s debut and while he improved markedly to win next time, he will need to improve again to reverse the form. Classy Flat performer Genuine Article is interesting on hurdling debut, though the trip is an unknown.
The Watch Danny’s Diary @ToteRacing Beginners’ Chase is an interesting race, but can be boiled down to Kopeck De Mee, Slade Steel, Wingmen and, at a stretch, Predators Gold. There are plenty of questions to be answered but former Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Slade Steel, who has been off for almost a year, can make a winning return for the in-form team of Henry de Bromhead.
Only five runners have been declared for the Grade Two Bar 1 Betting Hilly Way Chase on Sunday’s card in Cork, but it’s a good contest which offers the opportunity to Majborough to take a successful first step out of novice company.
But for some indifferent jumping, he would almost certainly have won the Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, and that would have led to a perfect first season over fences.
After that defeat, he went to Punchestown and while form at the end-of-season festival is to be taken with a pinch of salt, he showed remarkable raw ability to leave his rivals standing.
He wasn’t foot-perfect in his jumping, and he certainly tended to go out to his left, which will be an issue again this time, but he is undoubtedly the most exciting of the five runners in this race, and he can come out on top.
Energumene, who has won this race three times, and King George winner Banbridge, who was challenging the former when hampered and unseating at the last in this race last year, are back for more, and the latter is feared most. Found A Fifty has some claims, but Ad Caelum needs a miracle.
11:33 Ritz Plan
12:03 Saint Baco
12:35 Copacabana (nb)
1:10 Port Authority
1:42 Grimaud
2:17 Inthepocket (nap)
2:52 Slade Steel
3:27 With Nolimit
11:33 Baby Pearl
12:03 Lazare de Star
12:35 Colcannon
1:10 Classical Creek
1:42 Paddy’s Limestone
2:17 Tullyhill
2:52 Kopeck De Mee
3:27 Fixios
11:30 Manoir De Mirande
12:00 Happy Me
12:31 Time Is A Thief
1:05 Lumiere Du Large
1:40 Kargese (nap)
2:15 Divaboriva
2:50 Majborough
3:22 Theanniversary Man (nb)
11:30 Kizlyar
12:00 Spirit Of Jadotille
12:31 Lord Rouge
1:05 Le Labo
1:40 Jalila Moriviere
2:15 Kalypso’chance
2:50 Banbridge
3:22 The Toothpicker
