Tag Archive for: Naas

Dinoblue on top in Opera Hat thriller

Dinoblue came out on top after locking horns with stablemate Allegorie De Vassy in the BBA Ireland Limited Opera Hat Mares Chase at Naas.

Both horses are trained by Willie Mullins and were joined by only one further rival as Thomas Gibney’s Must Be Obeyed completed the trio for the Listed event.

Allegorie De Vassy was the 5-6 favourite and Dinoblue an 11-10 chance, but it was the latter mare who took first place in a battle to the line.

The outsider was beaten when the first two home began to race, and they were split by the width of the track as they took the last obstacle almost in unison.

Dinoblue landed marginally in front, however, and stuck to the task under Mark Walsh to remain in the lead by neck at the line.

Mullins said: “The two of them went a great gallop the whole way. There was no hiding place even though there was only the two of them involved.

“They will both go for the (Mrs Paddy Power) Mares Chase at Cheltenham and I’m very happy with both of them.”

Eternal Echo (16-5) outpointed fellow Gordon Elliott inmate Apples Jane to win the Christopher Dunne Memorial (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race.

Apples Jane attracted plenty of attention before her racecourse bow as the first progeny of the 11-times Grade One-winning mare Apple’s Jade and she raced quite keenly off a slow early pace before striking for home.

Eternal Echo was travelling well in behind though and when given the signal he quickly grabbed the lead, only for Apples Jane to rally on his inside but ultimately fall three-quarters of a length short at the line.

“He’s a nice horse and shows a bit of pace at home,” Elliott said of the winner.

“It’s great to get the support from Maurice Regan (Newtown Anner Stud) and he’s a horse that could definitely go back and win on the Flat. He could be a dual-purpose horse.

“I thought she (Apples Jane) showed a good attitude as well. They didn’t go that fast and she’s picked up and galloped.”

Lovely Hurling (9-4 joint favourite) won a dramatic Cavan Developments Supporting Kill GAA Maiden Hurdle.

The Willie Mullins-trained Road To Home looked to be tracking a winning path on the rails but he ran off on the inside of the track and jumped a marker barrier, forcing jockey Brian Hayes to pull up.



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Apples Jane out to uphold family honour at Naas this weekend

Apples Jane, the first progeny of prolific winner Apple’s Jade, will make her racecourse bow at Naas on Saturday.

Apple’s Jade was an 11-times Grade One winner for Gordon Elliott, triumphing from two miles up to three during her 28-race career which included three victories in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Following her final outing at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival, she was subsequently covered by Walk In The Park and sold by Gigginstown House Stud in December that year, with Bective Stud paying €530,000 for the daughter of Saddler Maker.

Apples Jane is the foal she was carrying when going through the ring, with the now four-year-old keeping the Elliott link alive by being housed at Cullentra House yard.

Elliott can see elements of her dam in the filly and is eager to see how she fares in at the first attempt in the Christopher Dunne Memorial (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race.

He told Racing TV: “She’s in good form, she’s well and she’s a bit like her mother, she’s not fancy at home but she’s very tough.

“Hopefully she runs a good race, but as I said, she’s like her mother, she’s not fancy but she has a big heart.

“She’s maybe not as big as her (Apple’s Jade) yet but she’s going to grow, she’s only just turned four. She’s a good attitude and she’s tough and if she’s half as good as her mother, I’ll be happy.

“We’re looking forward to it.”



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Dancing City states Festival claim with easy Naas verdict

Dancing City is as low as 7-2 favourite for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase following a taking win at Naas on Sunday.

The chestnut is trained by Willie Mullins and owned by Joe and Marie Donnelly, who were all enjoying a fruitful afternoon following the earlier success of Anzadam in the Limestone Lad Hurdle.

Dancing City was competing at the same Grade Three level on his second start over fences in the Finlay Ford At Naas Novice Chase, lining up as the 8-11 favourite having won on his first attempt at Punchestown last month.

He was ridden by Paul Townend in a field of five as he stepped up to a trip of three miles and a furlong for the first time on soft ground.

