RACING NEWS: AFTER A blank, freezing fortnight, Irish racing is set to crank back into gear this weekend with both Naas today and Fairyhouse tomorrow boasting Grade Two action.
Fears from early in the week that overnight rain might wash out both fixtures appeared to ease yesterday with the Naas management issuing a welcome “guarantee” that racing will go ahead this afternoon.
“We will get rain but not to the extent we feared. The track is in good shape and more than able to take the 5 to 10mms of rain we are now being told to expect,” said manager Tom Ryan. “We will race alright – guaranteed.”
As an incentive to get crowds out, Naas will have €15 admission today, with which each customer will receive €10 worth of betting and food vouchers.
The numbers of runners is down on what would normally be expected of a card like this which features the Grade Two Woodlands Park 100 Club Novice Chase and a Listed Hurdle which contains just four horses. There will also be the reappearance of the Galway Plate winner Ballyholland in another hurdle race.
Mouse Morris has half the six runners in the Grade Two Chase, a race in which Alpha Ridge boasts the best single piece of form from his runner-up placing to Pandorama in the Drinmore Chase at Fairyhouse.
The three-mile trip, and testing ground conditions, will be ideal for Paul Nolan’s charge but his jumping did look to fall to pieces when he took on Pandorama again in a Christmas Grade One at Leopardstown.
Oscar Looby could manage only third at Limerick on St Stephen’s Day and in the circumstances it could be dangerous to underestimate Jim Dreaper’s Telenor who impressed when winning at Navan.
Muirhead is one of four in the Limestone Lad Hurdle and Noel Meade was in hopeful form of his chances yesterday.
“When you look at the weights he is obviously well in. The danger looks to be De Valira who finished in front of him at Leopardstown,” he said. “He disappointed me there and we didn’t find any real reason for it.”
Ballyholland takes on eight opponents in the novice hurdle and in the ground conditions, he along with the others, looks to face a tough opponent in Luska Lad.
The five runner Normans Grove Chase is the feature at Fairyhouse and last year’s winner Mansony is back for another crack at the €40,000 two miler.
Rare Bob, a Grade One winner over three miles at the Punchestown festival, makes his first start of the season while Aran Concerto also drops back to the minimum distance.
Trip seems to make little difference to Scotsirish, one of two Willie Mullins runners, who comes here on the back of an encouraging Christmas effort behind Golden Silver.
Fifth in last season’s Champion Chase, fourth to Voy Por Ustedes over two and a half at Aintree, and third to Notre Pere over three at Punchestown, Scotsirish looked to be coming back to form at Leopardstown and can maintain his 100 per cent course record.
In terms of star performers though, tomorrow will mainly centre on Cousin Vinny who has his second start over fences in the Beginners Chase. Runner-up to Roberto Goldback at Navan last month, Cousin Vinny is being aimed at the RSA Chase and those hopes will be severely compromised by anything but victory this weekend.
Arvika Ligeonniere was an expensive failure in a course bumper here but is back for a crack at the maiden hurdle where Monastrell, also beaten at odds on last time, may be tough to beat while The Hurl will relish a slog in the three mile novice hurdle.
Shinrock Paddy is set to head straight to the Cheltenham Festival after suffering a minor setback over Christmas. Paul Nolan’s six-year-old is unbeaten in two starts over hurdles.
“He had a slight setback over Christmas and we didn’t want to force him, so it is now more than likely he won’t run again before Cheltenham,” said Nolan.
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