ITV racing presenter Ed Chamberlin is relishing the prospect of seeing Lord Rapscallion, in whom he is a part owner, tackling the €50,000 Matchbook Irish EBF Birdcatcher Premier Nursery at Naas on Sunday.

The Johnny Murtagh inmate, who will be looking to further enhance his trainer’s best season to date, won a Curragh nursery in August and has reached the frame in five of his seven starts this season.

“Owning Lord Rapscallion has been so much fun and I never, in my wildest dreams, thought we’d get to run in a race like the Birdcatcher at Naas,” said Chamberlin.

“The first time I went to see the horse with Johnny he sort of had a quiet word and said to me that we might win a small race, so to think that we’ve now got a win under our belt and we are going for to a race of this stature is amazing really. It’s been a great ride and a lot of fun. The horse really sticks his neck out and we go to Naas with a chance.”

“Johnny has been having a good season and you could say that he is to me in racing what Gary Neville was to me as a pundit in football but you could argue that Johnny’s training has been much more successful than Gary’s management!”

Murtagh will be strongly represented in the Birdcatcher as he also saddles, Yolo Again, So Familiar and Archaeology.

A full field of 16 runners has been declared for the €120,000 Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Race Final with Fran Berry returning home to ride course winner Dadoozdart for trainer Noel Meade.

A strong eight race card at Naas also features the Rathasker Stud Clodovil Irish EBF Garnet Stakes in which the Dermot Weld-trained Making Light heads the field.

There is British representation in the Bungleinthejungle EBF Bluebell Stakes as Rae Guest sends over Dance Legend. A strong looking line up for that 1m4f contest also features the Jim Bolger-trained Panstarr and Curly, who is the highest rated of the 12 runners.

To read The Big Interview with Ed Chamberlin click here