2023 Naas Barberstown Castle Meeting Tips – DS
2023 Naas Barberstown Castle Meeting Tips
We got back into the winner’s enclosure on Saturday at Newcastle. Onesmoothoperator was given a peach to win the November Handicap by Ben Robinson, landing the NAP at 22/1. We also landed places with Certainly Red and Space Voyage at 10s and 16s respectively. As the saying goes, you should strike while the iron is hot so check out Dave Stevos’ 2023 Naas Barberstown Castle meeting tips below.
1.25 – Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden (4yo +)
It is rare that we get involved in maiden hurdles these days. It is almost as rare as an Eddie Cawley trained horse running a big race in a maiden hurdle, but that is exactly what happened at Galway two weeks ago.
When you consider that Cawley has a record of 4/311 with 10 places during his career in maiden hurdles, it was surprising that Ataboycharlie was sent off as short as 40/1. It might seem a big price but usually, you’d expect his maiden hurdle runners to be triple figure odds.
Cawley is best known for winning with handicappers so maidens are usually about getting a nice low mark. The fact that Ataboycharlie was allowed to finish within 1.5L of Waterford Whispers at Ballybrit suggests that his trainer must think a fair bit of him.
Nice Prospect
On the evidence of that run, he has a nice prospect on his hands. JJ Slevin always had him very wide, he jumped nicely and turning in, he had every chance. The winner had the benefit of a previous run in a hot Fairyhouse maiden and he put that experience to good use in the closing stages. The odds on favourite was a couple of lengths back in third and there was a decent gap back to the fourth.
This is probably a better race with Mullins, De Bromhead and on fire Gordon Elliott all represented. However, Ataboycharlie is entitled to improve plenty for that debut experience and now that he’s blown his handicap mark, he should be trying his best again.
It was testing ground at Galway last time and the son of Make Believe will encounter similar conditions today. The big difference is that he’ll be going left handed this time but hopefully that won’t be an issue. Slevin keeps the faith and I think 14/1 looks a shade too big about his mount. At those odds, Ataboycharlie is worth backing each way.
2023 Naas Barberstown Castle meeting tip: Ataboycharlie e/w @ 14/1 NB
2.00 – Brown Lad Handicap Hurdle (Listed)
A pretty decent prize of 23k for the winner here and a big field of 19 go to post. The trip is 20f and given the conditions, a horse that has plenty of stamina which handles heavy ground will be required.
The all-conquering Gordon Elliott runs three here, including the fav Firm Footings. A maiden winner at Navan on good to yielding, he landed a minor event in Sligo last time (17f sft). I’m not sure these taxing conditions over 20f will play to his strengths. He was beat nearly 6l over this trip on soft at Cheltenham in March and he is a pound higher now. I’m not sure about the trip/ground for Amir Kabeir either.
The fact that Elliott has decided to claim 5lbs off the impeccably bred Jazzy Matty could be a tip in itself. The talented Danny Gilligan takes the ride on the 4yo, the winner of the Fred Winter at Cheltenham last March off 125. You can forgive him a poor effort at Fairyhouse three weeks later and he is back in action today off a mark of 127.
Bred to Stay
Michael O’Sullivan claimed 3lbs over at Cheltenham so Jazzy Matty is effectively in off the exact same rating today. He steps up to 20f for the first time and if he is anything like his relatives, he should relish the new trip.
He’s a half to Delta Work, a multiple 24f Grade 1 winner who has won the X-Country over 30f twice (including on heavy). His half brothers Elwood and Cap York won at 20f and 24f and his full brother Inneston has also won at 20f.
Ground Should Be Fine
That suggests that whatever this horse has been doing over 16f has been a bonus. He is surely going to blossom when stepped up in distance and he shaped like he’d stay further the day he won at the Festival. He has won on soft and his family all handled heavy so the ground should be ok.
With Gilligan’s claim he’ll have to carry just 10st 3lbs and that could be a big advantage in these conditions. The big question mark is whether he’s ready to rock and roll after his break but at least he is from an in form yard that is capable of readying one first time up. At odds of 20/1, Jazzy Matty is the e/w selection.
