JESSICA HARRINGTON is readying her powerful National Hunt team for next week’s Christmas action but can get a pre-holiday boost with Jenari at Navan this afternoon.
Oscars Well in the Istabraq Festival Hurdle and the RSA winner Boston’s Angel in the Lexus Chase are among Harrington’s Grade One hopes at Leopardstown and the latter could sport blinkers for the first time. “We schooled Bostons Angel in blinkers and he jumped very well,” the Moone-based trainer reported before confirming both horses will work again this week.
Jenari, however, is out early when he lines up in today’s opening novice hurdle against half a dozen opponents. They include the Wexford winner Tackmaster from Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown Stud.
Jenari should be tough to beat though as he looked a little unlucky against Cash And Go at Gowran last time.
Harrington could also strike in the handicap hurdle with the German-bred filly Glamorous who she trains for her husband Johnny. A Curragh winner on the flat during the summer, Glamorous wasn’t that far behind her stable companion Jenari when fifth in that Gowran race won by Cash And Go. She can get the better of Saturday’s winner Bay Of Kotor. Strange Encounter was a Limerick winner a couple of years ago off a higher mark than he carries in today’s other handicap hurdle and ran a good fourth to Selection Box at Down Royal last month. A repeat of that effort would see Philip Fenton’s charge contend.
Navan will host an extra race today after the handicap chase scheduled for yesterday was switched. The Prancer Dancer Handicap Chase will be run at 3.25pm. The Co Meath track cancelled the final three races yesterday when parts of the chase course didn’t thaw out in time.
