Why this weekend Grade 1 card at Naas needs a serious rethink
Watching the action from Naas the Sunday before last was a dispiriting experience as a flagship meeting at this well-run and progressive track fell victim to circumstances that exacerbated the inherent deficiencies of the card.
Let's be clear, the serious injury incurred by the luckless Jack Kennedy and the death of his mount Top Bandit belong in a separate category. But this was more broadly an unsatisfactory day's racing.
Naas manager Eamonn McEvoy is a highly capable operator who has the support of a committed board in building the Kildare course's profile and reputation. He wants to see the track's annual highlight on terrestrial television, which is a laudable ambition, but the 2023 fixture was a poor advertisement.
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