Classic Clues On Offer In Darley Irish EBF Naas Oaks Trial
The Darley Irish EBF Naas Oaks Trial Stakes will be the feature race at Naas Racecourse this Saturday with seven of the ten entries holding future Group 1 entries.
Champion trainer Aidan O’Brien dominates the entries with four inclusions including Giselle who has the Irish 1,000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks and Irish Oaks among a number her list of possible future targets.
Giselle’s stable companion and Naas winner Garden Of Eden is the highest rated entry and has been given the option of a quick reappearance after running at the Curragh yesterday, while Island Hopping and Medici Venus who were third and fourth respectively in the Group 3 Salsabil Stakes may also line up for the Ballydoyle team.
The Dermot Weld-trained Kalixa made a winning seasonal return at Naas last month and could return to the Kildare track for Saturday’s feature race, while Mittens, who was second on that occasion for Jessica Harrington, could bid to go one better when renewing that rivalry.
Recent Cork winner Jaliyah is a notable entry for trainer Adrian Murray. The Westmeath trainer has enjoyed a fine start to the season with seven winners already this term and on official ratings Jaliyah looks a leading contender for the €55,000 showpiece.
“Jaliyah is a filly we have always liked and is progressing well,” Murray said. “She won nicely at Cork and we felt that this race at Naas would be a logical step for her to step back up into stakes company.
“The ground this weekend will be quicker than at Cork last month but she has shown her versatility by winning on a sound surface at Cork last year so we are looking forward to it. She holds some nice entries later in the campaign.”
There will be an added bonus for the breeder of Saturday's Darley Irish EBF Naas Oaks Trial Stakes winner as the breeder will receive a free nomination to the Champion Two Year Old and Irish 2,000 Guineas winner, Native Trail.
Saturday’s card also features the Declan Landy Fencing Handicap with six of the eleven entries winning last time out.
Course and distance winner Unique Journey was an emphatic seven and a half-length winner for Danny Murphy last time out and will bid to back that up against the likes of Fozzy Stack’s Bodhi Bear and the Andrew Slattery-trained Bobbi Rosa.
Racegoers will be treated to two fascinating juvenile maiden races at Naas which is often renowned as a nursery of champions and Aidan O’Brien is unsurprisingly well represented in both races.
However, it is the inclusion of the highly regarded Albert Einstein in both contests that will spark the interests of racegoers.
O’Brien stated earlier in the season that Albert Einstein “looks just very different at the moment” so his potential racecourse debut at Naas on Saturday will be watched with much interest.
The first on an eight race card this Saturday is due off at 1.25pm and further details can be found on naasracecourse.com
