Irish racing tips: Tony Keenan preview and best bets for Naas

By Tony Keenan

Horse Racing

Sun November 10, 2024 · 4d ago

Irish racing expert Tony Keenan is back with a preview and best bet for Naas this afternoon.

Irish racing tips: Sunday November 10

1 point win Sir Allen in Naas 2:00 (8/1 Bet365, 7/1 and 13/2 general)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

The ground has dominated most national hunt chat in recent weeks, with good the main word that keeps cropping up in going descriptions, watering even needed at this time of the year such as at Naas today.

It is not where anyone wants to be in early November and means that the summer and autumn types are still hanging on in races whereas the winter ones can’t get out which has a clear impact on field sizes.

The Brown Lad Handicap Hurdle (2:00) has attracted at least 16 runners in each of the last five years but today just 11 go to post though it remains an interesting race.

Last year’s one-two, Gaoth Chuil and Espanito Bello, are back for another go but both look vulnerable off higher marks and might prefer a greater emphasis on stamina than this ground (good to yielding on the hurdle track) could provide.

Natural Look is interesting if returning to the form of her excellent second to The Wallpark on stable debut at Kilbeggan though might prefer slower ground while The Busy Fool looks a well-handicapped horse off 121.

He won a deep bumper first time out before shaping better than the form on hurdles debut at Down Royal, in front a long way from home and making a bad mistake two out. He took time to get back to that form after a mid-season break but his Tipperary win in April should be marked up as it came over a trip shorter than ideal though he does have an absence to overcome.

Preference is for the race-fit SIR ALLEN. He was a good juvenile hurdler, including when winning here in a race that produced the Fred Winter first and second, shaping a lot better than a seven-length defeat in that race himself off a stiff English mark.

Having had a good early position, he got shuffled back after a mistake at the second and his hurdling went to pieces afterwards and was nearly last in a steadily-run race before making a good move on the outer down the hill to three out when he made another mistake, doing well to finish as close as he did.

He then endured a difficult second season over hurdles, often running in races where he had little chance at the weights, but ran well when set realistic tasks, outpaced and squeezed out at Limerick over Christmas before rallying late and doing best of those that raced on the pace in a valuable handicap at the DRF that was run at an overly-strong gallop.

Both of those runs came over two miles and suggested further would suit, which is often the way with ex-juvenile hurdlers, and his recent flat form (a win over a 14 furlongs and a narrow defeat over two miles) backs that up.

Those flat efforts suggest he is in good order at the moment while his dual purpose yard is having another good year including of late; they have had eight winners since the start of October, two of them over jumps this week.

The rest of the card is difficult. Marine Nationale makes his return in the Barberstown Castle Chase at 2:35 and is well-treated by race conditions, while he is one of a number of odds-on shots on the card.

Zariygann might be the most solid of those in the Fishery Lane Novice Hurdle at 12:50 while Spasiba could be vulnerable in the Cavan Developments Home Builders Supporting St Mary’s GAA Maiden Hurdle at 12:20.

Andys Flame is one that makes a little appeal in the opening Overlander Horseboxes Novice Handicap Chase at 11:50, dropping markedly in grade having run well on just his second chase start at Cheltenham last month.

Preview posted at 0854 GMT on 10/11/2024

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