Irish racing tips: Tony Keenan preview and best bets for Naas on Sunday February 25
Irish racing tips: Sunday February 25
1pts win Battle It Out in 2.25 Naas at 8/1 (888Sport, bet365) - 15/2 general
0.5pts e.w. Noble Birth in 3.55 Naas at 12/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair 1/5 1,2,3,4,5)
The returning Ferny Hollow is the star attraction at Naas on a day where Willie Mullins has just two runners, something that might open things up for punters looking to back a bigger-priced winner, but we’ll see about that.
Mullins has six winners from 25 runners in Graded non-handicaps when bringing horses back from a year off the track in the last 20 years, but Ferny Hollow is at the upper end of that scale after a 791-day absence so assessing his claims in the Newlands Chase (2.55) is difficult.
Whatever about the favourite, last year’s winner Rebel Gold is one that might do best of the rest having shaped well after a break in the Dublin Racing Festival. The Dan Moore – which he also won last year – was his main target again this time around but he missed that race after an issue following his previous run and wasn’t finished his medication in time.
He may this be able to improve on his last run where he looked to run close to his mark and though an 11-year-old under a penalty, he is better suited by ground and trip than most.
The Nas Na Riogh Novice Handicap Chase (2.25) has become a much more competitive race since it was turned into a handicap in 2015, that decision no surprise given it was won by a 2/13 shot the previous season!
Since that change, it seems to have become a target race for the JP McManus team, no surprise given their modus operandi and their 12 runners since 2015 have produced five winners.
They have four in the race this time around with the bottom weight BATTLE IT OUT most interesting.
He got better as he went up in trip over hurdles, winning over two-and-a-half miles at Cork last March, after which his trainer said he was more of a chaser, but his four runs over fences have all been around two miles.
Having his first start in handicaps over fences at Fairyhouse last time, he shaped well following a short break, kept wide for much of the race but travelling nicely into the straight before getting outpaced and keeping on without getting a hard time.
That was just an ordinary mid-grade handicap but a few from the race have run well since and the selection should be suited by going up in trip.
Of the rest, it would no surprise to see Evies Vladimir or Kings Halo, who fought out a 0-102 at Clonmel in November, continue their progression but Battle It Out is preferred due to being less exposed in handicaps.
There is a late Pertemps Qualifier (3.55) elsewhere on the card and it will be interesting to see what, if any, impact it has on the Final, Irish qualifiers having had disproportionate influence on that race in the past.
The one that interests me, NOBLE BIRTH, is unlikely to get in but he may be able to able to make his presence felt from the bottom of the weights.
He was acquired cheaply by Eric McNamara from Gordon Elliot 11 months ago, and the trainer has had success with apparent cast-offs recently, winning decent races with the likes of Real Steel, Falco Blitz and Londonofficecallin, the last-named running in the same colours as the selection.
Noble Birth has done most of his racing over three miles in Britain since joining this yard and after running well at Ayr in November, he shaped with a lot of promise in a strong Cheltenham handicap hurdle later that month.
In first-time cheekpieces that seemed to light him up, he was always over-racing but pressed on with the leader (who finished well beaten) around halfway before travelling well to two out, only to fade up the hill into fourth, having lost a shoe too.
The form of that race looks strong with the Timeform time-figure supporting that; the winner was thriving at the time, the runner-up won next time, the third is a leading player in the Pertemps Final while the fifth finished third in the Paddy Power Chase next time. Certainly, it looks no better than today’s contest.
He was off for 78 days after that run before returning at Musselburgh earlier this month when he travelled well after a wide trip, the outing presumably needed, and while all his recent runs have been over three miles, this slight drop in trip looks in his favour with how he travels.
His price has shortened overnight but there is still a little juice in it.
Published at 0915 GMT on 25/02/24
More from Sporting Life
- Racecards
- Fast results
- Full results and free video replays
- Horse racing news
- Horse racing tips
- Horse racing features
- Download our free iOS and Android app
- Football and other sports tips
- Podcasts and video content
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
Next Off
Most Followed
MOST READ RACING
