THE card at Naas last Sunday saw the seasonal debut of Broome in the Listed Devoy Stakes.

Having operated over distances in excess of Sunday’s trip, including when fourth in the 2019 Derby at Epsom, the mile and a quarter represented a step back in trip, which the son of Australia seemed to appreciate.

The deterioration in the weather and therefore the ground makes awarding a rating somewhat more difficult, but 96 is a comfortable figure to allot the performance given the placed horses.

Aligning the rating to the closing sectional (43.65 secs) and the finishing percentage (95.4%) would indicate the five-year-old had outstayed his opponents in the conditions and he looks set for a strong season.

The Group 3 Park Express Stakes for fillies and mares was the feature race on the card despite the earlier presence of Broome.

Epona Play (91) bravely emerged on top of Archie Watson’s English raider Parent’s Prayer (89) with the pair trading blows from around three furlongs down.

The closing sectional, in comparison to the Broome race, was quicker (41.4 secs) and as the finishing percentage was also higher at 102.2% the early pace was more conservative.

Limerick

The weather also played its part at Limerick turning the ground heavy for the Grade 3 novice chase although it was not an inconvenience for the winner, Chatham Street Lad (72).

Making a swift reappearance after contesting the Marsh Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, Mick Winters’s gelding looked much more at home in the prevailing conditions.

Darragh O’Keefe always had matters in hand as his nine-year-old partner jumped well in the main, taking up the running on turning for home, the pair stayed on strongly to record an 11-length win over Defi Bleu (68). In seeing out this longer trip so well, there are now plenty of options open to connections if they decide to roll the dice again at Punchestown.

Prince Escalus (68) was a good winner of the 0-130 handicap hurdle at Market Rasen on Wednesday afternoon in the manner of a horse who is worth following in the coming weeks.

The Jonjo O’Neill-trained gelding was making his handicap debut and benefitted from the return to better ground.

Tom Scudamore was happy to sit just behind pace setter Rosie And Millie at what appeared a more than generous gallop.

On rounding the final turn, the six-year-old went clear with only the challenge of Gunsight Ridge (68) to beat off, which he did by a comfortable three lengths. He appears capable of finding a nice race this spring.