IT’S GO, GO, GO
Improver to win Boyne and get punters Off and running
PUNTERS should look no further than Off You Go in the featured Grade 2 Ladbrokes Ireland Boyne Hurdle at Navan this afternoon.
This relentless improver is stepping into graded company having carried all before him in handicaps and he should be right at home at this level.
Earlier this month Off You Go produced a tremendous display to make it back to back victories in the Ladbrokes Hurdle at Leopardstown.
In one of the most hotly contested handicaps of the year the son of Presenting produced a whirlwind charge to come from off the pace and get up in the closing stages.
He did so despite being some 20 pounds higher in the weights than he was when winning the race in 2018.
That is a sure sign that Off You Go will be quite at home in graded company and the longer trip of today’s race will not be a problem for him.
Bachasson looks the obvious threat following his victory in a conditions hurdle at Punchestown on New Year Eve.
This is a much better race though and he will have to improve if he is to succeed.
In the Ten Up Novice Chase Champagne Classic is put forward to build on his excellent comeback at Naas several weeks ago.
On that occasion the Gordon Elliott-trained gelding was coming back from almost two years off and he ran very well to finish third to Ballyward.
He did everything right throughout that race before his lack of a recent outing told in the closing stages.
With that run behind him Champagne Classic could turn around the form with Chris’s Dream who took second that day but would prefer slower ground.
Elliott has several other good chances at a track where he does so well and he should also take the mares handicap hurdle with Smiling Eliza.
She ran well behind Sassy Diva in a quality handicap at Leopardstown a fortnight ago and she would have been closer with a clear run.
The Elliott-trained Multifactorial heads into the bumper off a couple of solid runs in defeat and he lines up with a very solid chance.
Elsewhere Ted Walsh’s Oscars Den deserves to win the handicap hurdle on what he has shown lately.
Ucello Conti will be popular in the hunter chase but Timewaitsfornoone will improve and should win.