The eight-year-old was always in command and jumped well throughout to come home three and a half lengths to the good, subsequently being cut to 7-2 favourite with Coral for the Brown Advisory at the Cheltenham Festival, having been a 6-1 chance.

“Paul said he’s so settled, he’s exactly what you’d want for a three-mile chaser,” said Mullins.

“He gallops and jumps and only does what he’s asked to do.

“I was very pleased with the performance in what is very, very testing ground.

“He looks like one for the Brown Advisory.”

Stablemate Ballyburn had previously headed the market with Coral, but he was eased out to 4-1 from 3-1.



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Anzadam canters to Grade Three glory at Naas

Anzadam strolled to a straightforward triumph for Willie Mullins in the Naas Racecourse Business Club Limestone Lad Hurdle.

The five-year-old was the 1-10 favourite and therefore expected to win at a canter, with his prior record unblemished after two wins in France and a Grade Three victory on seasonal debut in the WillowWarm Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

He was ridden by Paul Townend at the same grade at Naas, where he faced only two rivals in Gordon Elliott’s Beacon Edge and William Durkan’s Laafi.

As anticipated Anzadam had little trouble dismissing both, kicking clear over the final flight to cruise home 11 lengths ahead of Laafi to remain a 10-1 chance for the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival – though his participation is not certain.

“That was a very good performance. Paul gave him a squeeze after the last and he quickened away nicely. There was no sign of him stopping,” said Mullins.

“He has a good engine and is climbing up the tree nicely. He could be anything.

“He’s in the Champion Hurdle but maybe we should wait for Aintree. That looks appealing and he’s still only five.

“The jump he put in at the third last I thought was extraordinary and showed me that we’ll have no trouble going novice chasing with him when we want.

“We’ll see how far we can go with hurdling and see what his owners would like to do.”



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Charlus enhances Triumph chances with Naas success

Willie Mullins’ Charlus got his National Hunt career off to a winning start when taking the Get Extra Cheltenham Places Now At BetVictor Maiden Hurdle at Naas.

The four-year-old had some strong form on the Flat for Jean-Claude Rouget, winning three times and then placing second in a Listed event at three.

He holds an entry for the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, so is clearly well regarded by connections and started the 10-11 favourite under Paul Townend on his hurdling bow.

At the first time of asking, he got the job done when coming home a length and a quarter to the good, with the rest of the field fairly well strung out behind him.

“That was a very pleasing first run for a Churchill off the Flat. I was afraid he’d be too keen and was really pleased how he settled and jumped,” said Mullins.

“He had a couple of little setbacks earlier in the season and we’re hoping that he’ll improve enough to merit his entry in the Triumph Hurdle.”

Of the owners, The Why Knot Partnership, Mullins added: “It’s a new partnership between a number of groups hatched over a social occasion. They have four or five horses, mostly dual-purpose types, and our aim would be to have runners at the likes of Cheltenham and Ascot.”

Both Paddy Power and Betfair trimmed Charlus from 25-1 to 20-1 for the Triumph Hurdle as a result.

Terence O’Brien’s Answer To Kayf has bigger things in store after a smart win in the Clinton Higgins Chartered Accountants Novice Handicap Chase.

The nine-year-old was the 7-4 favourite under 5lb claimer John Shinnick and seemed to enjoy the soft going when striding to an easy 12-length victory after a neat round of jumping.

It was a first success over fences for the horse, who made up the minor places in some competitive beginners chases earlier in the term and was fourth in the Martin Pipe contest over hurdles at Cheltenham last season.

“I suppose heavy ground makes a huge difference and a drop in class too. It just goes to show how good those beginners chases are, as he couldn’t get a blow in,” said O’Brien.

“We’re hoping to go to Cheltenham with him but I suppose the handicapper is going to give him a fair lump for that.

“The two-mile four-furlong novice handicap chase (the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase) is the only one he can run in. There is a three-mile five-furlong novice as well, but you have to be in the first four over three miles and he hasn’t run over three miles.

“The owners are thrilled and get a great buzz out of it. This has been a dream horse for them.

