Big guns ready for a shoot-out in Lawlor's of Naas Novice Hurdle

The Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle has attracted a quality field of eight runners for the first Grade 1 race of 2025.

Champion trainer Willie Mullins will saddle four of the eight runners in the €100,000 contest which promises to be a memorable renewal and among the Mullins quartet is the Cheltenham Champion Bumper winner Jasmin De Vaux.

Mullins, who has won five renewals of the Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle since it was upgraded to Grade 1 status, has also declared Plontier, Spasiba and Supersundae for the 2m4f event.

Jasmin De Vaux, who will be ridden by Paul Townend, looked a smart recruit to hurdling when winning at Navan on debut and both the second and third placed horses on that occasion boosted the form with wins over Christmas. Danny Mullins rides Spasiba, Patrick Mullins is booked for Supersundae and Sean O'Keeffe partners Plontier.

Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father Willie, said on Friday: "Paul has obviously chosen Jasmin De Vaux and we saw how big an engine he had when he won the bumper at Cheltenham last year. His jumping in Navan left room for improvement and we think he has improved his technique at home but he just could be a horse that needs lot of racing experience to really get the hang of it.

"I'm delighted to get back on Supersundae. I thought he ran an absolute blinder in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle on his debut for us. This is his first run back off a long break but I think he should run a huge race.

"Plantier has been interrailing around Europe most of his life, he has seen a lot of Europe and ran reasonably well in Fairyhouse and he should be competitive once again, while Spasiba won around the track and is hard fit from racing on the flat during the summer so he should have a chance of collecting some decent prize money."

Gordon Elliott will be attempting to emulate Mullins by landing a fifth renewal since 2005 as the County Meath native has opted to run both The Yellow Clay and Wingmen, both in the colours of Bective Stud.

The Yellow Clay has impressed in winning at Grade 3 and Grade 2 level so far this season and was sixth in the Cheltenham Champion Bumper behind Jasmin De Vaux last season and second in the Punchestown Champion Bumper.

Henry de Bromhead is the only trainer to take the Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle away from the Mullins or Elliott powerhouses in the last decade and will be hopeful of doing so again with two-time winner Butch Cassidy.

Rachael Blackmore is declared to partner Butch Cassidy for the first time as the Punchestown maiden hurdle winner will seek to frank the form of his previous success with the Ted Walsh-trained Shuffle The Deck.

The JP McManus-owned five-year-old was an impressive winner of a maiden hurdle at Naas following his Punchestown outing behind Butch Cassidy and adds course form and further intrigue to a fascinating race.

Blackmore and de Bromhead will team up with JP McManus earlier in the day when Grade 1 winner Inthepocket heads the field for the Grade 2 Racing Post Novice Chase.

Inthepocket scored at the highest level as a novice hurdler last season before opening his account at Wexford in October.

Inthepocket will take on the Ile Atlantique, who was second in the Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle behind his stable companion Readin Tommy Wrong last season, and impressed when making a winning debut over fences at Navan last month.

Patrick Mullins added: "It looks like chases have improved Ile Atlantique like we thought they might and the tongue strap has helped him as well. I think Naas as a track will suit him and he was obviously just touched off in the Lawlor's Of Naas Novice Hurdle on this card last year but he will have to raise his game to get to the level that Firefox and Inthepocket have ran to over hurdles."

The Gordon Elliott-trained Firefox was narrowly defeated by stable mate Croke Park in Grade 1 company at Fairyhouse earlier in the season and in its first renewal as a Grade 2, the Racing Post Novice Chase promises to be mouthwatering edition with Kilbarry Saint and Walk In time completing the field.

Racing at Naas on Sunday gets underway with the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase at 12.25pm. Patrick Mullins is an interesting booking on Fun Fun Fun for his father, Willie, while Paul Townend rides Karia Des Blaises.

The seven race card concludes with the Fifty Stars At Sunnyhill Stud Bumper and there will be plenty of fun off the track as well. Kids can enjoy free facepainting and magic shows, while there will be live music with Two Guys Live and further details can be found on naasracecourse.com.

Aidan McGarry, Naas Racecourse Manager, said: “We are really looking forward to a great day of racing and entertainment at Naas this Sunday with the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle. All the leading novices were left in the race and it promises to be a memorable Grade 1 while the Grade 2 Racing Post Novice Chase looks like a cracking race as well.” 

Sunday’s meeting is subject to a 7.30am inspection on Sunday morning due to the possibility of snow. McGarry added: “The weather forecast will keep us on our toes but we are hopeful that we will avoid the snow on Saturday night and if we do we will be all set for a great day of racing and our biggest meeting of the year. We have lots going on off the track as well including live music from Two Guys Live so it will be a day not to be missed.”