Todays Tips: Ball D’Arc looks good for openers at Navan

Ball D’Arc gets the nap to take the opener on the rescheduled card today at Navan. The four-year-old won his point to point at the first time of asking, and was then pitched in at the deep end for his track debut.

He failed to make an impact there, and it was a similar story on his final start of last season, in a race won by Petit Mouchoir.

He then joined the Gordon Elliott stable and looked an improved performer when making a winning return in a bumper at Thurles last month.

After travelling well, he quickened away in the style of an exciting sort.

He looks the type to improve for jumping a fence in time, but everything about his latest performance suggests he can make his mark over hurdles.

Had this meeting gone ahead last week, he’d have had to contend with Bello Conti but that rival is not amongst the declarations, and that leaves the way for him to make a winning start over timber.

The danger may come from Moon Over Germany, who was behind Petit Mouchoir at Thurles recently, and is likely to have improved for the jumping experience.

Whistle Dixie can make amends for her expensive failure at Galway by taking the Dunmoe Mares’ Maiden Hurdle.

Also trained by Elliott for Gigginstown, she was a smart sort in bumpers, but found Elusive Ivy too good on her hurdling debut, in late October.

The conditions may have been too fast for the Kayf Tara mare whose winning form in bumpers and point to points was all on testing ground.

With racing at the track yesterday and more rain forecast, she’ll get all the cut in the ground she desires.