3m Bar One Racing Troytown Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (4yo+)
Gordon Elliott saddles no less than 15 of the 22 runners in the Troytown Handicap. A quite remarkable numbers of darts are being thrown at the dartboard here and the odds must surely point to one of his runners claiming this prize. His horses are running very well and I like two of his entries to go and win this.
GEVREY is a hugely underestimated staying chaser. He has plenty of career starts but has only attempted three miles five times in his career. Soft ground is a must for him and he has put in some fantastic staying chase attempts including a second in the Irish Grand National last season and a winning performance in the Munster National last time out. Gevrey has been given an 8lbs rise for that but he is still only seven-years-old and there is no doubt he is up to this type of contest with a run under his belt a huge advantage in this race historically.
The other Elliott horse that could be about to run a PB is HOLLOW GAMES. He is a mercurial sort and was once fancied for an Albert Bartlett only to downgrade and finish third in the Martin Pipe in 2022 season. Hollow Games looked a fine chaser when beating Heart Wood (second to Grangeclare West recently) in a Beginners Chase at this course over 2m 1f but was pretty disappointing in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham admittedly, however they may have not been his trip.
Hollow Games ran a pretty solid race behind Ash Tree Meadow in the Galway Plate over 2m 6f and is stepping up to three miles for the first times over fences. Whilst he can often throw in a below-par performance, he might still be well-handicapped off a mark of 144 and we know he loves this course and the ground. It’s a bit of a punt, but out of a graded company, he may possess that little bit of class that can see him go well here and I’m prepared to take a chance on him on just his 7th chase start.
1pt win Hollow Games 15/2, 1pt win Gevrey @9/1, 14:30 Navan, Sunday
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