Three-time bumper winner Castra Vetera starts out over hurdles at Naas© Photo Healy Racing
There are some promising young horses in action at Naas this afternoon where a seven race card gets under way at 12.25 pm on ground described as heavy, soft in places (hurdles and bumper) and heavy on the chase track. There's been 12mm of rain since declarations on Saturday and a mainly dry day is forecast with a risk of showers.
The second race is a mares’ maiden hurdle at 12.55pm where Joseph O’Brien’s classy bumper mare Castra Vetera goes over flights for the first time with Rachael Blackmore in the saddle. The daughter of Jeremy made a winning start to the season in a Listed bumper at Navan last month.
“Castra Vetera has won her three bumpers. She’s tough, stays well and has jumped good at home,” said assistant trainer Brendan Powell.
“She’s in good form at home and is a lovely mare going forward. Hopefully she is going to be decent.”
In a competitive heat, bumper winner Rosey’s Hollow (available at around 4/1 in early betting), who was third in a strong maiden hurdle at Leopardstown in March, is a leading player along with last year’s Irish Cesarewitch winner Royal Illusion (vying for favouritism at around 13/8 along with Castra Vetera) who makes a belated hurdling debut at the age of eight for Willie Mullins. Delvino (6/1 generally) is another promising sort in the line-up as she starts out over obstacles. The daughter of Dylan Thomas won a bumper at Down Royal when last seen on St. Patrick’s Day having started her career when a promising second at Navan the previous month.
“It looks a fair maiden hurdle. She seems in good form,” said trainer Dermot McLoughlin.
“She had good bumper form and is back with us about two months now. She has plenty of work done and I’d be hopeful. She won’t mind the ground.
“She’s a much bigger mare than her half-sister Avellino (won two bumpers and a maiden hurdle) who was more small and compact. She’s a big lump of a mare who has taken a while to fill out and will jump fences as well down the road.” Echoes In Rain a dual winner on the level in France, looks the one to beat in the opening 4-y-o maiden hurdle as she makes her first appearance since last Christmas.
No match for Aspire Tower in Grade 2 company at Leopardstown on her hurdling debut, Willie Mullins’ Authorized filly (a shade of odds-on this morning) drops in class and will be up against hardy Flat handicapper Ideal Pal and Arthur Moore’s Whowonthetoss who’s shown up well in a couple of bumpers.
A couple of years ago, the first two home in the beginners’ chase, A Plus Tard and Duc Des Genievres, went on to Cheltenham Festival success later that season.
Mullins, who saddled the latter, has prospects in the 2020 renewal at 2.30pm with Lord Royal Paul Townend’s mount (morning favourite at around 11/8) was in front when falling at the second-last on his chasing bow at Thurles last month.
Last season’s smart novice hurdler Longhouse Poet (5/2 second favourite in early betting) was a solid second to Janidil over course and distance last time and should be capable of fighting out the finish along with chasing debutant Sempo and Coko Beach who wasn’t disgraced behind stablemate Envoi Allen in the Grade 1 Drinmore Novice Chase.
Racing concludes with an open-looking mares’ bumper at 3.35pm where Paul Nolan’s Socially Distant (9/2 generally) bids to go one better after chasing home subsequent maiden hurdle winner Royal Kahala on her debut at Fairyhouse.
Tom Mullins introduces Some Venture a full-sister to his good chaser Court Maid, while Take Tea (5/4 favourite this morning) is out of a half-sister to her trainer Willie Mullins’ Irish Gold Cup winner Quel Esprit.
Derek O’Connor rides recent point-to-point runner-up Norwigi who’s out of talented chaser Nadiya De La Vega and Noel Meade’s Fantasia Roque was a winner of a point-to-point over a year ago and is a daughter of ‘in vogue’ stallion Blue Bresil.
