De Bromhead’s Charge Can Smash Navan Battle

Navan hosts Grade Two action on Saturday with the Webster Cup (4.40) attracting a field of five and it looks a real good renewal between Road To Riches, Smashing and Foxrock on this occasion.

Rich on Ratings
Both Road To Riches and Smashing will be lining up having ran in the Ryanair Chase with mixed fortunes at the Cheltenham Festival, while Foxrock comes into the race good and fresh after bypassing the festival.

On official handicap ratings this looks an ideal opportunity for Road To Riches to return to winning ways for Noel Meade, but the race could be set up for Smashing to take home the spoils.

Comfort Zone
While both of the Cheltenham runners have obviously appeared to come out of the Ryanair Chase well, it won’t be until we see them in action will we truly know but Road To Riches would have had a tougher time of things when going head to head with Vautour and eventually getting caught for second by Valseur Lido, whereas Smashing might be just back in his comfort zone here.

Henry de Bromhead’s charge pulled up in the race won by Vautour and looked to just find things happening a bit quick for him around Cheltenham. He is rated 7lbs below Road To Riches but is in receipt of 2lbs and if the rain expected over night arrives at Navan and the ground gets softer than the current description of soft, yielding in places, it will certainly be a positive for Smashing who has done well in these small fields on testing ground.

Foxrock was successful in a Grade Two novice contest around Navan back in 2014 when he beat this year’s Thyestes Chase winner My Murphy

…and there’s no doubt if you go through his best form he is well up to taking this prize but he failed to repeat his Lexus Chase run when last seen in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown and has just been a hard horse to get a handle on this season.

Smokey Joe Joe and Strongpoint are two veterans that are guaranteed some prize money if they get around but both are rated 128 and would obviously need an awful lot to go their way if they are to break into the first three.

*Prices correct at time of publication.