Velocity Boy aims for his first Graded win at Naas tomorrow where the Willie Murphy-trained gelding faces nine rivals in the €50,000 Woodlands Nas Na Riogh Novice Handicap Chase.
Primarily a front-runner, Velocity Boy once attempted the virtually impossible when making the running in a Grade One hurdle won by Douvan but comes into this race having made all to comfortably win his beginners' chase at Punchestown earlier this month.
Regular partner Barry Cash is again in the saddle and Murphy has high hopes.
“He won well at Punchestown the last day so we’re hoping to repeat the dose and he seems very well and is in good form," he said.
"He hasn’t done anything wrong and while I’d prefer a couple of furlongs further, he has won over two-miles-four in the past and the ground will suit him. He has a grand racing weight too and I’m hopeful of a good run.”
Opposing Velocity Boy are two other last-time-out winners in Edwulf and A Great View, both owned by JP McManus, while Gigginstown House Stud’s pair, General Principle and Catalaunian Fields, were both second on their most recent starts.
Edwulf was beaten a long way out before falling in the Navan race won by Acapella Bourgeois last weekend and finds himself running off a 2lb higher rating.
That is because of a bit of retrospective handicapping involving Bachasson’s subsequent Gowran win. Barry Geraghty rides Edwulf here on his first handicap outing.
General Principle’s trainer Gordon Elliott is in pursuit of a first trainer’s championship and also fires another dart – Space Cadet under Davy Russell – at this prize.
I’d rather take a small chance with Total Recall from the Sandra Hughes yard.
Just seven have been declared for the Grade Two Paddy Power Onside App Novice Hurdle headed by the Ted Walsh-trained five-year-old Any Second Now who will look to extend his unbeaten run.
Geraghty rides this course and distance winner for McManus but it is difficult to gauge just how weak, or otherwise, this race actually is.
The Elliott runner is Labaik, returning to racecourse action after an enforced absence since mid-December due to his disinclination to start. He has been seen out hunting this week.
Henry de Bromhead has won the Grade Three chase here three times in the last four years with Days Hotel but this weekend the Waterford-based trainer will try to win the race with Alisier D’Irlande.
Has his chance in a race that has been demoted to a Grade Three, although it is still endowed with Grade Two prize money.
Grade One winner Clarcam is the highest-rated entry in the field and Elliott will be hoping he can go one better than his effort behind Ballycasey at Gowran Park last weekend.
“Clarcam takes his racing well and he ran well last weekend so we said we’d let him take his chance at Naas as it’s a nice prize,” said Elliott.
Yorkshire trainer Micky Hammond sends over Just Cameron and the 10-year-old, a recent Wetherby winner, looks best in at these weights.
Alisier D’Irlande might be the danger.
Neville Ring
2.20 Kolumbus
2.50 Adreamstillalive
3.20 Total Recall
3.50 Any Second Now (Nap)
4.20 Just Cameron (Dbl)
4.50 Whatarudoingtome
5.20 Monbeg Worldwide
Next Best
2.20 Giant Spirit
2.50 Lilshane
3.20 General Principle
3.50 Joey Sasa
4.20 Alisier D’Irlande
4.50 Cappacurry Zak
5.20 Balkalin
