2026 Naas Sunday Preview & Tips – DS
2026 Naas Sunday Preview & Tips
We got back on the winning trail last weekend thanks to Ruler’s Control. A 28/1 winner with a 20p rule 4. Not a bad start to the Flat. Merisi Diamond probably needed the run and Senna’s Girl was far too fresh. Dave Stevos is going to try and find another Flat winner this weekend, his 2026 Naas Sunday preview is below.
1.35 – Westin Homes Handicap (70 = 10st)
In previous runnings of this race it has usually paid to be drawn low. Now, on occasion the draw bias at Naas can change so that isn’t for certain but more often than not, low numbers have had the upper hand.
To be honest, it isn’t easy to make a case for many of the low drawn horses, apart from Noble Nation who is 11/4. However, I am going to take a punt on the horse drawn beside him in stall 2, the Kevin Smith trained 3yo filly Unfamiliar.
This daughter of Phoenix Of Spain is hard to fancy on form and she’s 3lb wrong. All three of her runs have come on the AW at Dundalk over 7f/8f and while the second and third runs weren’t totally devoid of promise, she finished well beaten.
My hope is that the switch to turf might just bring about a bit of improvement. She is a half-sister to a heavy ground winner and dam won on soft. Her sire was best on rattling quick ground but he has produced a few that have won in testing conditions so on breeding at least, there is a chance she’ll handle the conditions.
Jockey Booking
The main reason I came down on this filly is because of the jockey booking. Julian Pietropaolo takes off 7lb, which negates the fact this filly is out of the handicap, and he’s worth every ounce of his claim.
Another plus is his record when riding for Kevin Smith. From 11 rides (two of which were on this filly in her qualifying runs) he has two wins and five top 4 finishes. So, if you discount his first two rides on this filly, he’s hit the frame in seven of nine rides for Smith (77%).
This selection is most definitely speculative and not one for lumping on but at odds of 40/1, a very small e/w interest is advised.
2026 Naas Sunday Tip: Unfamiliar e/w @ 40/1 (5 places)
2.10 – DAR Golf 3yo Handicap (70 = 9st)
This is an even bigger minefield than the opener. It’s full of handicap debutants, horses that have never run on turf and most of the ones that have shown form have not been missed by the bookies.
The most interesting one for me at double figure odds is the Andrew Slattery trained Cisterna. By Mehmas, this gelding has at least shown some solid-ish form on turf. He was only beaten 3l when eighth of 12 behind Bay Of Supremacy over this C&D in September on his third handicap start and then two weeks later at Cork over 6f, he was beaten just 2.5l when a runner up behind Nakamura.
Last time out at Dundalk he was well beaten upped to 7f but he may have needed that after his winter break. He’ll be sharper for that, he’s 1lb lower than when beaten 2.25l at Cork and the drop back in trip is another cause for optimism. At odds of 12/1, Cisterna gets the e/w vote.
2026 Naas Sunday Tip: Cisterna e/w @ 12/1 (4 places)
3.12 – Colm White Bookmaker Handicap (90 = 10st)
I fancied Merisi Diamond at the Curragh last week but he probably needed the run. He’s turned out again quickly here and should be sharper, but whether this track will be up his alley is debateable. His previous runs here (once) and at Navan, which are pretty similar tracks, have not been his best and in any case, odds of 8/1 are probably about right.
The bookies aren’t taking many chances in this race. At the time of writing, ten of the twelve runners were chalked up at 11/1 or shorter. However, a case can be made for Independent Expert based on her record in handicaps at this track.
Course Form
She has run here four times in total, in three handicaps and a listed. On her first visit she was beaten 1l off 72 over 6f, on her next run here she was beaten 0.75l over 1m off 75 and on her last visit, in May of last year when trained by Stephen Thorne, she was a winner over 1m off 86 (by almost 4l).
She has won first time out in the past, which is another positive and soft ground is absolutely fine for her. Her mark has slipped to 81, 4lb lower than she was when winning here last season and I’m sure connections would love to have a winner after the untimely passing of Jim Gough (may he rest in peace) last week. At odds of 25/1, Independent Expert is the each way selection.
2026 Naas Sunday Tip: Independent Expert e/w @ 25/1 (4 places)
3.47 – Madrid Handicap (100 = 10st)
Given the ammunition he possesses, it is a bit surprising that Aidan O’Brien has only won this 3yo handicap twice since 2016. The last winner he had was Paddington, who is now standing at stud for 20k, so he isn’t afraid to run a good one in it, and this year his sole representative is the October Curragh maiden winner Causeway.
An impeccably bred son of Wootton Bassett, he is out of a full sister to Magical and Rhododendron, so on paper he should rating much higher than his opening mark of 94. His maiden win came on testing ground, so conditions won’t be a worry but O’Brien’s overall record in this race suggests he might be worth taking on.
Proven On Soft
Quiet a few of these have to prove they handle soft ground but one that doesn’t is Josh Halley’s Elzaam filly, Salacious. Like one of our earlier selections, she is out of the handicap here but even so, I thought she shaped really nicely against older rivals at the Curragh last weekend over 6f on bad ground and it looked like 7f would suit her even better.
She has already run over this trip, in a handicap at Dundalk, and she was denied victory by a head. The third from that race, Apiary, ran to an RPR of 79 in a claimer next time out (earning an official rating of 70) and Salacious was giving that rival 7lb so in theory, she should be able to be competitive off a mark of 75.
Halley has secured the services of Wayne Lordan and his only previous ride for the stable was on a 33/1 winner. At odds of 11/1, Salacious is a the each way selection.
