March 29 / 14.50 Navan

14.50

Soft To Heavy

Navan Racecourse Race

  • Prize money: £7570.8
  • 1m 6f 0y
  • 6 runners
RTV
View Course
Navan Racecourse Race

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

1st
2 (1)
French Claim

5/4 (Won)

  • Win: £1.50
  • Place: £1.10

Form: 13370-

Last run: 185 days

W: 9st 9lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 107

Form & Verdict
Last year's Irish Derby third, 9l behind Dubai Sheema Classic runner-up Westover; not disgraced when seventh of nine in the St Leger, staying on again late after suffering interference when dropping off the pace over a furlong out; did not seem to stay 2m in Irish Cesarewitch; won first time out last season by 9l over 1m2f on yielding-to-soft at Cork.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

4

(7)

22nd Apr 2023

Yielding To Soft

1m 6f 0y

16:35 Navan

French Claim

9st 5lb

J: W J Lee

T: P Twomey

took keen hold, prominent, led soon after start, ridden and headed over 1f out, kept on but no chance with winner inside final furlong

9/4

1st

2

(1)

29th Mar 2023

Soft To Heavy

1m 6f 0y

14:50 Navan

French Claim

9st 9lb

J: W J Lee

T: P Twomey

travelled strongly, raced in second, led and made rest from over 4f out, going best and clear when nudged along 2f out, ridden briefly over 1f out, eased towards finish, easily

5/4

20th

16

(10)

25th Sep 2022

Yielding

2m 0f 124y

16:15 Curragh

French Claim

9st 4lb

J: W J Lee

T: P Twomey

prominent, led after 2f, pushed along and headed 3f out, weakened from 2f out

12/1

8/1

  • Place: £1.70

Form: 05709-

Last run: 143 days

W: 9st 7lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 96

Form & Verdict
Won a 1m Naas maiden on only juvenile start; no further success; ran in good company at three; managed fair handicap form last year, notably when seventh in 30-runner Irish Cesarewitch; Okita Soushi and French Claim were down the field then but are better suited by the race-conditions here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

3

(6)

2nd Apr 2025

Yielding

1m 6f 0y

19:15 Gowran Park

Taipan

9st 9lb

J: Shane Foley

T: Mrs John Harrington

led, headed and raced in second after 6f, lost second inside final 110yds, stayed on

6/1

3rd

3

(6)

2nd Apr 2025

Yielding

1m 6f 0y

19:15 Gowran Park

Taipan

9st 9lb

J: Shane Foley

T: Mrs John Harrington

led, headed and raced in second after 6f, lost second inside final 110yds, stayed on

6/1

14th

8

(12)

3rd Nov 2024

Yielding To Soft

1m 4f 0y

15:35 Curragh

Taipan

9st 7lb

J: Scott McCullagh

T: Mrs John Harrington

never better than midfield, outpaced under 4f out

28/1

OUR TIP

Form: /00-67 D

Last run: 54 days

W: 9st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 88

Form & Verdict
Dual winner for Godolphin; has struggled in three AW starts for this stable; not likely to be good enough even if recaptures his best form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

16th

4

(9)

1st Jul 2023

Good

2m 0f 0y

17:40 Curragh

Kingswear

9st 9lb

J: J M Sheridan

T: Denis Gerard Hogan

Dual AW winner but acts on soft ground on turf; only beaten a couple of lengths in the Cork Derby last time and interesting upped in trip.

14/1

6th

7

(14)

16th Jun 2023

Good To Firm

1m 4f 0y

19:10 Cork

Kingswear

9st 6lb

J: Siobhan Rutledge

T: Denis Gerard Hogan

prominent, ridden over 2f out, outpaced over 1f out, kept on inside final 110yds

16/1

7th

11

(20)

28th May 2023

Good

1m 6f 0y

17:25 Curragh

Kingswear

9st 11lb

J: J M Sheridan

T: Denis Gerard Hogan

prominent

14/1

10/1

Form: 25000-

Last run: 165 days

W: 9st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 96

Form & Verdict
All three wins between June and September 2021; lost form last year after initial promise in a Gowran conditions event and in two Curragh handicaps.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

3

10th Apr 2025

Good

2m 0f 0y

14:52 Limerick

Phoenix Cowboy

11st 11lb

J: Paul Kavanagh

T: Michael Winters

midfield, mistake 3 out, soon lost ground and struggling

11/2

5th

3

10th Apr 2025

Good

2m 0f 0y

14:52 Limerick

Phoenix Cowboy

11st 11lb

J: Paul Kavanagh

T: Michael Winters

midfield, mistake 3 out, soon lost ground and outpaced, rallied on turn before 2 out, no impression from 2 out

11/2

3rd

6

20th Mar 2025

Good

2m 0f 150y

14:27 Cork

Phoenix Cowboy

11st 11lb

J: Paul Kavanagh

T: Michael Winters

midfield, headway before 3 out, went third towards finish

7/1

Form: 4/461/ D

Last run: 1015 days

W: 9st 7lb

9 yo Horse

OR: 96

Form & Verdict
Useful stayer in Germany, winning the 1m6f Deutsches St Leger (Group 3) in 2017; added a 1m4f Group 2 event the following year; well below best on first run for this stable in 2020 before causing a surprise as the outsider of five in a Listed race at Limerick; likely to need this after a prolonged absence.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

3

(3)

20th Apr 2023

Yielding

1m 4f 100y

17:40 Tipperary

Oriental Eagle

9st 13lb

J: Gary Carroll

T: Emmet Mullins

Good stayer in Germany, winning the 1m6f Deutsches St Leger (Group 3) in 2017; added a 1m4f Group 2 event the following year; well below best on first run for this stable in 2020 before causing a surprise as the outsider of five in a Listed race at Limerick; struggled on recent comeback; best watched for the moment.

16/1

5th

4

(2)

29th Mar 2023

Soft To Heavy

1m 6f 0y

14:50 Navan

Oriental Eagle

9st 7lb

J: Ronan Whelan

T: Emmet Mullins

Useful stayer in Germany, winning the 1m6f Deutsches St Leger (Group 3) in 2017; added a 1m4f Group 2 event the following year; well below best on first run for this stable in 2020 before causing a surprise as the outsider of five in a Listed race at Limerick; likely to need this after a prolonged absence.

16/1

Form: 200-11

Last run: 33 days

W: 9st 11lb

5 yo Colt

OR: 105

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

3

(6)

20th Aug 2023

Good

1m 6f 0y

16:35 Curragh

Okita Soushi

9st 9lb

J: Mikey Sheehy

T: Joseph Patrick O’Brien

led

5/2

1st

6

(9)

23rd Jun 2023

Good

1m 3f 211y

Class 2

15:40 Ascot

Okita Soushi

9st 9lb

J: Ryan Moore

T: Joseph Patrick O’Brien

Only fourth start when third in the 1m6f Copper Horse at this meeting last year (good to firm); well beaten in two top races in his only other handicaps and odds-on when winning two non-handicaps on AW in February, not needing to be near his best; fifth in Group 3 five weeks ago won't be good enough either but he's 2lb lower than this time last year, so case can be made.

11/2

Non-runners

Okita Soushi

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €2.30
Straight Forecast €2.41
Trifecta €20.90

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

French Claim

RP Ratings (IRE):

Okita Soushi

TOPSPEED:

French Claim

The Irish Sun:

French Claim

POSTDATA:

Okita Soushi