“At the end of the year, an Irish National might not be out of the question.”

Ballybow got off the mark over hurdles with a wide-margin victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle for Gordon Elliott and Sam Ewing.

Ballybow and Sam Ewing after scoring at Naas (Alan Magee/PA)

A 9-2 chance who was luckless when a runner-up last time out, he was an easy winner this time, securing a nine-length victory from the favourite Kalix Delabarriere, with the former top-class bumper horse A Dream To Share well beaten in fourth.

Ewing said: “He’s done that very well today. I suppose you could write off his first run, where he clipped the heel of a loose horse.

“His last run was good, and he loved that ground today. He’s a nice horse and can step up in trip, no problem.”

The concluding BetVictor’s 60 Euro New Customer Offer (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race went the way of Gavin Cromwell’s Champagne Jury, who made his rules debut under Declan Lavery to score by five lengths at 8-1.



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All eyes on Anzadam at Naas on Sunday

Champion Hurdle talking horse Anzadam gets the chance to enhance his Cheltenham Festival claims in the Naas Racecourse Business Club Limestone Lad Hurdle on Sunday.

The French recruit made a real impression on his Irish debut at Fairyhouse in early December, with trainer Willie Mullins left to reflect on an “awesome performance” from a horse that “looks something special” following his dominant victory in the Grade Three WillowWarm Hurdle.

Mullins raised this weekend’s International Hurdle at Cheltenham as a possible next port of call in the aftermath, but the five-year-old instead remains on home soil for a race won by Espoir d’Allen en route to winning the Champion Hurdle six years ago.

“Anzadam is a very interesting horse and we are all looking forward to seeing just how good he can be,” Mullins said at a press morning at his yard on Wednesday.

“There’s a nice race on Sunday he’s entered for. We had him as a juvenile and he hurt himself, he gave himself a bang somewhere and we couldn’t get him out.

“I was so disappointed. Even though we had Majborough in the Triumph Hurdle, Anzadam was right up there, so that’s the sort of company I’d put him with.”

Anzadam, who will face only two rivals in Gordon Elliott’s Beacon Edge and the Bill Durkan-trained Laafi, is a 10-1 shot with Paddy Power in a Champion Hurdle market that is expected to become much clearer by the end of next weekend.

Good Land in action at Leopardstown
Good Land in action at Leopardstown (Niall Carson/PA)

The other Grade Three on Sunday’s Naas card is the Finlay Ford At Naas Novice Chase, which has attracted a quality field of five runners.

Mullins and Paul Townend team up with Dancing City, who won three Grade One novice hurdles last season and made a smart start to his career over fences at Punchestown last month, while Barry Connell is represented by Good Land.

The latter won at the highest level at the 2023 Dublin Racing Festival before missing the entirety of last season through injury. He made a promising comeback when third behind Il Atlantique on his chasing debut and was last seen finishing fourth behind another Mullins ace in Impaire Et Passe in the Grade One Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick last month.

Connell said: “Dancing City is in it, I thought he’d be nearly favourite if he ran in the Grade One in Leopardstown next week and our horse wouldn’t be up to the standard.

“I thought the race on Sunday might cut up a bit more, but it’s actually a pretty decent contest.

“It was a very stop-start race in Limerick, which didn’t suit, and at his age I think he wants stepping up to three miles.

“If we get some place prize-money it will be grand and he’ll be eligible for a handicap mark after.”

Bioluminescence (Gavin Cromwell), Dee Capo (Elliott) and Fire Force (Ciaran Murphy) are the other hopefuls.



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The Yellow Clay claims Grade One success in fine style

The Yellow Clay extended his unbeaten record for the season to four with a facile victory in the Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle.

A high-class bumper performer last season, Gordon Elliott’s six-year-old made a smart start to his career over hurdles at Down Royal before landing Grade Three and Grade Two prizes at Navan.

He was an 11-4 shot to successfully graduate to Grade One level in the hands of Sam Ewing and ultimately did so with relative ease.

With fellow Elliott runner Wingmen deployed in a pacesetting role, The Yellow Clay raced in third for much of the two-and-a-half-mile contest before joining his stablemate at the top of the home straight.

