12:40 Naas

Sunday 30 January 2022

All12:4013:1013:4014:1014:4015:1015:4016:10

Naas Racecourse Business Club Novice Chase (Grade 3)

Off time: 12:40 | Winning time: 6m 33.8s

Vanillier^t³²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell| C

13/2

Smart chaser. 5/2, creditable 18 lengths third of 8 to Fury Road in Neville Hotels (Fort Leney) Novices' Chase at Leopardstown (24f, good to soft) 32 days ago. In the mix.

Form: 014-313

En Beton³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins

5/1

Smart chaser. Career best when winning 11-runner novice chase at Punchestown (23.2f, heavy, 10/1) on debut over fences 30 days ago, easily. Sure to progress. Player.

Form: 252/31-1

Farouk D'Alene³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| BF| C

3/1

Promising sort. 11/10, good short-head second of 6 to Master Mcshee in Faugheen Novices' Chase at Limerick (19.7f, heavy) 35 days ago. Up in trip and merits serious consideration.

Form: 1/141-12

Noble Yeats^h³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Brian Hayes| T: E Mullins| OR: 141

16/1

Useful chaser. Latest win in chase at Galway in October. 13/2 and hooded for 1st time, below form ninth of 28 in handicap chase at Leopardstown (24.2f, soft) 34 days ago. Remains open to improvement.

Form: 61-1469

Stattler⁵⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins

11/10

Smart chaser. Career best when winning 13-runner novice chase at Fairyhouse (21f, soft, 5/4) on debut over fences 50 days ago, comfortably. Stable having good spell so another bold show is likely.

Form: 31343-1

Stratum⁴²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: W P Mullins| D

28/1

Useful winner at 23f over hurdles. Career best when winning 8-runner novice chase at Thurles (24.8f, good to soft, 2/5) 42 days ago, always holding on. More needed here though.

Form: 70-7131

Darrens Hope⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: R Murphy| OR: 130

40/1

Fairly useful winner over hurdles. Best run over fences when fourth of 7 to Ballyshannon Rose in Grade 2 chase at Thurles (20.3f, good to soft) 7 days ago. Needs another step forward here though.

Form: 0-72024

Non-Runners

Run Wild Fred³²

Weight: 11-2| Age: 8

T: G Elliott J: D N Russell

Forecasts

Stattler (11/10), Farouk D'Alene (3/1), Run Wild Fred (3/1), En Beton (5/1), Vanillier (13/2), Noble Yeats (16/1), Stratum (28/1), Darrens Hope (40/1)

A fascinating Grade 3 novice in which STATTLER is taken to continue Willie Mullins' fine recent run in this event and follow up his impressive debut success over fences. Farouk d'Alene is feared most now he also steps up in trip, with both Run Wild Fred and En Beton high on the shortlist too.