Irish horse racing tips: Johnny Ward's three bets for Navan

It was a comment made in passing by Kate Harrington at Dundalk on Wednesday – something to the effect that climate change is bringing about strange weather patterns in Ireland – that is borne out at Navan on Saturday.

The track, which finds itself among the great plains of the ancient county of Meath, is a bitterly cold place when the weather is chilly. Yet, here we are nearing Christmas and the ground, incredibly, is bordering on good.

Moreover, Leopardstown is already under pressure to water ahead of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival which gets underway on Boxing Day, live on Racing TV. We live in extraordinary times!

The news of a strong Irish challenge at Kempton on boxing Day also gets the juices flowing. However, ther's an appealing punting card at Navan this weekend before thoughts of all that. Best of luck.

Au Fleuron cost his ambitious connections £220,000 after he won his bumper and, clearly, the plan will be to go chasing with the four-year-old sooner or later.

He's a promising sort but he was beaten by three horses when sent off at 8-13 on his hurdling debut, and it's hard to think four furlongs less on decent ground will be ideal.

That was also the SP of Belle Metal when she hammered her rivals in a Limerick Listed bumper in March, following on from another rout on her debut.

She looks, essentially, a faster horse than Gordon Elliott’s contender, and we can take it for granted she'll have a good idea how to hurdle.

This horse won a bizarre event over fences at Punchestown last month in a common canter, and the last time she ran over hurdles she was not herself but was sent off 4-11.

She can go off at quite generous prices on the exchanges at times and looks to have no more to do here than run her race to score.

Even for the grade, there's very little to worry about.

This gelding won twice for Philip Rothwell long before the yard had a resurgence in form this season.

His debut for Sam Curling, a talented trainer who admittedly has had a quiet season, was encouraging in that crazy race mentioned above won by All Class.

Enduring Love, like nearly everything else, was never put into the race, but he took the eye behind the similarly-well-held Brandy Harbour, who hacked up at Naas on Thursday.

He has headgear on here and looks a massive player in a moderate contest.