GOWRAN’s meeting last Saturday is unlikely to have a major bearing on events at Cheltenham or other Festivals, but the efforts of Smashing in winning the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase and of Sempre Medici in winning the Grade 2 Red Mills Trial Hurdle were still solid ones against the clock.

Smashing ran the two and a half miles in testing ground more than 10 seconds quicker than did 122-rated Toushan in winning a handicap 35 minutes later. Even allowing for a stronger pace in the earlier race, that’s quite a difference, and Smashing gets a 159 timefigure.

Sempre Medici was more than eight seconds quicker over two miles than 123-rated juvenile Newberry New in the next race and gets a 154 timefigure, though there is no reason to think he is significantly better than he showed when second to Champion Hurdle longshot Old Guard at Cheltenham before Christmas.

NAVAN

Navan’s Sunday meeting was blighted by small fields in the feature races, but the Ten Up Novice Chase, in which six faced the starter, still looks a meaningful contest.

The time looks decent on the limited evidence available, but Measureofmydreams (148 timefigure) would probably not have won had his stable-companion Black Hercules (149 timefigure previously) stood up at the last.

A fall is clearly not the ideal preparation for the big day, but Black Hercules jumped well otherwise, and there seems no doubting his ability to go close in the National Hunt Chase on what promises to be a red-letter opening day for Willie Mullins at the 2016 Cheltenham Festival.