The Yellow Clay was travelling much the best jumping the second flight from the finish and soon kicked clear, safely negotiating the last before galloping up the run-in to seal an eight-length verdict.

Supersundae emerged best of four runners for Willie Mullins, making late gains to beat Wingmen to the runner-up spot.

The disappointment of the race was last season’s Champion Bumper hero Jasmin De Vaux, who beat two subsequent Leopardstown winners despite jumping poorly on his hurdling debut at Navan a month ago, but could not get away with it in this company and finished a well beaten fourth as the 11-8 favourite.

Jockey Sam Ewing and trainer Gordon Elliott with The Yellow Clay at Naas
Jockey Sam Ewing and trainer Gordon Elliott with The Yellow Clay at Naas (Niall Carson/PA)

Of the winner, Elliott said: “He just knows how to win and is improving the whole time. I was very worried about the ground and was undecided about running him but I rang Noel (Moran, owner), who is in Turkey, and he gave me the green light.

“They went a good gallop all the way and Wingmen ran a good race as well.

“I’d imagine he (The Yellow Clay) will go straight to Cheltenham now. I loved the way he travelled today and if anything, he probably got there plenty soon. Sam said he hated the ground.

“The race in Navan, where he was a bit behind the bridle, probably helped to wake him up.”

Paddy Power make The Yellow Clay a 7-1 shot from 20-1 for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, while he is 8-1 from 12-1 with the same firm for the Albert Bartlett.



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‘Efficient jumping’ helps Ile Atlantique stay unbeaten over fences

Ile Atlantique looks set to take high rank over fences judged on a dominant display in the Racing Post Novice Chase at Naas.

Twice placed in Grade Ones over hurdles last season, including a narrow defeat in the Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle on this card 12 month ago, the Willie Mullins-trained gelding made a fine start to his chasing career at Navan and was a 13-8 chance to follow up at Grade Two level under Paul Townend.

Ile Atlantique’s supporters will have had few concerns, with the seven-year-old travelling strongly throughout the two-mile journey before moving into the lead in the back straight.

With the stands’ rail to help, Townend always looked happy he had the chasing trio covered from the home turn and he was pushed out from the final fence to score by five lengths, with Firefox second and 11-10 favourite Inthepocket only third.

Mullins said: “His efficient jumping won it for him. He loves that ground and from an early stage you could see he was jumping more efficiently than everything else.

“He’s matured a lot and got stronger than last year, which is a big help, and fences might just be the making of him. Paul says when he sees a fence, he measures it himself and it just seems natural to him.”

Coral cut Ile Atlantique to 8-1 from 20-1 for the Arkle at Cheltenham in March and the Irish equivalent at next month’s Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown could be next on his agenda.

Ile Atlantique with connections after winning at Naas
Ile Atlantique with connections after winning at Naas (Alan Magee/PA)

“We just have to keep that improvement in him for the season. His season tapered off a bit last year and maybe it was because of the drying ground in the spring,” Mullins added.

“He’s one that we can now go two miles or two-and-a-half. We’ll look at the Dublin Racing Festival and see which direction we go.

“Majborough would be in the two-mile race (Irish Arkle) and maybe he could go along with him. We have a few for the two-mile-five-furlong race, which would look the place where Ballyburn would go”



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Chepstow lasts just two races after Plumpton is cancelled

Racing at Chepstow was abandoned after two races on Sunday, just hours after Plumpton’s BetGoodwin Sussex National meeting was called off despite passing a morning inspection.

Following a Saturday without any jumps or afternoon action, a full programme of National Hunt racing looked set to take place on Sunday after fixtures at Chepstow, Plumpton and Naas were all initially given the go-ahead following morning checks.

The team at Chepstow opted to take another look after an initial precautionary inspection at 7.30am and, with temperatures rising, the seven-race card passed a second inspection at 9am.

However, only two races would ultimately take place, with proceedings called off thereafter due to unsafe conditions.

Clerk of the course Dai Jones told Sky Sports Racing: “We had an inquiry before the first race with all the jockeys, trainers, doctors and vets and all the horse group there were happy to carry on.

