Navan preview: Townend excited by Facile Vega going over fences

Navan’s new two-day Festival has attracted some real equine stars – with champion jockey Paul Townend especially excited about teaming up with Facile Vega in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase on Saturday.

Always highly thought of as just the second foal out of Willie Mullins’ champion mare Quevega, he won the Cheltenham Festival bumper in 2022.

Having landed a Grade One on just his second outing over hurdles last season, Facile Vega ran inexplicably badly at the Dublin Racing Festival and, despite returning to something like his best at Cheltenham, had no answer to Marine Nationale in the Supreme in March.

While he enjoyed a stroll at Punchestown to end on a winning note, he has always had the size and scope of a chaser.

“Facile Vega was a star novice hurdler last season. He’s one we’re really looking forward to getting going over fences and he’s one that could even improve for fences,” Townend told Navan Racecourse.

“His schooling has been really good and we’re looking forward to getting him out on the track.

“He has the size and scope to develop into a better chaser, his mother got better with age and he did really well through the summer. Without putting the mockers on him, I like the way he’s taken to fences at home.

“Navan is a good, big, fair track with an inviting fence, it’s one of the tracks we are blessed to have on our doorstep in Ireland.”

It is far from a penalty kick, however, with Henry de Bromhead’s Inthepocket, also a Grade One-winning hurdler, and the Gordon Elliott pair of Saint Felicien and Sa Fureur, who have been favourites for the Coral Cup for the past two seasons.

Townend also rides Dysart Dynamo, who steps out of novice company in the Bar One Fortria Chase

“The conditions suit Dysart Dynamo. He ran into El Fabiolo a couple of times but without him around he’d have had a tremendous season. It looks a nice place to start him off, with the conditions suiting,” said Townend.

Captain Guinness, Saint Roi, Now Where Or When and Riviere D’etel complete the field.

Last year’s winner Home By The Lee and Stayers’ Hurdle victor Sire Du Berlais look to put down an early marker in the Railway Bar Lismullen Hurdle.

Home By The Lee will be joined by his Joseph O’Brien-trained stablemate Busselton.

“He’s done great (over the summer) and I’m looking forward to getting him started for the season,” O’Brien said of Home By The Lee.

“I suppose he will go down the staying hurdle route and we’re looking forward to the year ahead.

“The plan was always he would have an extended break and he is starting back a bit later than last year, but we’re not too worried about that and we’re looking forward to getting him back on track.

“Leopardstown (at Christmas) is probably his big target for the first half of the season.”

On Busselton, he added: “He also had a pretty busy campaign last year and had a nice holiday during the summer.

“This is a nice starting point for him, even though his best runs have come over a bit further than this.”

Bob Olinger and Zanahiyr will also have plenty of followers in an open race.

Incredibly, Gordon Elliott has declared 15 of the 22 runners in the Bar One Racing Troytown Handicap Chase on Sunday, albeit Thedevilscoachman heads the market for Noel Meade.