Tips and analysis for Sunday’s card at Naas

Naas stages an eight-race National Hunt card on Sunday, with 92 runners declared and €177,500 in prize money.

Racing starts at 2pm, with the afternoon’s final race at 5.30pm - you can view all the latest odds and tips at MyBettingSites.

It’s currently Heavy, Soft in places on the Chase track and Soft to Heavy on the Hurdle course - with round 5mm of rain forecast.

The most valuable race of the meeting is the (2.30) two-mile, four-furlong Novice Handicap Chase - a Grade B contest with nine runners.

The competitive field consists of five winners last time out, including course and distance winner Krabat, who was only beaten by a neck here a month a go. The seven-year-old’s form in his last four races reads 3221, with his most recent win being an 11-length rout. Street Value showed up well when winning a handicap chase over the distance, on heavy ground, in January. King Alex won a novice chase at Limerick over Christmas and shaped as though this longer trip will suit. Fairyhouse winner Gevrey had been consistently knocking at the door and the £28,000 purchase should run his race again. Rounding off the recent winners list is Ballyshannon Rose, who fell when upped in trip, but beat the likes of Jeremys Flame in a Grade Two last time, back at two-mile-four.

Six run in the Grade Two Novice Hurdle, over just shy of two miles, at 3pm - with €21,900 heading the way of the winner.

Ha D’or broke his maiden tag over hurdles at Fairyhouse last month, leading from tape to post to win comfortably at Fairyhouse. A Grade One entrant as a juvenile, it’s clear prominent owner Rich Ricci and connections think highly of the five-year-old. Meet And Greet was a course and distance winner two weeks ago, winning going away, and could have plenty more to offer on this swift reappearance. Flame Bearer is another last-time-out winner who looked impressive, and has also won National Hunt Flat races on soft and heavy ground. €30,000 purchase Hiaou was unlucky to have been brought down at Leopardstown, but the lightly-raced five-year-old stayed on stoutly to score in a Punchestown maiden mid-January. Completing the sextet are Nechako and Titan Jack.

Opening the card at 2pm is the Grade Three two-mile chase, which has attracted a small but classy field of four.

Blackbow came up short over two-mile-five last time, but shaped really well for the majority of the race and a performance like that here gives him a great chance. He is on better terms than when being beaten by Captain Guinness, but the latter is a Grade Three course and distance winner this season and was third in the Grade One Dublin Chase at the beginning of the month. Darasso was well-beaten by the impressive Teahupoo at Gowran Park, but finished well ahead of Quilixios, who is no fool. Cash Back completes the field.

Naas Selections

2.00pm Blackbow

2.30pm Ballyshannon Rose

3.00pm Hiaou

3.30pm Magic Word

4.00pm Devil’s Cut

4.30pm Bring On The Night

5.00pm Cosa Ban

5.30pm Music Drive