Navan remains hopeful of racing on Sunday

Officials at Navan remain hopeful of racing on Sunday after avoiding the worst of the storms that battered the country on Wednesday.

The venue is due to stage a seven-race card, highlighted by three Grade Two events which features the likes of Dunguib, Foxrock and Champagne Fever among others.

Track manager Darren Lawlor said yesterday: “Thankfully we have not been as badly hit with the storms as some parts of the country. We would have raced yesterday, and it’s raceable today.

“The forecast is for more rain coming in tomorrow but it should be fine for Saturday and Sunday, so all things being equal we should be fine.

"We have good entries, so hopefully they stand up and we should have a good day's racing on Sunday.

'New drainage'
"Make no mistake the ground is heavy, but there is no water on the track. We had a big capital investment project last year putting in new drainage and that has been a huge help to the track. We'll just have to wait and see what the weather brings tomorrow."

Owner Barry Connell feels the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival is the best option for his star novice The Tullow Tank. The Philip Fenton-trained six-year-old was denied a Grade One hat-trick on Sunday by Willie Mullins’ Vautour in the Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.

That was his first run over more than two miles under Rules and he is likely to step up in trip again at Cheltenham next month. “I was very happy with him, I think he ran to a similar level as he had done in his previous races,” said Connell.

"At Leopardstown, especially so on Sunday it seemed, you can't let the leader get away as it can be very hard to make up ground. I'd say we're probably looking more towards the Neptune given the way he finishes his races – in all of his races he's been going strongest at the finish."

Perfect run
Russian Soul (15/2) came from off the pace to claim the Group Three Al Shindagha Sprint at Meydan, Dubai, for Irish trainer Michael Halford.

Shane Foley brought the six-year-old with a perfect run to lead a furlong and a half out and hold David Marnane’s Jamesie by a length as Irish raiders grabbed the first two places in the six-furlong contest.

Halford said: “It was a very good performance from a wide draw and carrying a kilo more than the others. He’s as tough as nails, he improves with his racing and he is certainly going the right way. “He’ll run on Super Saturday and then he’ll go for the Golden Shaheen.”

Australian import Long John looks bound for the UAE Derby after a scintillating display in the UAE 2,000 Guineas at Meydan. Winner of the Caulfield Guineas in October when carrying Sheikh Mohammed’s colours, the Godolphin-owned gelding burst clear of his rivals with a blistering turn of foot.