NAAS Sat: While the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket will draw most attention on Saturday, there’s a good eight-race card at Naas to look forward to, featuring the Group 3 Blue Wind Stakes.
⭕ The action begins with a 5f maiden (1:00pm). There isn’t much form to go on here with only three of the nine runners having racecourse experience. Dermot Weld’s Jalaybee created a good impression when finishing second behind the Aidan O’Brien-trained Democracy over 6f at the Curragh on heavy ground last month. He might bump into another high-class type from the same yard here in Carnegie Hall, a son of No Nay Never who is bred to be sharp and will appreciate the ground.
⭕ We remain over 5f for a handicap (1:35pm). Many of the 21 set to take their chance have prospects, including Mymomentintime, last-time-out winner Senor Carrots and Silver Screen. The booking of Colin Keane on the Michael O’Callaghan-trained Lokada catches the eye though, with the leading rider two from three when partnering this lightly raced daughter of Exceed And Excel.
⭕ Next up is a two-year-old EBF Race (2:10pm) over 6f. There’s no form to go on, with all six runners making their racecourse debuts. Perhaps Ger Lyon’s Tourist, a son of Australian sprint sensation Zoustar, can prove too sharp over this trip on debut, and account for the likes of Aidan O’Brien’s Johannes Brahms and Joseph O’Brien’s Gold Coast Galleon.
⭕ A 6f handicap (2:45pm) sees 16 runners go to post. Tawaazon has been progressive this season so far and is of interest with Colin Keane back aboard. He may be getting a bit high in the weights now though, so as an alternative, Jon Riggens could be one to side with each-way. Edward Lynam’s charge is lightly raced over 6f and wasn’t disgraced when attempting the trip over the course and distance last month. That was in testing conditions, and he should have more chance of staying the trip on better ground. He’s also now quite nicely weighted off a mark of 79 with claimer James Ryan taking off another seven pounds.
⭕ The 3:20pm race is an intriguing premier handicap over 6f. Several in here have competed at Group level in the past and it looks a high-class renewal. Most eyes will be on Ger Lyon’s Tough Talk, who has some exemplary form after only two starts. This son of Kingman beat subsequent Winsor Castle and Group 1 Phoenix Stakes winner, Little Big Bear, on debut last April, and then found another Aidan O’Brien horse – Blackbeard, who went on to be a Group 1 winner – too good next time out. He has been off a long time, but if returning in anything like that form, then defying a handicap mark of 96 should prove no issue.
⭕ The Group 3 Blue Wind Stakes (3:55pm) has been won by some top-class fillies in the past, including Dermot Weld’s Tarnawa in 2019. There doesn’t look to be anything of that quality in here on first inspection and it could pay to take a chance on something at a slightly bigger price. Willie McCreery won this race two years ago, and his Drummin Life is interesting now stepping up to 1m2f for the first time. This daughter of Gleneagles stayed on strongly to win her final start over a mile last season, and gave the impression she would do better over further.
⭕ Only six runners are set to line up for a Rated Race (4:30pnm) over 1m2f. Sea Legend ran a nice enough race on his reappearance over this trip at Cork. That was his first attempt at this trip, where he looked to get outpaced after the turn into the home straight before staying on again to finish fourth. Now with that reappearance behind him, there should be more to come on only his fourth start.
⭕ The finale is a fillies’ maiden (5:10pm) over a mile. It may be best to stick with fillies with prior experience in here. One that brings perhaps the best level of form into this is Joseph O’Brien’s Sandy Creek, who was an eye-catching second to a subsequent Group race winner on her only start to date in June last year. This daughter of Frankel holds entries in the Ribblesdale and Pretty Polly and should be hard to beat.
⭕ Saturday’s eight-race card begins at the slightly earlier time of 2:35pm with a 3m1f cross-country chase. The best policy here may be to stick with Hurricane Darwin, who beat Stealthy Tom by over three lengths to win this race last year. He warmed up for this contest with a respectable third behind Any Second Now at Navan last month and, if in the same form, could be tough to beat.
