It has not been a particularly good few days for National Hunt racing in this country.

Long odds-on favourite Briar Hill brushed aside the challenge of sole rival Azorian to land the Grade 1 Navan Novice Hurdle in Navan yesterday.

Cheltenham is a fair old way to travel for just one ride, but that’s the plan today.

Apache Stronghold clashes with Champion Bumper hero Briar Hill in what promises to be a hugely informative Navan Novice Hurdle tomorrow.

The progressive Eddie Harty-trained Dressedtothenines completed a hat-trick of successes with her best win to date in the Grade 2 Keelings’ Irish Strawberry Hurdle at Fairyhouse yesterday.

Just one of three planned point-to-point fixtures survived the elements yesterday and that was the Island Foxhounds meeting that took place at Ballydarragh in north Co Wexford.