JIMMY Mangan is confident his exciting novice chaser Spillane’s Tower can handle a step down in trip to two miles and claim his third win in a row when he takes on the Grade 3 Flyingbolt Novice Chase (3.48) at Navan today.

The J.P. McManus-owned gelding pulled off a surprise win when comfortably accounting for the previously impressive Willie Mullins-trained Blood Destiny in the Grade 3 Sky Bet Novice Chase over an extended two miles and three furlongs at Punchestown in November, and renews rivalry with the five-year-old.

Provided Navan’s seven-race card passes an inspection at 7.30am this morning after snow and rain in recent days, it has the makings of an intriguing rematch.

“Everything has gone according to plan since Punchestown,” the Co Cork trainer told The Irish Field. “He is going back to two miles but he is not a slow horse and Navan will suit him, the tough finish will make up for the drop to two miles.

“He’s a horse I always held in high regard. He finished like a train at the Punchestown Festival in a hurdle race there last year. He loves the fences and I think he’ll go from strength to strength and he can go back up in trip in time.

“Blood Destiny has the weight pull [3lb swing] and the drop back to two miles might be two little things against us but this horse is not slow by any means.”

Long-term view

Blood Destiny retains an entry in the Arkle at Cheltenham next week and may well influence his trainer to chance him in that open looking contest with an impressive victory. In contrast, Mangan was quick to rule Spillane’s Tower out of Cheltenham, citing that six-year-old is a “big horse with a big future ahead of him.”

He said: “Speaking with Frank [Berry, racing manager to J.P. McManus], we think he is a horse for next year. He is still maturing. He is a massive big fine horse and his future is ahead of him. He’ll have no trouble going up in trip.

“It’s all ground dependent for him but all going well we might have a tilt at the [WillowWarm] Gold Cup at Fairyhouse over Easter.”

The feature at Navan today is the Grade 2 BoyleSports Webster Cup Handicap Chase and presents a good opportunity for Galway Plate winner Ash Tree Meadow to regain the winning thread.

Gordon Elliott’s gelding is top rated in the extended two-and-a-half-mile contest which also sees the return of Henry de Bromhead’s talented Journey With Me, not seen since falling in the Grade 1 novice contest won by Feronily at Punchestown last season.

The race also sees John Ryan’s Lucid Dreams, a previous course winner, have his 16th start of the season.

Leopardstown must also pass an 8am inspection today to determine if their Sunday fixture can go ahead after heavy snow and rain.

Snake Oil, representing Barry Connell, is one of the leading contenders in the Listed QuinnBet Handicap Chase (4.00) worth €45,000.