2024 Naas Sunday Preview and Tips – DS
2024 Naas Sunday Preview
We nicked a couple of places at Newcastle and Southwell on Saturday. Prince Des Fichaux just got pipped in the Eider and Juan Les Pins also ran into second at Southwell. Idy Wood finished third but thanks to a non-runner, we didn’t get paid. Killer Kane travelled into the race well before stopping quickly, maybe his wind issues returned. Dave Stevos’ is hoping to get a winner on the board to finish the weekend, his 2024 Naas Sunday preview is below.
1.25 – Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 3)
Just five runners in this juvenile hurdle and Wodhooh is the 11/10 fav. However, Gordon Elliott’s daughter of Le Havre has been doing her winning on much better ground than she’ll encounter here.
Her last two wins came on good at Donny and good to soft at Newbury. It’s going to be very testing at Naas and with the weights yet to be allocated for the Boodles (for which she is the 8/1 third fav), I’m not sure connections will want to be winning this if that race is the plan.
Ground Concerns
Lark In The Mornin is even shorter for the Boodles at around 13/2. Unlike the fav here, he probably needs to go up a few pounds to guarantee a run but he’s been taken out of races because of heavy ground three times already this month. He might sneak in off 120 so it’ll be interesting to see if he is allowed to take his chance.
Batman Girac is also near the head of the market for the Boodles. He’ll definitely get in off his current rating of 133 but unlike Wodhooh and Lark In The Mornin, he has winning form on heavy. Will he want to win and get another hike in the weights?
Needs A Hike
The one that makes most appeal in here is Pacini. He came up short behind Eagle Fang last time at this track on heavy but he previously hosed up on similar ground at Fairyhouse. He also holds a Boodles’ entry but he’ll need a hike to get a run as he is rated 118.
The cheekpieces are an interesting addition and they could help him focus better than he did on his last outing. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a couple of non-runners in this tomorrow so instead of going e/w, we’ll have a small bet on the nose at odds of 9/1.
2024 Naas Sunday Tip: Pacini win @ 9/1
2.25 – Nos Na Riogh Novice Handicap Chase (Listed)
I’ve looked at this race for what seems like an age and it is hard to make a case for the outsiders. Four of the five horses that are chalked up at double figures odds are owned by JP. Battle It Out probably makes the most appeal of those four but he has to prove he can go left handed. I’m not putting one up for the sake of it so we’ll give this race a miss. No bet.
2024 Naas Sunday Tip: No Bet
2.55 – Newlands Chase (Grade 3)
Ferny Hollow, absent for over two years, is odds on here for Mullins and Townend. Obviously, he was a class horse when last seen but you’d need your head examined if you are considering lumping on him at odds of 4/6. Now, he does like heavy ground and he is a serial winner so of course, he could come out and hack up. On the other hand, he has clearly been a fragile horse and surely the best plan of action is to just watch him this afternoon.
Ash Tree Meadow is next best in the betting at 9/4. The 8yo won a match last time vs Visionarian on soft ground at Down Royal. However, the son of Bonbon Rose is unraced on ground this bad and most of his best form is on good/yielding. He also lacks a recent run and this has ‘sharpener for Cheltenham’ written all over it.
Trip Too Sharp?
Espanito Bello loves it at Naas. Barry Connell’s charge won the Leinster National by 7L off 140 in March of last year, his fifth win at this track. However, the last four of those wins came at between 19f and 25f and he hasn’t run over this short a trip since winning his bumper here all the way back in 2018. I’d guess a repeat bid in the Leinster National might be the plan.
The one that interests me is Rebel Gold, last year’s winner. We backed him at Leopardstown last time where he was given way too much to do. He’ll be fit from that outing, this is his optimum trip and he has form figures of 31P232 on heavy ground. With so many question marks about his rivals, Rebel Gold is worth chancing e/w at 14/1.
2024 Naas Sunday Tip: Rebel Gold e/w @ 14/1 NB
3.25 – BetVictor Handicap Hurdle (0-130)
Optional Mix has never run at Naas before. When I looked at her overall record, I was very surprised that she hasn’t run on a track like this in her 26 race career. Her record when going left handed is extremely consistent. She has form figures of 433212 going to the left and the win came off 116 in a handicap chase over 20f on heavy ground at Wexford.
Three of her four career wins have come on heavy ground so these conditions hold no fear for the daughter of Carlotamix. Now, it must be said that this 8yo mare has been pretty poor so far this season. Her best result came when third at Limerick in a claiming hurdle last time but she was 43L behind the winner Robinstown.
She was beat a neck off 119 at Killarney in May of last year so we know she is capable of being competitive off her current mark of 118. If she can bounce back to that sort of form, Optional Mix can hopefully make a bold bid here at odds of 20/1.
2024 Naas Sunday Tip: Optional Mix e/w @ 20/1 (5 places)
3.55 – Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Qualifier (5yo+)
A fascinating race which provides the last chance to qualify for the Final of this race at the Cheltenham Festival. The first four finishers will get through and quite a few of these need a big run to get into the main event.
Maxxum, Good Time Jonny, Stuzzikini, Cleatus Poolaw, The Tide Turns, Will Do, Cato’s Revenge, Lady Rita, Ladybank, Emancipator, Noble Birth and Meyo all hold entries for the final and haven’t qualified yet so we’ll have the rare occurrence of a handicap where twelve of the sixteen runners should be trying, if not to win then to get into the first four.
Heavy Ground
The question is, which ones are going to be best suited by this heavy ground. Emancipator loves the muck but he has never managed to trouble the judge on a left handed track. Maxxum is 0/4 on heavy, Good Time Jonny is 0/5, Lady Rita is 0/5, Noble Birth is 0/5 and Meyo has never raced on heavy. The Tide Turns’ best form is on yielding but one horse who will definitely enjoy the conditions and who needs a top four finish is Cato’s Revenge.
Trained by Philip Rothwell, this 7yo won his first handicap start at Limerick off 109. The handicapper took a dim view and hiked him to 121 for that effort. He proved that he could be competitive off that mark when running into third under James O’Sullivan at Cork (20f sft/hvy) last time. He was taking off 3lbs, today he has Conor Owens on board and he can claim 7lbs.
Rothwell’s charge shaped last time like a step up in trip might suit and he gets that here. With his jockey’s claim he’ll be carrying a feather weight and with a rating of 121, he’ll need to be winning this to have a chance of getting a run in the final. At odds of 12/1, Cato’s Revenge is the e/w selection.
