NAVAN staged three graded races over jumps last Sunday which make for some interesting compare-and-contrasts.

In particular, the wins of Arctic Fire in the Lismullen Hurdle and of Hidden Cyclone in thetote.com Fortria Chase could not have been achieved in much more different style.

Arctic Fire’s win came in a slow time (worth an estimated timefigure of just 105), only partly explained by a dawdle at the start, while Hidden Cyclone’s came in a highly respectable one for the conditions (worth a figure of 155), but saw everything in the field finishing slowly following a searching early gallop.

Arctic Fire quickened perfectly well in the circumstances (his 38.1s from three out was easily fastest of the winners on the card) but might well not have won had runner-up Monksland jumped the last fluently.

Hidden Cyclone confirmed he is a smart, but not great, two-mile chaser, but would surely have had more to do had Flemenstar taken three out cleanly when in a narrow lead.

Three Stars took the ATR At Navan “For Auction” Novice Hurdle on the same card in workmanlike style, recording a 130 estimated timefigure in a race which turned into something of a sprint (but was still around 0.9s slower from three out than the Lismullen).

It is certainly not out of the question that the runner-up, Thomas Hobson, could turn the tables in a truer contest.