Handicap Hurdle at Navan Features Competitive Field
Navan Racecourse in Ireland is set to host the Gibney’s Of Malahide Handicap Hurdle on , a race attracting a diverse field of contenders. Among those vying for the €6,899 prize are Jupiter Du Gite, Themanintheboots, and The Miracle Man, each bringing a unique recent form to the 2m 5f 180y course, which is currently rated as Heavy following 1.38mm of rainfall. The forecast predicts light showers and temperatures ranging from 3.9° to 9.4° Celsius, with a 6mph wind.
Jupiter Du Gite, a 7-year-old bay gelding trained by T Hogan and owned by Alan Jamieson Site Services Limited, enters the race with a somewhat inconsistent recent record. The horse, ridden by Michael Kenneally, finished 11th of 15 in a handicap hurdle at Punchestown most recently, but reportedly shaped better than the result indicated, leading and jumping fluently before being hampered. Prior to that, Jupiter Du Gite secured a third-place finish at Tramore after transferring from Gary & Josh Moore. The gelding will have a hood refitted for this race. His overall National Hunt form shows 2 wins and 2 places in 15 starts, with total prize money of £12,442.
Themanintheboots, another key contender, has also shown flashes of promise. The horse disputed the lead early in a recent race at Punchestown, leading from the 13th fence before being headed and ultimately finishing 6th of 12. Jupiter Du Gite and Themanintheboots both ran at Punchestown in January, though with differing results.
The Miracle Man, meanwhile, secured a third-place finish at Gowran Park in January, finishing 4 1/4 lengths behind The Lovely Man. The horse appears to be in good form heading into the Navan race, having shown consistent performance in recent outings.
Several other horses in the field present interesting storylines. Belladona Princess, a maiden, finished 7th in a recent race at Limerick, while Butty O Brien struggled at Navan in January, finishing 5th in a handicap. Hitthehayson was pulled up at Fairyhouse after leading for a significant portion of the race, and Teds Corner finished 2nd at Navan, 8 1/2 lengths behind One Big Boum. Wakey Wakey Man also secured a 2nd place finish at Fairyhouse, 9 lengths behind Shanroe Act.
Westandtogether and Vallon Du Plessis have both shown limited success in recent races, finishing 5th and 6th respectively in their most recent starts at Punchestown. Drumcliff Bay was pulled up at Clonmel in January, indicating a potential struggle with the course conditions or overall form.
Jupiter Du Gite’s breeding includes Castle Du Berlais as the sire and Malaga De St Sulpice as the dam, with Saint Cyrien as the dam’s sire. Gary Moore, speaking in November 2022, noted that the horse “came with a decent reputation from France” but was proving “a bit keen,” emphasizing the need to settle him before running. The trainer highlighted the horse’s ability to jump well.
Looking at Jupiter Du Gite’s form, the horse has had 7 chase starts with 1 win and 1 place, earning £7,922. In hurdles, he has 8 starts with 1 win and 1 place, earning £4,520. Across 15 starts, he has 2 wins and 2 places, with a strike rate of 13.33% and a profit/loss of £58.50 for a £1 stake. The horse has previously won at or above its current handicap of 113.
The race is expected to have a strong pace, with Jupiter Du Gite’s pace rating at 9. Experts suggest that the horse has previously won on similar going, and has placed while wearing a tongue strap. The horse has also previously won while wearing a hood, which will be refitted for this race. No previous runs have been recorded with both a tongue strap and a hood.
With a competitive field and challenging course conditions, the Gibney’s Of Malahide Handicap Hurdle promises to be an exciting event. Jupiter Du Gite, despite recent inconsistencies, appears to be a strong contender given its past performance on similar going and the trainer’s positive assessment. However, the presence of horses like Themanintheboots and The Miracle Man, both demonstrating recent form, suggests a closely contested race.
