Navajo Indy

Navajo Indy stayed on strongly to finish third in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle at Newbury on Saturday. He lined up handy, but he was quickly struggling to go the pace and he dropped toward the rear of the field. Still only 15th of the 17 runners and detached from the main body of the field as they raced across the top of the track, a mistake at the first flight in the home straight didn't help, but he stayed on well for Gavin Sheehan from the second last to move into third place on the run-in, closest at the finish. It never looked like he was going to get to the impressive winner Joyeuse, and he might have only finished fourth had Secret Squirrel not come down at the last, but it was a game effort in a contest in which he never really travelled.

There was a chance that the addition of cheekpieces would allow him travel better than he did in his previous race at Windsor, but he ran a similar type of race, under pressure from early and sticking to his task well. Tom Symonds' horse has only gone beyond an extended two miles once in his life, a race in which he was beaten at odds-on, but that was over a year ago now, and he is racing of late as if he will appreciate a step back up in trip. A half-brother to Navajo Pass, who won over two and a half miles over hurdles and over one mile and six furlongs on the flat, he will be of interest when he steps up in trip again.

Newbury, 8^th February 2025