Navan and Thurles tips: Riviere D’etel has that winning look

Riviere D’etel can ensure a good start to the weekend for punters by taking the opening race

Sat, 23 Jan, 2021 - 08:00

Tommy Lyons

Riviere D’etel can ensure a good start to the weekend for punters by taking the opening race, the Dunmoe Rated Novice Hurdle, on this afternoon’s card in Navan.

The filly made her debut for Gordon Elliott in a juvenile maiden hurdle last month at Punchestown and ran out a particularly impressive winner. She was keen through the early stages but seemed to settle better when Jack Kennedy allowed her stride on in front. Never in danger once controlling the race, she came home a long way clear.

She will need to settle better as she moves up through the grades, but today’s race looks an ideal next step in her progression. As a four-year-old filly she receives all the allowances and already looks the most talented of the bunch.

Quite how far she will go in her career depends upon how well she learns to curb her enthusiasm, but she certainly looks up to this task and can come home clear. Thedevilscoachman is another nice prospect and is feared most.

Mr Incredible and Eden Flight look the two to concentrate on in the Graigs Lane Maiden Hurdle, and preference is for the former.

Unusually for one of Henry de Bromhead’s, his jumping lacked fluency when contesting a maiden hurdle at Leopardstown, but he ran a fine race to finish second to runaway winner Gaillard Du Mesnil. The selection’s stablemate, Magic Daze, who finished third, gave that form a boost when winning next time.

It is more than reasonable to expect an improved display from Mr Incredible if allowed to race more prominently this time. He stays very well, should relish the stiff uphill finish, and can fend off the likely challenge of Eden Flight.

The best of the weekend’s action is tomorrow in Thurles, and Allaho can notch a first win of the season in the Grade 2 Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase.

It is a little surprising that his jumping has let him down a touch in his two runs to date this season as it was an asset in his novice season. In mitigation, he was highly tried in both outings and will find this track and company much easier to handle. He remains a high-class prospect and the drop back to two and a half miles certainly looks the right move for Willie Mullins’ charge. The seven-year-old can get his season back on track by accounting for stablemates Annamix and Elimay.

Whatsnotoknow can make a successful return to hurdling in the Leugh Handicap Hurdle. A maiden winner at this track, his two previous runs this season were over fences, the latest of them here when runner-up to Franco De Port. He looks potentially very well treated off a mark of 118 and can land the spoils for Mouse Morris and Rachael Blackmore.

NAVAN

TOMMY LYONS

12.50 RIVIERE D’ETEL (NAP)

1.22 MR INCREDIBLE (NB)

1.57 DAMALISQUE

2.32 HANDSWORTH

3.07 THE BIG DOG

3.42 DUBAI DEVILS

4.17 TUCSON TRAIN

NEXT BEST

12.50 THEDEVILSCOACHMAN

1.22 EDEN FLIGHT