'He's the real deal' - find out Gavin Cromwell's big Troytown Chase fancy and Keith Donoghue's horse to follow for the season

The Navan Racing Festival takes place over the weekend of November 15-16, and the countdown to the meeting was launched on Wednesday, with a gallops morning followed by a press conference, where Gavin Cromwell, Sean Flanagan, Lisa O'Neill and brothers Keith and Ian Donoghue were all in attendance to give the lowdown on their best chances at the meeting as well as their hopes for the rest of the season. 

David Jennings was also there, and our deputy Ireland editor has picked out six things that made his ears prick over the course of the morning.

The 'Wise' guy tip from Cromwell 

Gold Cup-winning trainer Gavin Cromwell has won huge races all over the world, but he has yet to win the biggest one on his doorstep. 

The Bar One Racing Troytown Chase, worth €100,000 in prize-money, still eludes Cromwell, but he has his heart set of shredding that statistic in 2025 as he launches a three-pronged attack on the showpiece of the Navan Racing Festival. 

Aspurofthemoment and Yeah Man are both likely to take their chances, but Will The Wise has emerged as his number-one hope and the unexposed six-year-old comes into the contest on the back of an impressive all-the-way win in a rated novice chase at Galway last month. 

Cromwell said of his Troytown team: "Aspurofthemoment has a lovely light weight, but he wouldn't want the ground too soft. Yeah Man is pretty exposed, but he's a consistent handicapper who should run his race and then we have Will The Wise. 

"He has a profile which suggests he should progress. He jumps really well for a novice and I think he should be suited to the Troytown, and I would say he's our best chance of winning it. I think he's our number one. He won a point and looks like a staying chaser."

Will The Wise: Gavin Cromwell's main player for the Troytown ChaseCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

Donoghue's horse to follow 

When Keith Donoghue talks, you listen. 

The man who steered Stumptown to victory in the Velka Pardubicka is likely to be at Cheltenham for the November meeting rather than the Navan Racing Festival, as exciting youngsters Bud Fox and Secret Force have been pencilled in for outings in the Cotswolds that weekend. 

When asked for his horse to follow for the jumps season, Donoghue had no hesitation in nominating a twice-raced five-year-old gelding from the Gavin Cromwell stable. 

• Watch: Keith Donoghue's horse to follow

"My horse to follow for the jumps season is Begorra Man," he said. "He was very backward last season but he still had a good run in a maiden hurdle behind Kopek Des Bordes and was second to Gameofinches in a Punchestown bumper. 

"Mentally, he has matured an awful lot over the summer and I think he's a very nice horse."

Begorra Man is set to return in a maiden hurdle at the Navan racing festival and, given he has form figures of 52, he might be a bigger price than he should be. 

Update on big-money signing El Cairos 

Gordon Elliott's latest signing is the former David Maxwell-owned El Cairos, and assistant trainer Lisa O'Neill was on hand to provide an update on how last year's Champion Bumper fifth is settling into Cullentra House following his £410,000 transfer from the Gary and Josh Moore yard. 

• Watch: Teahupoo and Wodhooh gallop at Navan

O'Neill said: "He's come over to us from England and certainly looks the part. I've liked what I've seen from him so far anyway. 

"He was second at Punchestown after Cheltenham when he almost ran off the track. He's a nice new recruit to the yard and is a fine-looking horse who really looks the part. 

"We'll give him a bit of time to find his feet and settle into the routine at Gordon's, so it might be a few weeks before you see him, but he could rank very highly among the top novice hurdlers this season."

El Cairos: big-money purchase "could rank very highly" in the novice hurdle division this term

Star starting points

The two beginners' chases at the Navan Racing Festival are set to feature some of Elliott's classiest prospects. O'Neill indicated Brighterdaysahead is likely to run in the 2m1f beginners' chase, with Wingmen on track for the race over three furlongs further. The yard won both contests last year with Down Memory Lane and Better Days Ahead.

The Yellow Clay, a late absentee from Down Royal last week, is pencilled in for the Lismullen Hurdle.

Does anyone know his name? 

Sean Flanagan teased us with his horse to follow for the season. 

"I don't actually know his name, but I would say he could be top class," Flanagan replied when asked for his pick. "He's by a sire called Bande and everyone seems to love him in Barry's [Connell] place. I haven't a clue what his name is, though."

Don't worry, Sean. I'll go digging for you. 

A text to Connell resulted in a return phone call from the trainer of Marine Nationale. 

"Oh, that's a nice horse called Finest Band," Connell said. "I would say he's well above average. 

"I actually have four bumper horses who I think could be very nice. There's Finest Band, and we also have a nice one by Harzand, one by Kapgarde and one by Crystal Ocean. I think they are probably the nicest crop of bumper horses I've ever had. 

"You won't be seeing Finest Band for another few weeks and he hasn't even been on grass yet, but hopefully we will get him out this side of Christmas. We've been patient with them all and hopefully that will pay dividends."

Sean Flanagan: he's got a horse to follow this season, but what is it?Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Derryhassen Paddy is the 'real deal'

Ian Donoghue knows Derryhassen Paddy better than anybody. He trained the Albert Bartlett third to win his point-to-point before he was bought and sent over to the Lucinda Russell stable. 

Derryhassen Paddy is a 20-1 shot with bet365 for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at next year's Cheltenham Festival and, when you listen to what Donoghue has to say, you might be tempted to take a piece of that. 

"Derryhassen Paddy was sold after he won his point-to-point for us, but he would have put me on the map if I managed to keep him," he said. 

"We loved him all along from the minute we started off with him. When we started galloping him there was nothing we could get to gallop with him. He's definitely the real deal."

Read more . . .

'A Ferrari against Minis!' - Sean Flanagan fizzing with excitement as Marine Nationale gears up for Navan return  

'It's been a long time since we've had something like him' - Irish trainer targets Grade 1 breakthrough with unbeaten chaser  

Spillane's Tower to reappear in handicap hurdle with Betfair Chase a possible next step  

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