I only live 10 miles away from Naas and it’s been a drying couple of days. The ground is described as heavy but it could be really tacky and tiring conditions so factor that into your bets as we welcome the start of the Irish Flat turf season.
It’s not a card to go mad on with many imponderables, but it is a good quality card and I’ve picked a handful of interesting horses to look out for with a couple of bets to be had as well.
Malta should be ready for O’Brien
KNIGHT OF MALTA is the first one to look out for in the Naas Nursery Of Champions Maiden at 2.30.
You’ve always got to be wary that Aidan O’Brien’s tend to need their comeback run early in the season, but I think that is more so with the better horses (bear this in mind for Sir Dragonet later on, by the way) and the maidens are nearly always more fully wound up.
He ran a nice race as a second string on his debut behind Hong Kong over the course and distance when fourth and the third that day, Nullifier for Ger Lyons, went onto win at Navan so it looks pretty good form.
I don’t think he’ll have to improve a lot, if at all, to win on Monday.
Sky’s the limit for Weld
TITANIUM SKY is worth an each-way bet for Dermot Weld in the Naas Racecourse Launches The 2020 Irish Flat Season Handicap at 3.00.
She’s very lightly-raced after just nine career starts and she’s never run over a sprint distance before. That’s interesting as she’s a daughter of Dark Angel and she was second in a Listed race over seven furlongs at Galway.
She travelled best that day and six furlongs at a track like this in the conditions could be absolutely fine for her.
Last year’s champion apprentice Andrew Slattery takes off 5lb and at an each-way price she’s worth a small wager.
Also, just look out for Scorching Heat at a massive price for Ado McGuinness.
He came a long way down the weights at the back end of last season but if he’s anywhere near his best after a break he’ll be a player in this. The first-time visor is interesting.
Watching brief in Madrid Handicap
This is always a very trappy race as it’s three-year-olds only and at this time of year that means plenty of guesswork.
I’m not brave enough to put one up as a bet but LUSTOWN BABA won over the course and distance in late October, in one of the big sales races, and then got beat three days later under a penalty.
She’s very effective on this type of ground and stall one on the round track should help, so at the prices she’s worth a second look.
Take on Sir Dragonet with Weld star
I’d be keen to take on Sir Dragonet in the Listed Devoy Stakes at 4.00.
Aidan’s better horses do often need the run at this time of year and over this trip on this ground under a penalty he looks vulnerable to me.
He looks very short at odds-on and a better bet could be Weld's BROGUE as he made a very good impression when he won at Cork over 10 furlongs.
The second, Up Helly Aa, won a couple of times afterwards, including a Listed race at Cork, and there’s been a few winners to come out of the race, so it looks good form.
Even So looks an Express train
This is a good contest, an early clash of the generations and three-year-olds have a good recent record in the race.
I was really taken by Ger Lyon’s EVEN SO at Gowran last September as she won very nicely indeed and the third horse Celestial Object franked the form when winning a Leopardstown maiden well.
It was a very taking performance and Ger tends to have his horses primed and ready at this time of year.
This Camelot filly looks a horse to follow and I hope she can get her campaign off to a winning start on Monday.
Preview posted at 1655 GMT on 22/03/2020
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