Naas Report: Solerina notched up her 22nd career success when seeing off four rivals in the Cedar Building Hurdle at Naas today.
The prolific mare was sent off the 1-6 favourite to take the race for the second time having landed the two-mile-three-furlong contest in 2004. The nine-year-old was not sent into her customary front-running role early on, though, with jockey Gary Hutchinson allowing Up Above to stride on and set the pace.
However, Solerina was never far away and after being sent to the front approaching the third-last she kept on strongly to beat her stablemate Florida Coast by two lengths. Her owner John Bowe, son of trainer James, said: "She has got an over-reach and we will have to see how she is before making any firm plans. Gary said she possibly didn't have the same enthusiasm today that she normally has. I was surprised Florida Coast got as close as he did.
"There is a possibility of a race at Fairyhouse next month over two and a half, it is a new race they are looking to put on, but that has not been confirmed yet. If that doesn't work out, we'll more than likely go for the Red Mills at Gowran next month, although Gowran has not been our luckiest track.
"The only other option next month would be the Boyne Hurdle in Navan. Normally that is over three miles, but this year it is two miles and seven furlongs, but I'd be reluctant to push her back up in trip after she was beaten over three miles at Christmas.
"She has been in great form at home, but I want to do the right thing for her as I am mindful that we probably won't have as good a one as her again."
Southern Vic went into many notebooks when winning a competitive event at Leopardstown over Christmas and the seven-year-old had no trouble following up in the Woodlands Park 100 Club Novice Chase.
Racing on his favoured soft surface, Ted Walsh's charge made all under Conor O'Dwyer, with the 4-5 favourite beating Church Island by 12 lengths in the Grade Two event.
"What you see is what you get. He gallops and jumps away and stays well," said Walsh. "He'll probably go to Navan in four weeks' time (February 19th) and that might be it for this season unless the ground stays very soft.
"If somebody said to me Cheltenham was in doubt (due to heavy ground) we might consider going there and the only way he would run in the Irish Hennessy is if Beef Or Salmon and Hedgehunter don't run."
Sweet Wake was also in action at the Dublin track over Christmas and again advertised his Supreme Novices' claims when winning in facile fashion under Paul Carberry. With nothing keen to go on in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Irish Racing Writers Novice Hurdle, a sprint finish looked assured and it was the 1-2 favourite who coped best of all.
The five-year-old poked his nose in front over the fourth-last and soon quickened away, with Carberry easing him home to beat 50-1 chance Conscript by three and a half lengths.
Paddy Power cut Noel Meade's charge, a Group Two winner on the Flat in Germany, into 4-1 favourite from 8s for the Supreme, while Cashmans go 6-1. "I don't know if he will run again before Cheltenham but the Supreme is definitely the plan," said the County Meath handler.
"That was a bit of a muddling race but in a way it kind of suited him as we didn't want the guts dragged out of him. He will go to Cheltenham as a fresh horse and he does look very special and showed so much boot in the straight. You would have to think the way he moved that good ground will suit him."