2.05 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden 5f 162y

Beauty Crescent was only just touched off by Crispy Cat on debut at Cork and he can go one better now. The son of Acclamation trined by Ger Lyons was a €180,000 Orby Sale purchase and he came home well at Mallow and can benefit from that experience today.

Broadhurst cost €620,000 as a yearling at the same sale and starts off for Aidan O’Brien now. A son of No Nay Never and listed winning mare Sweet Charity, he could easily prove good enough first time up here. Wild Rover also deserves consideration after a promising course-and-distance fourth on debut.

SELECTION: BEAUTY CRESCENT

Next best: Broadhurst

2.40 Navan Maiden 5f

Wild Eyed Girl is a tentative selection. Brian Nolan’s filly improved with time last season, finishing third in a nursery over this course and distance and filled that position again at Naas. She improved from her seasonal debut to finish a close third again in a Tipperary maiden last time and if she can back that effort up, she’ll go very close in a weak contest.

War Effort has a similar kind of profile, having improved from his seasonal debut to finish fourth at Gowran last time. He wears first-time blinkers which could bring about more improvement now. Aidan O’Brien’s Instrumental is an obvious danger, having run sixth on his debut in a Dundalk maiden.

SELECTION: WILD EYED GIRL

Next best: War Effort

3.15 Bellinter Handicap 5f

Only Spoofing won this off 5lb higher last year and can defend his title. Similar to 12 months ago, he hasn’t landed much of a blow on each of his first three starts, but he has a good record at Navan, and he can kickstart his season again here. Mikey Sheehy takes off a useful 3lb which also helps.

Blind Beggar should go well also for Ger Lyons. He was a useful sprinter for Richard Fahey last term, having run well in a couple of heritage handicaps off marks just below his current one. He ran well for new connections at Tipperary last month and can build on that now.

SELECTION: ONLY SPOOFING

Next best: Blind Beggar

3.50 navanracecourse.ie Handicap 5f

Bellick could be the answer in a wide open heat. John McConnell’s seven-year-old ran better than his finishing position suggests on his seasonal debut at Bellewstown, having dwelt at the start and met a little bit of traffic late on. That was his first run in 368 days so it’s reasonable to suspect he might improve now, and if he does he will be a player off this mark, especially at this course, where he has won and finished third before.

The admirably consistent Teddy Boy is another with good course form and he looked as good as ever when second at Naas last week. Stanhope is another to consider, having won over this course and distance on seasonal debut.

SELECTION: BELLICK

Next best: Teddy Boy

4.25 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Yeats Stakes (Listed) 1m5f

Aidan O’Brien has won the last three renewals of this contest but his run could be stopped by Ger Lyons today, who runs the filly Cairde Go Deo. She looked smart when beating History in a fillies’ race at the Curragh last season and she ran an eyecatching race behind Concert Hall in the Salsabil Stakes at this track. She raced off the pace that day and the race was ultimately fought out by two fillies who raced prominently, so there was plenty to like about the way she stayed on into third. The step up in trip is interesting, and she easily has the best form on offer.

Arbutus was the least fancied of an Aidan O’Brien-trained trio in a maiden over this course and distance last month, so the fact that he won bodes well and he is clearly a danger, alongside stablemate Shark Bay, who has first-time cheekpieces.

SELECTION: CAIRDE GO DEO

Next best: Arbutus

5.00 Troytown Bar Handicap 1m5f

Slight preference is for Noel Kelly’s Ellaat. The six-year-old gelding won his most recent flat race on the turf in June last year but has since won three times over hurdles and elevated his mark to 111. He can run off 55, and that looks a mark he can exploit.

Lariat is a potentially more solid option, having won well at Bellewstown from Tenth Ammendment, and then finished second off a 4lb higher mark at Sligo. He has another 2lb to contend with now but that signifies he’s heading in the right direction and he can go well again.

SELECTION: ELLAAT

Next best: Lariat

5.35 Summer Ladies Day May 28th Maiden 1m2f

Cougar should be able to build on a promising effort at the Curragh. He finished second to Glory Daze in a 10-furlong maiden and that form has been boosted by the winner, who was best of the rest behind Stone Age in the Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown last week. Cougar should come on plenty fitness-wise and looks the one to be on now.

Vega Magnifico can give him most to do. He was fourth on his only start last season and filled that position again in a Leopardstown maiden behind Boundless Ocean, a race that has worked out well. He should come on plenty from that also.

SELECTION: COUGAR

Next best: Vega Magnifico