RACING: Barry Geraghty has an enviable book of Cheltenham rides, headed by the Gold Cup hope Alexander Banquet and the Arkle candidate Moscow Flyer, but can keep the home fires burning at Navan today courtesy of Steinitz in the opener.
A former smart flat handicapper in Britain, Steinitz ran an eyecatching race for much of the way on his hurdling debut at Naas and eventually went down by only a short head to Mighty Mist.
The Steve Mahon-trained runner was claimer ridden on that occasion but with the benefit of that race, and Geraghty on board, he will be a popular fancy to go one better this time. It must also be significant that Geraghty takes the ride in a novice chase so close to the festival and even more significant that it is Back On Top.
The horse hasn't run in over a year and has his first start over fences but against that he was a smart handicap hurdler and in 1999 won four races on the bounce, including one on the flat.
The second maiden hurdle has been divided to make a monster eight-race card and it's likely that the main interest for most punters in the first leg will be Ballynattin Buck. The Arthur Moore-trained runner won a Clonmel bumper from Bizet last time and looks to have the winning of this.Schwartzhalle could be the answer to the second leg based on a fourth to the smart Friends Amigo in October.
Paul Carberry has a full book of commitments in the three major championship races next week - Ansar in the Champion Hurdle, Knife Edge in the Champion Chase and Marlborough in the Gold Cup - and should warm up for those with a victory on Woodenbridge Natif in the handicap chase.
At Naas tomorrow, a very interesting runner in the handicap hurdle will be the Cesarewitch winner Rapid Deployment. The horse hasn't run since finishing runner-up to Calladine in the November Handicap at Leopardstown but considering he ran off a 90-mark in that race, he should prove difficult to hold in an ordinary enough handicap like this.
Rapid Deployment's trainer Pat Hughes sends the former high- class hurdler Mantles Prince for the novice chase and the eight- year-old could just be a better solution than Royal Jake.
Ivan de Vonnas hasn't run since winning at Punchestown in April, where he had the decent Star Clipper in third, and can complete a good weekend for Arthur Moore in the novice hurdle, ahead of Native Upmanship's attempt at the Champion Chase.
