Navan preview: O'Brien may spring another star turn

RACING: AN END-OF-TERM midweek flat fixture at Navan may not spell glamour but these meetings often throw up future stars and Aidan O'Brien might produce another big name this afternoon.

The champion trainer has unveiled star performers like Fame And Glory here in the past and the 2007 Irish Derby hero Soldier Of Fortune broke his duck in the mile maiden that O’Brien runs two Galileo newcomers in today.

Finn McCool is a brother to both the dual-Oaks heroine Alexandrova and the Derby third Masterofthehorse, so Joseph O’Brien’s presence on the back of Kingsbarns could be significant.

It’s not just on the flat that today’s fixture can prove telling.

Nine years ago no less than the subsequent dual-Champion Hurdle victor Hardy Eustace landed the two mile maiden, a race won by Dermot Weld’s Hidden Universe last season.

Weld’s hope this time is the Ballinrobe bumper winner Dancers Dilemma, who will at least have a race-fitness edge over the National Hunt star Go Native, who returns for a first start since the 2010 Champion Hurdle.

Ballydoyle have another couple of Galileo newcomers in the fillies maiden and Joseph O’Brien is on Moth, who is out of a Seattle Slew mare. However, John Oxx’s Kerisa has experience on her side and looked to progress from a slightly unlucky debut to run third to her stable companion Tarana at the Curragh.

Gush sets a 77 rating standard in the opening sprint maiden but the Niarchos owned filly is hardly bred to like the heavy going and So Devoted ran a nice race in fourth recently at Gowran behind Fastidious.