Naas preview The Birdcatcher, a traditional end-of-season highlight, backed by At The Races and the European Breeders Fund, forms part of a strong eight-race Flat programme at Naas. A premier nursery over six furlongs, the Birdcatcher has one previous course-and-distance winner among its hopefuls in Reckless Endeavour and he could well repeat the feat. Ger Lyons was on the mark here in 2009 with Beat Surrender and in Reckless Endeavour he has a major player for the 30,000 euro first prize. Reckless Endeavour beat subsequent Group Two winner Herald The Dawn when taking his maiden at this track in July and on that occasion he had two of his weekend opponents, Lieutenant General and Munshid, further behind. The Lyons runner has since finished eighth, when a well-backed market leader, in a big sales race at the Curragh. That effort came behind his stable companion, Glass House. Jim Bolger has strong representation with three chances, two of those horses are handled by himself, while Brendan Duke has care of Leath Na Hoibre for the Coolcullen maestro. Leath Na Hoibre is tried in blinkers, Bolger's Al Mohalhal is a very useful maiden now equipped with cheekpieces and the home-bred Special Focus is not one to discount too lightly, either. Half an hour later the Listed Clodovil European Breeders Fund Garnet Stakes presents a nice opportunity for the fillies and mares, and Hint Of A Tint bids to bounce back from a Tipperary disappointment last time. The Topaz Mile Handicap and Irish Cambridgeshire heroine bolted on the way to post for the Group Three Concorde Stakes and was found to be clinically abnormal post-race after finishing tailed off in last place on October 4. David Wachman, trainer of Hint Of A Tint, also has Assume, with Wayne Lordan up. Joailliere, meanwhile, has her first outing since finishing ninth behind Pleascach in the 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh in May. Elsewhere, Play The Game and Endless Time, who represents Godolphin and Charlie Appleby, are among the headline-makers in their respective heats.
