Grade Three Naas Novice Chase Guide 2022

A lethal bumper winner for Emmett Mullins back in January of last year, Noble Yeats then went on to break his maiden without breaking a sweat at the beginning of March last year.

That was his only start over hurdles and he came back to the track this year as a chaser where he managed to scalp Gabynako over 2 miles and 2 furlongs.

He hasn’t managed to be competitive over fences since and has been well beaten on his next 3 outings. Tried over 2.5 miles, 2 miles and 3 miles he’s found himself tailed off despite going off favourite for 2 of the 3 runs.

Last seen switching to handicap company, a mark of 142 looked to have the measure of him and he finished 27 lengths behind the winner of the Paddy Power Chase.

Moving back into novice company will help but he’ll have to show a lot more to trouble the market principles.

Another for Mullins in the shape of the highly tried Stratum. Bouncing between the flat and national Hunt, Stratum’s biggest flat success came when winning the 2019 Cesarewitch.

He wasn’t quite as prolific over hurdles and despite 14 runs over timber, only won 3 races.

He was getting difficult to place off a mark in the mid 140’s and wasn’t quite good enough to get competitive in group races so a switch to chasing in November was a logical move.

Running a creditable 3rd on chase debut behind West Cork Wildway and The Bosses Oscar. He put that experience to good use when winning a beginners chase over 25 furlongs at Thurles last month. Sent off at prohibitive odds, he just got the better of stablemate Cavallino.

His form maybe isn’t the deepest and he’s struggled in this kind of grade over hurdles. Jockey bookings make Stattler the stable first string.

Last seen only a week ago for Robert Murphy, Darrens Hope has had four spins over fences but has failed to get her head in front yet over the bigger obstacles.

The 8 year old ran in several; bumpers before finding it hard to break her maiden over hurdles. It took her 6 attempts to get her first win but she quickly followed up with a listed win over 3 miles.

She took her form to new heights when winning a Grade 3 hurdle against her own sex on deep ground last March but has failed to win since.

Unable to take advantage of a mark of 133 in handicaps, she’s switched to fences but has failed to notch a win.

She did however run very well to finish a close 2nd to Concertista in a Grade 2 for mares at the end of last year.

Deep ground looks to be to her liking and she was outpaced on quicker ground when last seen last week.

Going up in trip is a positive but her best runs have come on rain softened ground.

A lightly raced sort for Willie Mullins, En Beton only had two runs over hurdles for connections.

Beaten in 2 bumper runs, he was then only 3rd on hurdle debut despite being a short priced favourite. He finally got off the mark for Mullins when taking a maiden hurdle at Tramore last April.

Not seen again until coming out at Punchestown at the end of last year when debuting over fences on deep ground. At home in the mud, En Beton made every yard with ease and looked to realise going up to 3 miles for the first time.

A 21 length victory earmarked him as one to follow and he steps up in grade here off the back of that taking performance.

The form has yet to be tested but visually it ticked plenty of boxes.

A Grade 3 winner over hurdles, Run Wild Fred looked a staying chaser in the making but didn’t take to fences immediately like everyone expected him to.

Outings in a few novice chases saw him run well but he looked to be coming into his own when sent for staying handicap chases last year.

Coming 2nd in the Thyestes Chase before another 2nd place in the Irish Grand National.

Coming back to racing this season over an inadequate 2 miles and 5 furlongs saw him then go up to 3 miles and take the Troytown handicap chase apart with ease to justify favouritism.

Connections saw fit to move him up in grade after and he went off favourite for the Grade 1 race at Leopardstown won by Fury Road.

He looks a smart staying chaser who might just be short of quality at the top table. Dropping in grade could see him get his head back in front.

A warm favourite for last year’s Albert Bartlett, Stattler looked a resolute stayer for Willie Mullins last season over timber.

Despite only scoring once over the smaller obstacles he was 7/2 favourite for the staying showpiece last March.

Only able to secure 4th at Cheltenham, he was then held again at Punchestown to round out his novice hurdle campaign with only a single win to his name.

However, switched to fences for his most recent outing he tore a beginners chase field apart with ease despite only going over 2 miles and 5 furlongs.

Chasing looks to be his game as despite conceding experience and race sharpness to his rivals he ran out a ready winner.

Having been well touted over hurdles it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him climb to bigger heights over fences and going further here will surely bring about even more improvement.

A bloodless winner between the flags, Farouk D’alene won two bumpers for Gordon Elliott before embarking on a novice hurdle campaign.

An easy winner on debut, he moved up in grade but found 2.5 miles too sharp for him to get competitive before beating Vanillier in a grade 2 over 3 miles on deep ground having Scrambled home very tired late on.

He was then off the track for almost a year and didn’t come back again until coming out over fences early last month with a good win over Blue Sari.

Moved straight into Grade 1 company off the back of that win, he was only beaten narrowly by Master McShee, just being collared in the final strides but the fast finishing rival.

Heavy ground seems to really sap his stamina in the closing stages but he’s been running well and nearly took Grade 1 honours last time out.

Should be right up there.

A relatively quiet opening start to life as a novice hurdler saw this striking grey only win once in 4 starts before lining up in the Albert Bartlett last year.

Sent off at long odds of 14/1 he showed the superior engine where he easily routed the field of 16 to a wide margin victory in the staying showpiece.

His sudden rise to prominence was surprising and he failed to uphold the form when only managing 4th at Punchestown a few weeks later.

Starting life as a chaser over an inadequate trip saw him beaten before scoring with utmost ease at Punchestown to take a grade 2 by 26 lengths.

Two of his rivals failed to stand up leaving him well clear at the line.

Last seen being well fancied for the race won by Fury Road at Leopardstown, he looked to be lacking the serious quality that Fury Road and Run Wild Fred possess.

Dropping in grade may help and a gritty stamina test is what he needs.