Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
RIVIERE LOOKS A HOT PROSPECT
EXCITING four-year-old Riviere D’etel will be expected to complete a chasing hat-trick in the Grade 3 Kilairon Davis Novice Chase in Navan.
Gordon Elliott’s filly won a juvenile hurdle at Punchestown on her Irish debut and finished seventh behind compatriot Jeff Kidder in the Boodles at the Cheltenham Festival.
But the grey Martaline filly has already indicated that she’s going to be a far better performer over fences, having recorded wide-margin wins at Fairyhouse and Punchestown.
She slammed Jeremys Flame on her fencing bow at Fairyhouse and, last time, produced a spectacular front-running performance to win the Grade 2 Betvictor Casino Novice Chase at Punchestown, having chief rival Cape Gentleman at full stretch a long way from home before beating him by 21 lengths, with two of today’s rivals - 141-rated Embittered and Take All further back in third and fourth spots.
Riviere D’etel was receiving a whopping 19lb from her nearest pursuers in that Punchestown race and today must shoulder a 6lb penalty.
But, if Denis O’regan can get her into a similar rhythm, dictating the pace and jumping with accuracy and speed, Riviere D’etel will take plenty of catching.
The presence of Henry de Bromhead’s Dancing On My Own – a 140-rated hurdler, successful on his chasing bow at Killarney in October (after a near two-year absence) – adds spice to the race.
But Riviere D’etel, in the colours of Bective Stud, is a confident choice.
The Elliott-trained Ginto will carry the same silks when he bids for glory in the Grade 2 Navan Novice Hurdle.
And the Walk In The Park gelding gets the vote to build on his workmanlike maiden success over course and distance last month, when beating Benny The Duke.
Winner of his point-topoint at Tattersalls, Ginto was beaten on his racecourse debut in a Fairyhouse bumper, but impressed when opening his account at this venue in February.
And he should improve from his seasonal and hurdling debut run last month, enough to give him the edge over Joseph O’brien’s talented but lightly-raced Eric Bloodaxe, conqueror of Ferny Hollow in a Leopardstown bumper almost two years ago, fourth to Kilcruit in a Grade 2 at Leopardstown last February and a smooth winner on his hurdling bow in Naas last month.