Jack's the lad at Navan Jack Kennedy has already enjoyed some memorable days in his fledgling career at Navan and the County Kerry teenager could be set for another good afternoon at Proudstown Park on Saturday. Kennedy rode two of the six winners for his boss Gordon Elliott here back in November, and in 2015 he landed the highlight of the year at the County Meath venue, the Troytown Chase, on Riverside City when he was just 16. On a day when his former charge Definitly Red heads the betting for the Grimthorpe Chase over at Doncaster, Brian Hamilton jocks up Kennedy on Canadian Steel in the Meath Hospice Homecare Handicap Hurdle. This fellow contests his first handicap with unappealing recent form figures, but he has a better chance than they would imply. Canadian Steel was an impressive winner of a point-to-point on his debut around this time two years ago, and he was narrowly denied in the same sphere not long after that. Hamilton has described his runner as "free and excitable" in the past, and, indeed, he is usually equipped with a hood. However, the Craigsteel gelding did finish second in a bumper without any headgear, and it could be that he is settling better with experience. A big performance is surely in the offing now from the lightly-weighted eight-year-old. Others to consider for this two-and-a-half-miler are Camlann, Close Shave, Dubai Devils, Monastic, Crehelp and Like A Demon. Later on the programme, in the Meridian Security Handicap Chase, Kennedy is on All The Chimneys for Willie Austin. This course-and-distance winner has every chance again after a close Clonmel second last time. Meanwhile, the feature Newgrange Veterans Handicap Chase has Texas Jack at the head of the weights. Noel Meade and Sean Flanagan's representative returned to form last time and he may build upon that in this six-runner event.
