Mullins's Knocknabooly looks the one to follow

An eight-race card means a morning start at Navan today where the in-form Willie Mullins-Davy Condon team again looks the one…

An eight-race card means a morning start at Navan today where the in-form Willie Mullins-Davy Condon team again looks the one to follow especially with Knocknabooly in the Beginners Chase (2m).

Mullins looks to have an extremely strong hand as Knocknabooly's big danger could turn out to be his stable companion Arbor Supreme who fell on his last start at Fairyhouse when starting favourite.

His previous run before that when fourth to Notable D'Estruval would give Arbor Supreme the clear winning of a race like this but Knocknabooly's claims look better based on a fine effort when finding only Notre Pere too good at Punchestown.

He drops back to two miles today but that shouldn't be an issue based on a handicap hurdle win here off a big weight.

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Mullins and Condon can also take advantage of the early start in the maiden hurdle with Capel Lad who ran a decent race in a hot bumper won by Corskeagh Royale at Punchestown last month. Sky Hall is an obvious danger.

The latter's trainer, Noel Meade, gives his Punchestown champion bumper winner Mick The Man a fourth start over jumps in the first division of the maiden hurdle and on this decent ground the classy sort should finally get off the mark.

Christy Roche tries Silent Creek at the intermediate distance of two and a half miles for the handicap hurdle and the move can pay off. A good third at two miles at Punchestown encouraged hopes that Silent Creek would subsequently go close over three miles at Fairyhouse. Bang there on the turn-in, he faded to sixth in a way that suggests today's trip will suit him better.

Never Will found Kirbybroguelantern too good at Limerick last month but there was no disgrace in that and Seamus Fahey's horse will be a big player in the second division of the maiden hurdle while the Willie Mullins stable may also have a big influence on the concluding bumper with the Clonmel winner Itsmylife.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column