Former Group 1-winning jockey and top pundit Fran Berry looks ahead to the key action
Former Group 1-winning jockey and top pundit Fran Berry looks ahead to the key action

Fan Berry Irish racing tips for Naas


Fran Berry looks ahead to the Flat action from Naas this afternoon and he fancies Jessica Harrington and Shane Foley to be among the winners again.

Recommended bets, Monday August 3

1pt win Choice And Chance in 2.05 Naas at 15/8

1pt e.w. Dickiedooda in 3.05 Naas at 8/1

1pt win Zawara in 5.05 Naas at 7/2

For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record


The first bet today comes in the opening race at Naas, where Jessica Harrington's CHOICE AND CHANCE looks to have a cracking chance.

She made a good impression on her debut at the Curragh when running third to Aunty Bridy, travelling noticeably well and basically the last off the bridle.

The second Sister Rosetta was just beaten by Snowfall after that and the fourth Willow was third at Leopardstown. It looked a good maiden on the day and this daughter of Muhaarar should be absolutely fine dropping back to a stiff six furlongs here.

This being a winners' race, she gets weight off Giorgio Vasari who won at Limerick and for me the danger might come from Joseph O'Brien's Charmed, who was a fair fourth first time out at Navan.

All eyes will be on Frenetic in the Listed Arqana Irish EBF Marwell Stakes, with Ger Lyons talking about a possible crack at the Nunthorpe is all is well with her.

I'm just of the view that she could be a bit short here on the back of that latest defeat, while she might just have been on the best part of the track when winning so well at the Curragh prior to that.

She's speedy but I'd be prepared to let her run at this prices and I'll be sticking with Jessie Harrington again and DICKIEDOODA, who didn't run too badly in the Queen Mary after winning first time out and got back to winning ways in a Listed race at Cork.

She's a strong-travelling filly and although she has the same 3lb penalty as Frenetic, I think she's got more to offer still and a decent each-way proposition around the 15/2 mark.

I think So Wonderful might be beaten again in the first-time blinkers today but and I'm struggling to find out what to oppose her with in truth, so the other value option looks to be taking on the odds-on favourite Amhran Na Bhfiann in the Nursery Of Champions Maiden.

He was third in the Investec Derby at a big price and was well touted at points prior to that, but dropping back to 10 furlongs today at prohibitive odds doesn't look too appealing.

It's worth taking him on with ZAWARA for Dermot Weld. She's a Dubawi filly who created a big impression from stall 20 on her debut. She ran on well at the finish to be a close second behind stablemate Kassaba at this track and I think she'll have the pace to trouble the favourite.

He is likely to jump and make the running but as we've seen with Dawn Patrol recently - he just got away with winning at this trip, but I'm not convinced this horse has the pace for it and he looks vulnerable all things considered.

Zawara gets the 5lb sex allowance and Gavin Ryan - who was the top rider at Galway last week - takes another 5lb off so there's plenty to think they won't be singing the national anthem after this particular maiden.

Posted at 1100 BST on 03/08/20


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