Seafield heads Navan field

Seafield will get the chance to show he is fit to be mentioned in the same breath as his half-brother Joncol in Sunday’s Friends Of Navan ’Monksfield’ Novice Hurdle.

The giant five-year-old has made a good start to his career, showing ability in point-to-points and bumpers before winning on his hurdling debut at Punchestown.

He steps up to Grade Two company with trainer Paul Nolan hoping he can rise to the challenge.

“He won on good to yielding at Punchestown and it’s going to be a different surface on Sunday. I’m hoping that he’ll handle it,” said Nolan.

“He was second to Sizing Mexico (a recent Thurles winner) in his point-to-point as a four-year-old and was then second in a soft ground bumper so hopefully he’ll handle it.

“He deserves to take his chance. Hopefully he’ll have come on from Punchestown and going an extra half a mile will suit him. He’s a half-brother to Joncol so he should stay.

“There’s an awful lot of horses rated similar so we’ll see what comes out of it. He’ll have to improve but he deserves a crack.

“He’s nearly as big as Joncol already, he’s 17 hands.”

Among Seafield’s six rivals are Garry Ducey’s Aughnacurraveel, Philip Rothwell’s Ballyburke and Noel Meade’s Fully Funded.