“Unfortunately, just after that we had a fair shower and with the thawing out and everything else, it’s just the amount of water that we’ve had in the last hour, the jockeys have come back and said that in a couple of places, they felt it was just a little bit too wet and unsafe.

“At the end of the day, the welfare of the jockeys and the welfare of the horses, that’s got to be paramount, irrespective of how much we want to race. When they come back and you see the jockeys, we’ve got to take it in hand and listen.”

He added: “The last thing anybody wants is to bring people here and then not carry through, if at any stage this morning we thought that it wasn’t safe, like we did with the first inspection, we pushed it on an hour and a half, we would act.

“So we feel for everybody, but at the time the decisions were made, they were the right decisions. Unfortunately, the rain came in afterwards and we’re in this position we’re in – we do feel sorry for everybody but safety comes first.”

Officials at Plumpton announced a precautionary inspection for 8.30am ahead of one of the track’s most high-profile fixtures of the season due to the forecast for heavy rain overnight.

While 25mm of rain fell, racing was initially given the green light. However, less than two hours later, the meeting was called off due to waterlogging.

Clerk of the course Marcus Waters said: “We were predicted five millimetres of rain between 8.30am and midday, which we thought we could handle, but we were already on 7.5 millimetres just before 10am.

“That much rain in a short space of time has left us with a few areas of false ground and we didn’t think it was safe anymore.

“We’re very disappointed. At 8.30am, we felt we had a good chance with the forecast how it was, but we got more rain than expected and it’s pushed us over the edge.

“It’s always a hard decision and it would have been the same whatever meeting it was. We have our processes and it was just unfortunate that it’s happened on a big day.”

A seven-race card featuring the Grade One Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle did go ahead at Naas, but further interruptions to the racing programme appear almost certain in the coming days, with more snow and freezing temperatures forecast.

On Monday, the jumps meeting at Ayr is subject to a precautionary inspection at 7am due to the threat of snow and temperatures as low as minus 2C, while officials at Ludlow will also inspect at 7am ahead of their fixture, with two inches of snow laying on the track on Sunday morning.

Leicester’s Tuesday card has already been abandoned due to waterlogging.



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Fun Fun Fun for Mullins with beginners chase clean sweep

Fun Fun Fun made an impressive start to her career over fences when leading home a one-two-three for Willie Mullins in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase at Naas.

Bred and ridden by the trainer’s son Patrick Mullins, the seven-year-old was a Grade Two bumper winner for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede and won at Listed and Grade Three level over hurdles.

She was a 7-2 shot for her first outing over the larger obstacles and having jumped well throughout on the front end, coasted clear in the home straight to register an emphatic seven-and-a-half-length success over stablemate Karia Des Blaises, with another Closutton inmate in Iris Emery back in third.

“She jumped well for a mare having her first run. She jumped the fifth last very well and got two lengths there which changed the race,” said Willie Mullins.

“The Opera Hat back here next month could be a possibility.

“Karia Des Blaises jumped indifferently, which left her with too much to do, but she’ll get her turn and Iris Emery ran a cracker.”

The champion trainer went on to complete a treble on the card, with Ile Atlantique (15-8) impressing in the Grade Two Racing Post Novice Chase before Joystick clung on for victory in the I.N.H. Stallion Owners Irish EBF Maiden Hurdle.

Joystick jumps the final flight at Naas
Joystick jumps the final flight at Naas (Niall Carson/PA)

In deteriorating conditions, the 5-6 favourite had his rivals on the stretch from a long way out and while Honesty Policy finished with gusto, Joystick had just enough in hand to prevail by half a length.

“He’s a nice jumper and a real nice galloper,” Mullins added.

“I think he wants a longer trip but on that ground, he was well able to keep up a good pace the whole way. Stamina was coming into play in those conditions.

“He’s a horse that you would be looking forward to going chasing with next season.”

