'She likes going left-handed and she relishes real heavy ground'

1.57 Navan
Navan Handicap Hurdle | 2m4f | 4yo+ | RTV

With €40,000 total prize-money up for grabs, it is hardly surprising to see a maximum and fiercely-competitive field of 20 facing the starter. Among them is the American-trained Winston C, winner of the 2019 US Eclipse Award.

The seven-year-old was a three-time winner for Harry Fry before heading across the Atlantic to join Jonathan Sheppard, with whom he won two Grade 1s.

Now situated with Keri Brion, Winston C is set for his Irish debut and is entered in both the Irish and English Champion Hurdles later in the year. This will tell us where he ranks with the top performers in the division, but a mark of 140 suggests he has a fair way to go.

Four of the field hail from the Gordon Elliott yard and the fact that Jack Kennedy has chosen the enigmatic Campeador suggests that the talented grey might be about to turn the corner.

He is running off a career-low mark of 128, 24lb lower than his rating at the end of 2017, and there was a flicker of light two starts ago at Down Royal when he was fourth.

Column Of Fire might have won the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham last March had he not met the last all wrong and come down. He appeared full of running at the time and hit a low of 1.59 on Betfair in-running. This is his first appearance since and it is interesting to see Jack Wildman booked to take off 7lb.

Column Of Fire: unlucky in last season's Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle at CheltenhamCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Gavin Cromwell has two live contenders in the mud-loving Jukebox Jive and Wolf Prince, who is trying this trip for the first time.

If you rewind to Fairyhouse this time last year, Wolf Prince had subsequent Boodles Juvenile Hurdle winner Aramax back in third and his two most recent performances have been perfectly plausible. He has a big chance off 135 if he stays.

The ground at Navan is heavy, though, and that brings me back to Jukebox Jive. The deeper it is, the better he will be. Perhaps he is not as talented as his mark of 140 suggests, but on this sort of ground he could be the horse to beat given his course-and-distance form.

If you are on the lookout for Cheltenham clues, keep an eye on Silver Sheen, who has the Pertemps Final as his ultimate aim.

What they say

Gavin Cromwell, trainer of Jukebox Jive and Wolf Prince
Jukebox Jive got a good hike for winning at Navan before Christmas, which wasn't ideal, but Conor [McNamara] is back on board now and he should really enjoy conditions. It's Wolf Prince's first time going beyond two miles but he's always stayed on strongly in his races. He seems in great nick and we're looking forward to seeing how he gets on.

Noel Meade, trainer of Lieutenant Command and Battle Of Midway
I was surprised Sean [Flanagan] didn't pick Lieutenant Command, but I suppose we were all disappointed with him on his last two runs. He's jumping into a handicap, so it won't be easy, and he's more of a chaser than a hurdler. Battle Of Midway was lame after he got the bump at Kilbeggan, but he worked very well the other day.

Silver Sheen: returns to the track for Jessica HarringtonCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

Jessica Harrington, trainer of Silver Sheen and Wingin A Prayer
It's great to have Silver Sheen back. He's in really good form and I couldn't be happier with him. The plan is to find a Pertemps qualifier for him next and then head on to the final at Cheltenham. Wingin A Prayer won nicely at Punchestown on New Year's Eve. She's up 8lb for that, but she's improving and I'm looking forward to seeing how she gets on.

Declan Queally, trainer of Uisce Solas
She likes going left-handed and she relishes real heavy ground, so we're really looking forward to the race. I know she went up 12lb to 126 for winning at Naas, but Barry John [Foley] is a very experienced rider and has a 5lb claim, which helps.

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1.50 Ascot: can highly regarded Arrivederci repay punters' faith with first big-race win?

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2.40 Haydock: can Royale Pagaille defy top weight and prove a Grade 1 horse in a handicap?

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3.15 Haydock: Paul Kealy evaluates Buveur D'Air's long-awaited return in Grade 2

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