Naas Racecourse Business Club Novice Chase report: Carefully Selected workmanlike in victory

The Willie Mullins-trained eight-year-old was already the ante-post favourite for the National Hunt Chase after impressing on his first two starts over fences this season, most recently dominating his rivals in a Grade Three contest over two and a half miles at Punchestown.

However, updated race conditions announced last summer stated that to qualify for the National Hunt Chase, a horse must have finished in the first four in a chase staged over an extended two miles and seven and a half furlongs or further - which Carefully Selected previously had not.

With the clock ticking, Mullins was left with little option but to turn his charge out a fortnight after his Punchestown triumph in this Grade Three contest - and the champion trainer will have breathed a sigh of relief after what was a far from straightforward victory.

The 4/6 favourite set out to make all the running under Paul Townend, but his jumping was not always convincing. After being passed by Spyglass Hill, Carefully Selected regained the lead before a shuddering error three fences from home shuffled him back again.

The market leader rallied, though, and looked to be getting the better of Spyglass Hill when the latter crashed out at the next obstacle.

Carefully Selected then still had to be kept up to his work on the run-in to score by four lengths from Forza Milan.

Mullins said: "He makes hard work of it. That's twice he's been taken out of a race with what appeared race-ending mistakes, but has come back.

"He stays all day, and his jumping is generally safe. That will be good experience for him. He doesn't look the fastest, but I think he has more speed than he looks - at least over that sort of trip.

"He's qualified now for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham, and it looks like that's where he'll go. I think better ground won't inconvenience him over a trip."

Details of updated National Hunt Chase race conditions

Distance:

• The National Hunt Chase will be run over about 3m6f (3m 5f 201y)
• The number of fences jumped will reduce from 25 to 23

Horses:

• All horses must have a minimum BHA rating of 120 to participate. This change brings the National Hunt Chase in line with the Grade 1 novices’ chases staged at The Festival – the Racing Post Arkle Novices’ Chase, the RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase and the Marsh Novices’ Chase
• Horses must have run in at least two chases and must have finished in the first four in a chase staged over an extended two miles and seven and a half furlongs or further
• Horses must have run at least once in a chase during the current season

Jockeys:

• All jockeys riding in the National Hunt Chase must have ridden a minimum of 20 times and achieved at least five winners over fences
• All qualifying rides must have come in races staged under Rules (ie. excluding point-to-point races)

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