Runners and riders in  the snow at Naas
Runners and riders in the snow at Naas (Niall Carson/PA)

With heavy snow reducing visibility, Light Up The Dark was an appropriately named winner of the concluding Fifty Stars At Sunnyhill Stud (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race for Joseph O’Brien.

The previously unraced four-year-old justified 2-1 favouritism with a seven-length success in the hands of John Gleeson, who said: “It was a nice performance. Obviously it was very tough conditions but she did it very well.

“They are only four-year-olds and it’s early days for them, but you would have to be very pleased with her.”



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Plumpton called off due to waterlogging after morning rain

Despite passing an initial morning inspection, Plumpton’s BetGoodwin Sussex National meeting was abandoned on Sunday due to worsening conditions.

Officials announced a precautionary inspection for 8.30am ahead of one of the track’s most high-profile fixtures of the season due to the forecast of heavy rain overnight.

While 25mm of rain fell, racing was initially given the green light. However, less than two hours later, the meeting was called off due to waterlogging.

Clerk of the course Marcus Waters said: “We were predicted five millimetres of rain between 8.30am and midday, which we thought we could handle, but we were already on 7.5 millimetres just before 10am.

“That much rain in a short space of time has left us with a few areas of false ground and we didn’t think it was safe anymore.

“We’re very disappointed. At 8.30am, we felt we had a good chance with the forecast how it was, but we got more rain than expected and it’s pushed us over the edge.

“It’s always a hard decision and it would have been the same whatever meeting it was. We have our processes and it was just unfortunate that it’s happened on a big day.”

Following a Saturday without any jumps or afternoon action, National Hunt racing did get the go-ahead at Chepstow and Naas.

Chepstow opted to take another look after an initial precautionary check at 7.30am and, with temperatures rising, the seven-race card did pass a second inspection at 9am, while the Grade One Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle is the feature event on a quality card at Naas.

A 7.30am inspection was called at the Irish track due to the threat of snow, but that failed to materialise.

Brendan Sheridan, clerk of the course for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, said: “We had no snow overnight, we’ve had 11 millimetres of rain and the ground is now soft, soft to heavy in places.”

Further interruptions to the racing programme appear almost certain in the coming days, though, with more snow and freezing temperatures forecast.

On Monday, the jumps meeting at Ayr is subject to a precautionary inspection at 7am due to the threat of snow and temperatures as low as minus 2C, while officials at Ludlow will also inspect at 7am ahead of their fixture, with two inches of snow laying on the track on Sunday morning.

Leicester’s Tuesday card has already been abandoned due to waterlogging.



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Chepstow, Plumpton and Naas all cleared for Sunday racing

National Hunt racing resumed on Sunday after fixtures at Chepstow, Plumpton and Naas were all given the go-ahead following morning inspections.

Racegoers were left without any jumps or afternoon action on Saturday after freezing temperatures claimed the meetings at Sandown and Wincanton. Newcastle’s jumps card had already been abandoned on Friday, while a frozen track at Cork meant no racing took place in Ireland either.

Officials at Plumpton announced a precautionary inspection for 8.30am ahead of the track’s BetGoodwin Sussex National meeting due to the forecast of heavy rain overnight – and while 25mm fell, racing was given the green light.

Chepstow opted to take another look after an initial precautionary check at 7.30am and, with temperatures rising, the seven-race card did pass a second inspection at 9am, while the Grade One Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle is the feature event on a quality card at Naas.

A 7.30am inspection was called at the Irish track due to the threat of snow, but that failed to materialise.

Brendan Sheridan, clerk of the course for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, said: “We had no snow overnight, we’ve had 11 millimetres of rain and the ground is now soft, soft to heavy in places.”

Further interruptions to the racing programme appear almost certain in the coming days, though, with more snow and freezing temperatures forecast.

Monday’s jumps meeting at Ayr is subject to a precautionary inspection at 7am due to the threat of snow and temperatures as low as minus 2C, while officials at Ludlow will also inspect at 7am ahead of their Monday fixture, with two inches of snow laying on the track on Sunday morning.

Leicester’s Tuesday card has already been abandoned due to waterlogging.



