Navan may supply Grade 1 clues for Naas

THE result of Sunday’s Grade 2 novice hurdle at Navan may well have a major bearing on the outcome of the Grade 1 Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle at Naas on Sunday, January 5th.

Four of the last seven winners of the Navan race have gone on to win the Naas contest, formerly known as the Slaney Hurdle. Both races are over two and a half miles.

Andy Dufresne, likely favourite at Navan tomorrow, is one of six Gordon Elliott-trained entries in the Naas race. His entry also includes the unbeaten Envoi Allen and Abacadabras, first and second in a Grade 1 race at Fairyhouse a fortnight ago.

Elliott said: “Envoi Allen is definitely in the mix for Naas, as is Abacadabras, and then we’ll see what happens in the Grade 2 at Navan on Sunday, where I’d expect to run a couple of promising types.”

Willie Mullins has supplied the winner of the Naas race six times since 2009. His entries this time around include Elixir D’ainay, Janidil, Unexcepted and Vis Ta Loi.

Other notable entries are the recent winners French Dynamite, trained by Mouse Morris, and the Martin Brassil-trained Longhouse Poet.

Naas chairman Dermot Cantillon, fresh from picking up the Racecourse of the Year Award in Dublin this week, said: “It has been a fantastic week for Naas Racecourse and that is the culmination of efforts by many people over a generation.

“Over time our fixture list has expanded and the quality of our racing has gone from strength to strength. None of this would have been achieved without the encouragement and support of both our shareholders and Horse Racing Ireland.

“As we approach our centenary year in 2024 it would indeed be fitting if we could realise our long-standing ambition to stage a Group 1 flat race at Naas.”