Roscommon

Left-handed and galloping, Navan is a spacious circuit of around a mile and a half and is widely regarded as one of Ireland’s fairest jumps tracks. Its defining feature is the long, stiff uphill home straight of approximately three and a half furlongs, which provides a searching examination of stamina.

There is plenty of room for horses to find their rhythm, but conserving energy remains essential. Riders often look to give their mounts a breather along the back straight before tackling the lengthy climb home. During winter, conditions can become extremely testing, transforming an already demanding finish into a severe stamina test with little hiding place for doubtful stayers.

The chase course runs outside the hurdles track and features a substantial sequence of fences, with three jumped in the home straight. The first down the back and second-last can be particularly testing, while the fourth-last is followed quickly by a turn. Overall, Navan rewards sound jumping, strong travelling and, above all, proven stamina.