Noli Timere
Noli Timere put up an impressive performance to win the one-mile handicap at Navan on Thursday. Smartly away and quickly into a nice position just behind the leaders, she travelled well into the home straight and she picked up well when Dylan Browne McMonagle asked her to. She joined the leader Neo Smart on the run to the furlong marker, and she cleared away up the hill, coming two and a half lengths clear of Jim Bolger's filly, who was in turn nicely clear of the rest of the field. She was fastest of all through each of the last two furlongs, a half a second faster than her fastest rival from the two-furlong marker to the winning line.
This was another step forward by Michael O'Callaghan's filly. She was impressive in winning her maiden at Naas on her previous run in first-time cheekpieces and, raised by 5lb for that win to a mark of 82, she was impressive again here in winning on this, her handicap debut. She is bred for further, her dam is a half-sister to Pablo Escobarr and Roberto Escobarr, both Group 3 winners, the former over a mile and a half, the latter over two miles, but her grandam is a quadruple Group 3 winner over six and seven furlongs, and it looks like a stiff mile suits her well. She handled this ground well, ground just on the easy side of good, but her trainer said afterwards that she could be even better on softer ground. The handicapper raised her by 8lb for this to a mark of 90, but she retains the potential to go beyond that mark. She will be of interest now if she lines up in another handicap off that mark, but she will also be of interest if she moves into Pattern company now when the ground eases further later in the season. She holds an entry in the fillies' handicap at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Festival weekend, and she will be of interest if she lines up in that.
Navan, 28th August 2025
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