Rachael Blackmore acknowledges the crowd after winning on July Flower

Betfair ambassador Rachael Blackmore on weekend rides

Horse Racing

Fri February 21, 2025 · 1y ago

Betfair ambassador Rachael Blackmore talks through her chances at Fairyhouse and Naas this weekend.

There is an unshakable sadness over racing at the moment. What we think will never happen... happened.

The weigh room I know is different now. Michael will never be forgotten. All our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Fairyhouse, Saturday

2.15 – Beckett Rock

I ride Beckett Rock in the Tommy Carberry Handicap Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Saturday. He was impressive in winning his maiden hurdle on his racecourse debut at Gowran Park early last season, but he missed the remainder of the season, which meant that he was not a novice for this season, despite the fact that he had only one run over hurdles.

He kept on well to win at Clonmel in January, so we were disappointed with him at the Dublin Racing Festival. He just ran no race there. He seems to be in good form at home again now though, so we hope that he can put that run behind him now.

Naas, Sunday

1.50 – Withabitofluk

Withabitofluk will be having his second run over hurdles in the opening maiden hurdle at Naas on Sunday.

He kept on well to win a bumper on his racecourse debut at Ballinrobe in April, and the runner-up in that race won his maiden hurdle at Clonmel last week. Withabitofluk didn’t run again after that until he made his debut over hurdles at Punchestown in December, when he didn’t run badly in finishing fourth, in a race from which the third-placed horse came out and won at Thurles next time.

He won’t have encountered ground this soft before, but some of his siblings handle soft ground well so we’re hopeful that he will be okay on it. We’re looking forward to seeing how he goes.

3.50 – Senior Chief

Senior Chief will be going back over hurdles for the first time in a while when he runs in the Pertemps Qualifier.

He has been in good form over fences since he last ran over hurdles. He won his beginners’ chase at Punchestown in February last year, and he stayed on well to win at Cheltenham on his debut this season, leading home a 1-2 for Henry in the race. And he didn't run badly in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in November.

He hasn’t run since then, but he’s in great form at home, and we’re looking forward to seeing how he gets on now, back over hurdles.

4.50 – Nas Na Riogh

Nas Na Riogh would be an appropriate winner of the Nas Na Riogh Novice Handicap Chase, at Naas.

He did well over hurdles in the early part of the summer last year, winning his maiden hurdle at Tipperary in April and following up by winning a novice hurdle at Killarney in May. He was well beaten in each of his first two runs over fences early this season, but he didn’t run badly last time in a rated novice chase over two miles and half a furlong at Down Royal.

We hope that he can step forward again from that now. He is stepping back up to two and a half miles, the distance of his two wins over hurdles last year. He is a lovely big horse, he jumps well and he seems to be quite ground versatile. He has won on yielding ground, but he has run well on soft too.

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