Marine Nationale, Kopek Des Bordes and Final Demand among thrilling list of entries for Navan this weekend

I'll Sort That

Bar One Racing For Auction Novice Hurdle (Grade 3, 1.35 Saturday)

Declan Queally has an excellent squad of young horses and I'll Sort That would be a leading player in the For Auction novice hurdle should he take his chance.

The dual bumper winner made a very impressive start to his hurdling career at Listowel in September when bolting up by 13 lengths. He was the benefactor of Welonlyhavedone's fall at the final flight on his last start in a novice hurdle at Galway when the race was still in the melting pot but it's interesting connections have decided to revert to two miles.

I'll Sort That was plenty keen over 2m4½f at Galway so it will be interesting to see him over this shorter trip and he could be hard to catch.

His potential rivals include Tipperary maiden hurdle winner Ace Brannigan and Theflyingking, who I'll Sort That beat narrowly in a Fairyhouse bumper in January. He had the race at his mercy when falling at the last on his hurdles debut at Down Royal but has three other options at Navan this weekend.

The Yellow Clay

Railway Bar Lismullen Hurdle (Grade 2, 2.10 Saturday)

Gordon Elliott has landed the Lismullen Hurdle with Cullentra legends Sire Du Berlais and Apple's Jade and he seems likely to unleash very smart novice hurdler The Yellow Clay in the Grade 2 on Saturday.

The Yellow Clay: already prominent in the Stayers' Hurdle market Credit: Patrick McCann

The Yellow Clay was impressive twice at this track last season, landing the Monksfield by ten lengths before following up again at Grade 2 level in December. After bolting up in the Grade 1 Lawlor's of Naas, he ran a huge race to finish three-quarters of a length behind The New Lion in the Turners at Cheltenham and this looks an ideal starting point for his open company debut.

The son of Yeats is already prominent in the ante-post market for the Stayers' Hurdle (10-1 generally) and will be well fancied to make a winning start to the campaign.

Marine Nationale

Bar One Racing Fortria Steeplechase (Grade 2, 2.45 Saturday)

The Fortria Chase is shaping up to be an early-season cracker if the main players stand their ground and Champion Chase hero Marine Nationale is arguably the star attraction of the whole weekend, but he could face some formidable opposition on his seasonal return.

Marine Nationale lacked experience in open-chase company last season having suffered a setback in his novice campaign and that told in his first three starts as he was beaten by Quilixios and Solness twice. However, he progressed with each start and came back to the form of his sensational novice hurdle campaign with an electric display in the Champion Chase before following up at Punchestown in similarly devastating fashion.

It will be interesting to see if he needs a few runs to reach concert pitch again and there could be little room for error this weekend given the potential opposition. Captain Guinness, the 2024 Champion Chase winner, has made a winning start to the season in this race twice before and could line up, as could last season's King George winner Banbridge, Mares' Chase winner Dinoblue and Solness, while Found A Fifty and Firefox are other possibles.

Kopek Des Bordes

Pat Sheils Memorial Beginners Chase (3.20 Saturday)

You tend to need something out of the ordinary to land this beginners' chase with Facile Vega, Fakir D'Oudairies and Footpad among the recent winners, but this weekend's contest could christen the most exciting novice chaser in Ireland.

Last season's Supreme winner Kopek Des Bordes could make his hotly anticipated chasing debut in the 2m1f contest. Already 3-1 favourite for the Arkle, his 13-length victory at last season's Dublin Racing Festival will live long in the memory and he followed that up with an authoritative win at Cheltenham.

Two years ago two Grade 1-winning novice hurdlers clashed in this race when Facile Vega got the better of Inthepocket and a similarly exciting showdown could take place as Brighterdaysahead is also entered.

Brighterdaysahead: star hurdler could take on Kopek Des BordesCredit: Patrick McCann, Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Gordon Elliott's star slammed State Man in last season's Morgiana before a top-class performance at Leopardstown at Christmas when she stormed home by 30 lengths in the Neville Hotels Hurdle. She did not reach those heights in her final two starts but is one of the most exciting mares in training.

Its Bilbo, Kitzbuhel, Lovely Hurling and Wingmen add further intrigue to a race which could have a major impact on the rest of the season.

Final Demand

Race And Stay Beginners Chase (3.07 Sunday)

The strength and depth of Irish beginners' chases is on show again on Sunday when Final Demand looks set to make his debut over fences over 2m4½f.

Either side of finishing third behind The New Lion in the Turners at the Cheltenham Festival, he was a hugely impressive winner of Grade 1 novice hurdles at Leopardstown and Punchestown and has always been marked out as a potential Gold Cup horse.

Last season's Ryanair winner Fact To File was beaten by American Mike in this race in 2023, while Supreme Novices' winner Slade Steel chased home Better Days Ahead in it 12 months ago and this year's race is shaping up to be of similar quality.

Brighterdaysahead has the option of stepping up in trip here or taking on Kopek Des Bordes 24 hours earlier, while Butch Cassidy, Kitzbuhel, Now Is The Hour and Sandor Clegane are also potential starters.

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