Naas Sunday Preview - 16/05/21

The first selection of the day comes in the second race on the card and it is the one mile Naas Handicap and Visualisation for Joseph O'Brien looks like a horse on the upgrade.

The son of No Nay Never has been seen four times during his career to date, once as a juvenile when needing the experience, but on his three outings as a three year old he has shown bundles of ability.

He finished third on his first start of the year over 7f at Dundalk and then a few weeks later got off the mark for his career, seeing off stablemate Devil's Outlaw.

The three year old was given a few months off and made his turf debut over a mile at Gowran in April and on his handicap debut he dominated the field in the latter stages, loving the soft ground.

He is up 11lb for that run but he looks highly progressive and chasing a hat-trick should not be a million miles away.

Another Handicap over a mile follows and we are siding with the Jessica Harrington trained Pepperoni Pete who looks to have a big chance with a handy 5lb claimer on board taking weight off.

This season the son of Zoffany has managed to finally get off the mark, having a pipe cleaner at Dundalk over 10.5f and off the back of that at Navan on heavy ground he was a game winner off a mark of 68.

He was then upped in the handicap and on quicker ground than he likes finished a fair eighth in a big field.

The gelding last time out gave a much better effort when third at Limerick over a mile and now back on soft ground off the same mark as his run last time out, he could go close.

The Coolmore Stud Calyx Race over five five furlongs looks to only have one winner and Cadamosto for Aidan O'Brien could be a serious sprinter in the making.

The £130,000 purchase as a yearling has been seen once to date at Dundalk over five furlongs and he was a bold winner, bolting up by close to four lengths.

He makes his turf debut on Sunday and if handling the soft ground looks to have enough pace to trouble any horse.

Should also improve for his debut run.

One of the feature races on the card is the Listed Spring Stakes over five furlongs and Make A Challenge for Denis Hogan has been a superb yardstick.

Having gone through a purple patch during 2019 and 2020, winning 10 of his 19 races on ground with soft in the description, the experienced sprinter finally gets the ground he wants in this event.

Having been poor at the back end of last season, he returned in good form when third of 15 over 6f at Cork in a Listed event and then last time out he backed that up with a fair fourth in a Listed race on good ground at Naas.

Getting back to these conditions today should play to his strengths and now down to a mark of 108 he looks an attractive bet.

One of the banker bets of the day for many is the Aidan O'Brien trained Contrelli Chapel for Aidan O'Brien and this youngster holds some of the best potential seen from a sprinter this season.

The two year old daughter of star sprinter Caravaggio made a very impressive debut at Naas in April, landing a Fillies Maiden over 6f by close to six lengths, hardly coming off the bridle.

She is sure to improve for that run and although tackling softer ground, going back over the same course and distance as she dominated on debut makes her dangerous.

One to follow.

The penultimate event on the card is the Group Three Lacken Stakes over six furlongs and the Aidan O'Brien trained Lippizanner looks the class angle.

The three year old colt was superb at the back end of last season, Getting off the mark at the fourth time of asking at Navan.

After that he went up in trip for the Group One Middle Park Stakes and finished sixth of eight runners, running a fair race behind some superstar sprinters.

Heading back to Ireland he was second in a Group Three at the Curragh and he then backed that up at Doncaster in a Listed event on heavy ground.

That run set him up for a crack at the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland and he was a superb fourth in the Group Two event behind Golden Pal.

He came back for his seasonal debut last time out at Navan and finished a fair third in the Listed Commited Stakes and he should be much fitter for that run.

The final event of the afternoon is the Listed Owenstown Stud Stakes over seven furlongs and we are giving another chance to the Aidan O'Brien trained Admiral Nelson.

The now three year old looked to be a very exciting juvenile, winning well on debut at the Curragh over five furlongs, showing clear speed.

However, since then it all went down hill going off favourite for the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and under performing and then tried in another Group Two at Glorious Goodwood and not being good enough.

He was upped in Class to the Group One Phoenix Stakes in August and again could not handle the field, but on his final start when dropped to Listed company was a much better third.

Showing he goes well fresh on his debut last year makes him worth giving a chance to again back in Listed company.