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Jasmin De Vaux going for Grade One gold at Naas this weekend

Champion Bumper hero Jasmin De Vaux bids for a first Grade One victory over obstacles in the Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle on Sunday.

The six-year-old went into the record books after providing Willie Mullins with his 100th Cheltenham Festival winner last season and made a successful start to his hurdling career at Navan in December.

While his jumping was less than convincing, the form could hardly have worked out better, with both the runner-up The Enabler and the third placed Workahead winning at Leopardstown over the festive period.

Mullins teamed up with owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede to land last year’s renewal with Readin Tommy Wrong, and Jasmin De Vaux will be favourite to add his name to a roll of honour which also features the likes of Mikael d’Haguenet (2009) and Envoi Allen (2020).

The Paul Townend-ridden Jasmin De Vaux lines up as one of four runners for the champion trainer, with Supersundae (Patrick Mullins), Spasiba (Danny Mullins) and Plontier (Sean O’Keeffe) also in the mix.

Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father, said: “Jasmin De Vaux showed his engine when winning the Champion Bumper last year. His jumping in Navan left room for improvement and we think he has improved his technique at home, but he could be a horse that needs racing to really get the hang of it.

“I’m delighted to get back on Supersundae. I thought he ran a cracker in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last season (finished seventh), I think we could have been a close fourth if we hadn’t lost our hind legs at the back of the second-last.

“That was a big ask for him on his first run for us and he went to Ballinrobe then and won in the spring. Obviously this is his first run back after a long break, but I’d be expecting him to go very close.

“Plontier ran very well in Fairyhouse (fourth in Royal Bond Novice Hurdle) and he should be competitive once again, and Spasiba won around the track and is hard fit from being Flat-raced during the summer and he should be capable of getting some prize-money as well.”

The Yellow Clay in action at Down Royal
The Yellow Clay in action at Down Royal (Brian Lawless/PA)

Gordon Elliott saddles both The Yellow Clay and Wingmen, with the former bidding to stretch his unbeaten record over hurdles to four.

The field is completed by Henry de Bromhead’s Butch Cassidy, who runs in the Sue Magnier colours, and the Ted Walsh-trained Shuffle The Deck, who has his sights raised after impressing over the course and distance three weeks ago.

“He’s in good form. It looks a competitive race, but we’re looking forward to seeing how he goes,” said Frank Berry, racing manager to Shuffle The Deck’s owner JP McManus.

“Hopes and dreams are there at the minute anyway!”



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Cold snap means Sandown card hinges on morning inspection

Saturday’s Sandown fixture is subject to a precautionary inspection on raceday morning as the cold snap continues to bite in Britain.

Friday’s Musselburgh card was called off less than 10 minutes before the first race due to a frozen track, while Saturday’s National Hunt fixture at Newcastle was abandoned following a lunchtime inspection with the ground unlikely to improve in time for racing.

Sandown is set to the host the British weekend highlight in the shape of the £100,000 Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase and although the course was raceable on Friday afternoon, clerk of the course Andrew Cooper will assess conditions at 7.30am on Saturday, with temperatures forecast to dip below freezing again.

He said: “I think it’s sensible given the uncertainty of the overnight temperatures at the moment and the impact that has.

“We had our coldest night of the winter so far last night, we went as low as minus 2.5C, but we got up to 6C this afternoon and the track was raceable by mid-afternoon.

“I would say we’ve covered about 25 per cent of the course – we’ve got the frost covers down on the areas that don’t see much daylight, such as in front of the stands.

“We’re forecast a possible low of minus 1C overnight and there is a slight risk of some mist or fog in the morning, so we still need a little bit of luck and it seems sensible to look at 7.30am.”

Wincanton’s Saturday card is also subject to a precautionary check at 8am, with temperatures forecast to potentially reach minus 3C overnight. Cork will also inspect at 8am ahead of the planned National Hunt card.

Sunday’s Grade One fixture at Naas hinges on a 7.30am raceday inspection.

The seven-race meeting is spearheaded by the Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle, a top-level contest won by the likes of Envoi Allen and Bob Olinger in recent years, with able support from the Grade Two Racing Post Novice Chase.

