Naas Wednesday Preview - 13/01/21

The first selection from us on Wednesday at Naas comes in a very hot Novice Chase over two miles and the horse we have sided with is Energumene for Willie Mullins.

The seven year old gelding has been very lightly raced for his age, being seen twice in bumpers when looking like a nice prospect and only one over hurdles, when again looking like a very likeable type after bolting up by 19 lengths at Gowran.

Mullins decided to send him chasing this season again at Gowran Park and he went on to hose up in a Beginners Chase over 2m4f by 18 lengths.

When analysing the sectional time of that race the numbers look really smart and now it is interesting to see him drop down to, two miles.

He is a horse with bags of potential that is slightly fragile, but from what he has shown so far will be tough to beat.

Next up is the two mile handicap chase and with a competitive field heading to post we like the look of the Henry De Bromhead trained Epson Du Houx.

The seven year old was a decent horse over hurdles last term winning at Clonmel on his final start and having been sent chasing this term looks a nice prospect.

Although suffering a fall on debut he bounced back to show his true colours last time out to get off the mark over the bigger obstacles for the first time.

He heads into this race full of confidence and on a mark that looks workable for his ability.

The feature race of the day day is the Grade One Lawlor Of Naas Novice Hurdle over 2m4f and nine stars will be looking to follow in the footsteps of last seasons winner Envoi Allen.

The most likely horse to do this in our eyes is the Henry De Bromhead trained Bob Ollinger, who was tipped to be a star off the back of his bumper debut last term.

The son of Sholokov is held in very high regard off the back of his starts during his career to date and since stepping over hurdles he looks a natural.

Back in November 2019 the five year old won an Irish maiden at Turtulla by 15 lengths and was bought and given to De Bromhead off the back of it.

At Gowran Park in March he made his rules debut in a bumper and again showed clear talent to take the 2m2f event by 10 lengths, seeing off nice types for Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott.

He was sent back to Gowran Park for his hurdles debut when him and Champion Bumper winner Ferny Hollow breezed away from the rest of the pack and he narrowly finished runner up behind the Cheveley Park horse.

He was then stepped up in trip at Navan in a maiden hurdle over 2m4f and he was an emphatic winner of the race beating a minor field by 14 lengths.

This is a much tougher test but he looks to have all the ability in the world and should give another bold showing.

The final selection of the day for us at Naas on Wednesday is the Willie Mullins trained Captain Kangaroo in the Maiden Hurdle over two miles.

The gelding was seen once in bumpers and it came in the last race in Ireland before Lockdown came into fruition, and he won well at Clonmel in good style.

The bumper looked to be a fairly strong contest with a nice runner for Willie's brother Tony Mullins and a decent youngster for Gavin Cromwell and Captain Kangaroo demolished the field.

Western Run who finished third in the race has since gone on to win back to back hurdle contests and Kilcruit has also franked the form by winning a bumper by over 10 lengths.

Captain Kangaroo has since been sent over hurdles this term and although holding plenty of potential has not fulfilled it yet.

He finished fourth on debut over course and distance at Naas, travelling well but not quite finishing off his race and he did the same last time out at Punchestown, when being well beaten in the end.

This field looks much easier than those races and it gives the exciting youngster a big chance to get his hurdles career back on track and improve his jumping.