#Naas Novice Hurdle

Barra could be the value in a really competitive Hanlon Concrete Irish EBF Glencarraig Lady Francis Flood Mares' Handicap chase on Day Four of the Punchestown Festival today. Gordon Elliott's mare was a progressive handicap hurdler last season. She finished second in the Paddy Mullins mares' handicap hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival at…

Kilmaley native, Richard O'Brien, came in for lavish praise following the success of Paul Nolan's well-fancied newcomer, Cut The Rope (5/1), in the concluding four-year-old bumper at Naas on Sunday. O'Brien is a very successful trainer based in Ballingarry, County Limerick and it was on his advice that the Nolan camp purchased Cut The Rope, before…

Okay, it wouldn't be quite as dramatic as Lester Piggott at the 1990 Breeders' Cup. "I have decided to come out of retirement and ride for the short period while Jack [Kennedy] is on the sidelines," Russell said in his statement. But, with Kennedy breaking his leg for a fifth time at Naas on Sunday, the Cheltenham Festival, just two months away,…

Jack Kennedy: took a heavy fall from Top Bandit at Naas on Sunday X-rays have confirmed that Jack Kennedy has broken his leg for a fifth time following a fall from Top Bandit at Naas on Sunday, but Gordon Elliott is hopeful his number one jockey will be back in time to ride at the Cheltenham Festival. The 23-year-old leads the Irish jump jockeys'…

Not without late support but sent off at 100/30 as the Willie Mullins second-string behind stablemate Grangeclare West, Champ Kiely set off in front and barely saw another rival en route to winning Sunday's two and a half-mile feature. The seven-year-old son of Ocavango, who disappointed when only fourth as the odds-on jolly in the Royal Bond over…

Champ Kiely led from pillar-to-post to provide Willie Mullins with a ninth victory in the Lawlor's Of Naas Novice Hurdle. The seven-year-old was one of two runners for the champion trainer in the Grade One contest, with the previously unbeaten Grangeclare West the apparent first string as the 15-8 favourite. Champ Kiely won a Limerick bumper, a…

2m4f Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase (5yo+) Instit - 1pt Win - 2/1 (General) singleSelection My first two selections today come in the opening race at Naas. Willie Mullins was quite open ahead of Instit's seasonal reappearance that she would come on for the run and they would find a more suitable race for her over the Christmas/New…

The Naas Novice Hurdle (14:20) on Sunday is available as a free Race Pass, which means logged-in customers can view all our premium comments and ratings. There are several promising types among the nine runners declared for the Grade 1 Lawlor's of Naas Novice Hurdle (14:20) which has been won by Gordon Elliott in four of the last six years. The…

A common gripe is that there is no value in ante-post markets anymore, but with so much action over the Christmas period there is always the possibility a few performances have fallen through the cracks. If it's value you're looking for then you have to be prepared to look outside the box and beyond the common line of thinking, and a few horses…

Jump racing fans were treated to a bonanza weekend that reshuffled the pecking order of many markets for the Cheltenham Festival. From Gordon Elliott's seven-timer at Navan on Saturday to Kilcruit getting beaten at odds of 1/14 on Sunday, there was a lot to digest. Here we look at the potential ramifications for the Champion Chase, Ryanair Chase,…

Go for GALVIN in the Cheltenham Gold Cup as the Festival reaches its grand finale. Gordon Elliott, already with a winner of the feature on his CV, looks to have an ideal candidate. The son of Gold Well has stamina in abundance - and scooped the National Hunt Chase prize at last year's meeting. A narrow verdict over A Plus Tard at Leopardstown over…

Plenty of horses trained in Ireland understandably catching the punters' attention after the recent festive action. Shorteners with Sky Bet include Sunday Naas winner Ginto who looks a player in the staying novice hurdle division in March - and a Willie Mullins-trained, Sussanah Ricci-owned French import in Allegorie De Vassy. She impressed with…