Clerk of the course Brendan Sheridan reported the course to be raceable on Friday despite an overnight frost, but with snow a possibility on Saturday night, conditions will be assessed further on Sunday.

He said: “The ground at Naas is currently soft and fit for racing. There is a grass frost at present but that will clear quite quickly today.

“Having spoken with Met Éireann this morning, the forecast for Saturday night into Sunday morning is for rain, sleet or snow. There is an uncertainty at present what will fall so in light of that forecast we will have a 7.30am inspection here at Naas on Sunday morning.”

Tuesday’s meeting at Leicester is already under threat with an inspection also called for Sunday morning.

Officials will assess conditions at 7.45am as the track is reported to be waterlogged with rain or snow forecast on Saturday night.



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Ile Atlantique carrying high hopes on second chasing start

Ile Atlantique returns to Naas on Sunday with the opportunity to enhance his chasing reputation and erase the demons of 12 months ago.

Willie Mullins’ seven-year-old has always been held in high regard and was sent off the 6-4 favourite for this card’s feature Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle last year, agonisingly headed late in the piece by stablemate Readin Tommy Wrong.

However, he made a near foot-perfect start to life over the larger obstacles when a nine-length winner at Navan last month and connections are hopeful he can combat the drop back to two miles as he returns to graded action in the Racing Post Novice Chase.

“The plan has always been to look for a nice race after Christmas, having won well at Navan,” said Sean Graham, racing manager to owner Tony Bloom, the Brighton & Hove Albion chairman.

“That was obviously over a much longer trip and now we’re dropping back to two miles, but there are very few races to run in and once you have won your beginners’ chase it is hard to find these better races.

“We would have preferred it to be over a longer distance, but the horse doesn’t lack speed and he jumps fluently. It’s a big ask, but the only way you are going to find out about these horses is running in the races and that’s what you have to do.

“If the race was two and a half miles you might be a bit more confident, but it is what it is and he’s in great form since he ran first time out.”

Ile Atlantique after winning at Navan
Ile Atlantique after winning at Navan (Michael Graham/PA)

Ile Atlantique spent the spring of 2024 battling some of the best novice hurdlers around, but he has always been stamped with the ‘chaser in the making’ moniker, with both his performance at Navan and visible growth during the off season suggesting he could make his mark over fences this term.

“He probably came up short at Cheltenham behind Ballyburn and his season tailed off after that, but he has come back a bigger, stronger horse this year,” continued Graham.

“I spoke to Paul Townend both before and after the race at Navan and he felt he’s got bigger and grown and also felt he is a stronger horse than last year. He’s just a big horse who needed time to fill into his frame.

“He did a lot of the donkey work at Navan out in front and there was some good horses behind him that day and we go to Naas hopeful.”

Firefox (left) and Ile Atlantique (right) in action at Fairyhouse
Firefox (left) and Ile Atlantique (right) in action at Fairyhouse (Healy Racing/PA)

Ile Atlantique is set to clash with Gordon Elliott’s Firefox once again after the duo first clashed in a Fiaryhouse bumper and also went toe-to-toe over hurdles last term.

Owned by Elliott’s long-time supporters Noel and Valarie Moran of Bective Stud, the Grade One-placed hurdler made a successful fencing bow at Down Royal before narrowly falling short when third in the Drinmore at Fairyhouse.

He is another dropping in distance for this Grade Two event, but the likely favourite is Henry de Bromhead’s Inthepocket, who was ultra-impressive when opening his chasing account at Wexford.

That was the eight-year-old’s first outing following almost a year on the sidelines and with high-level hurdling form to his name, his camp are looking forward to the outing.

Owner JP McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry said: “Inthepocket came out of his last race good, Henry is very happy with him and we’re looking forward to running him on Sunday.

“Hopefully all goes well with him, as he’s had his little issues, but touch wood all is good with him at the moment.”

Berry also confirmed that Triumph Hurdle winner Majborough, who was among the initial entries for this contest, would “probably go to Leopardstown” for the Dublin Racing Festival following what was an imposing chasing bow last month.



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