Readers might forgiven for raising an eyebrow upon being informed that this Saturday’s meeting at Naas is known as the track’s Cheltenham Trials Day. The Kildare course would likely be one of the better answers in a round of Pointless, were contestants asked to name Irish racecourses.
Yet last year no less than three Festival winners had their final prep-run at the fixture.
Cheltenham Mares’ Chase heroine Elimay won the Opera Hat, St James’ Place Hunter Chase winner Billaway took the Hunter Chase and Boodles scorer Brazil landed the four-year-old novice hurdle.
The last of those three Cheltenham Festival victors continued a fantastic recent record for the Naas race that will be ran as The Jim Nolan Transport Supporting Kill GAA Rated Novice Hurdle 1.05 this year.
Check out the latest odds the 1.05 at Naas on Saturday
Boodles ante-post diamonds routinely unearthed in recent runnings
The JP McManus-owned Brazil was the third winner of the race to go and win the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (formerly known as the Fred Winter) in the last four seasons.
Band Of Outlaws (2019) and Aramax (2020) were the others to follow success in the Naas race with Festival glory, while the 2021 winner Coltor would have secured an each-way pay out for any bettor whose bookmaker paid five places at Cheltenham.
As a result, the race has become a must-watch for Cheltenham ante-post bettors with an eye on snagging some chunky odds for the Boodles.
Brazil was available at around 8/1 for his Festival target after his victory at Naas last year, but for punters looking for the real fancy prices, backing your idea of the winner of the 1.05 for their Cheltenham target before the race has been run is the way to go.
Assessing this year’s would be Boodles winners
The field for the Jim Nolan Transport Supporting Kill GAA Rated Novice Hurdle (4yo) totals a select 6 runners.
Almuhit – SP
Byker – SP
Jazzy Matty – SP
Metamorpheus – SP
Morning Solider – SP
Sir Allen – SP
Among them are representatives of several yards with a reputation for extremely savvy handicap campaigning. Gordon Elliott has won the Boodles three times and his most recent winner was Aramax, who landed this Naas heat en route to Festival glory.
Elliott’s Jazzy Matty has to make any shortlist of potential Boodles horses here. He split Comfort Zone and Tekao on debut and that form looks all the better for their subsequent exploits.
The former finished six lengths third to Triumph Hurdle favourite Lossiemouth on his next outing before landing consecutive Grade 2 contests at Chepstow and Cheltenham. Tekao scored on his next start then finished third in the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Charles Byrnes is another trainer feared by bookmakers for his ability to ready one for a handicap and his Byker looks to have plenty in his favour in terms of winning this race.
He registered his first hurdles win on his second run in this sphere back over course and distance in late January, when the reopposing Almuhit was 10 lengths behind.
However, the selection hails from the Andrew Slattery operation in the Shape of SIR ALLEN, who finished a five-length second to Willie Mullins’ now 143-rated Bloody Destiny first time up over hurdles.
Bloody Destiny slammed a field including Jazzy Matty on his next start, coming home 18 lengths clear of the second, and is now 3/1 second favourite for the Triumph Hurdle.
Get boosted odds of SP for Sir Allen to win both the Jim Nolan Transport Supporting Kill GAA Rated Novice Hurdle (4yo) and the Boodles at Cheltenham with Betzone.
