Captain Guinness© Photo Healy Racing
From winning a Grade 3 at Naas to a Group 3 at Toulouse in the past week, trainer Henry de Bromhead is enjoying a fantastic run of form. The yard is operating at a strike-rate of 31% over the last 21 days and it looks like their purple patch is set to continue.
With Navan and Cheltenham hosting quality action this weekend, we look at his standout Saturday horses.
Novibet is offering bettors up to €100 in free bets to spend on a cracking weekend of racing.
Lets Go Champ heads the Irish challenge in Saturday’s feature. Currently around 16-1, this progressive sort won a Grade 3 Handicap at the Punchestown Festival in May off a featherweight having struggled on his previous run at Limerick on heavy ground. The better conditions will be in his favour on Saturday, he jumps well and carries a nice weight of 10-2.
This promising five-year-old won on his debut for De Bromhead in April at Naas by four lengths and will be among market leaders on Saturday. The Diamond Boy five-year-old was also successful on his sole point-to-point start at Ballinaboola in February when in the care of Andrew Latta. Looks to be a smart sort for De Bromhead who won this contest two years ago.
Bob Olinger is back to defend his crown and will be the likely favourite. His latest two runs saw him finish second in the Irish Champion Hurdle to State Man while he failed by just a nose, and following a stewards' enquiry, in the Aintree Hurdle last April. The dual Cheltenham festival winner is reported to have worked well at home last week.
De Bromhead has taken this contest for the past three years running and it was Captain Guinness who won the spoils for him in 2022 and 2023. He has won all three of his starts at Navan. The Champion Chase winner went down by a neck to Banbridge at Punchestown last April when last seen and the two reoppose here.
