The Big Clubman
The Big Clubman stayed on well to finish second in the Monksfield Hurdle at Navan on Sunday. Back in the field early on, he was being niggled along early enough by Sean O'Keeffe, and he came under a ride early in the home straight. But he is game and he is tough and he found lots for pressure. He progressed on the near side to challenge the leaders on the run to the final flight, and he looked a likely winner at that point. In the end, Kalypso'chance stayed on better on the far side, but he finished a good second and the two of them finished nicely clear of good rivals.
It was a really likeable performance by Paul Nolan's horse. The Monksfield Hurdle is often a good pointer towards some of the top novice hurdles later in the season, having been won in recent years by The Yellow Clay, Croke Park, Samco and Death Duty. Kalypso'chance is obviously a hugely talented horse, Gordon Elliott's horse won a listed bumper at Navan last year and he was sent off as favourite for the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, and The Big Clubman ran him to a length and a quarter. Paul Nolan's horse stayed on well to win his maiden hurdle at Wexford last month on his hurdling bow over two miles, when he shaped as if he would do better over further, he did improve for that experience and for the step up to two and a half miles here, and he shaped as if he would do better over even further. He could take a high rank among the top staying novice hurdlers this season, and he could be a horse for the Dorans Pride Hurdle at Limerick over Christmas. Looking further ahead, the Nathaniel Lacy Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown in February should be on his radar, all going well and, looking even further ahead, the Albert Bartlett Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Navan, 16th November 2025
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