FIVE British runners are expected at Naas on Monday for the Co Kildare track’s Royal Ascot Trials Day meeting, which features three listed races and a Group 3 event.

Offering €288,000 in prize money, the meeting has established itself as a good source of Ascot candidates in recent years and this year’s entries again look to contain a number of potentially high-class runners.

“Richard Fahey is sending over three horses, including his two-year-old colt Birchwood, who was bought by Godolphin recently,” said Naas manager Tom Ryan yesterday. Richard Hannon and Karl Burke have also confirmed their intention to have runners on the day. The Group 3 Racing Post Lacken Stakes attracted a particularly strong entry from Britain but several of those engaged have been rerouted to Haydock today (Saturday). “The Sandy Lane at Haydock is almost identical to our race and some trainers entered for both races in case Haydock came up soft, which now seems unlikely.”

HOME-TRAINED

Home-trained runners set to run in the Naas race include Eddie Lynam’s Group 2 winner Anthem Alexander, Ken Condon’s Newsletter and the Michael Halford-trained Toscanini.

Ryan described the Naas ground yesterday as “good, good to firm in places” but a wet weekend is forecast and he predicts it will ride ‘good’ by Monday.