Navan 5:24 Result

In this sprawling 25-runner handicap over 1m6f, recent form and stamina matter most. Deluca Chop's form figures 332115 show consistent placing and a recent win, with the horse clearly progressive and running to a level that suggests more improvement, especially with a stable jockey booking (Paddy Harnett) who knows the horse. The visor addition suggests they're sharpening the horse up for a big handicap pot. Weight of 133lbs is workable off an OR of 51, mid-pack in the weights, and the 22-day gap since last run is ideal freshening. Top-weights Makaiah and Miss Crinshawn carry 142lbs off ORs of 60, tough asks in a stayers' trip with big fields. Stepdance looks interesting on old form (11-904) but the four-timeframe layoff and unproven state at this trip/class raises questions, and Henry de Bromhead's stable is more NH-focused, so its true fitness for a valuable but modest premium is unclear. Deluca Chop's trainer S M Duffy also fields another runner (Piatra Neamt) but Deluca Chop is clearly the stable's first string given the form and barrier draw. The gradual rise through the grades (3-3-2-1-1-5) shows the yard has found its niche and the horse is fit and firing, just needing to bounce back from a rare blip last time. At a big field with a stayers' test, proven recent form and consistency trumps big paper class. This is a solid each-way/win contender at a fair price given the depth of the race.