Local knowledge: five pointers for successful punting at Naas

Blackmore best at Naas

Rachael Blackmore is better at Naas than anywhere else in Ireland according to the stats.

She has helped herself to seven winners from just 37 rides at the venue, an impressive 19 per cent success rate and a healthy level stakes profit of €17.75.

Blackmore has never finished second at the track but has been third on seven occasions, so has either won or been placed on 38 per cent of her rides here.

This season alone she is 4-16 at her happiest hunting ground, and her best chance of a winner would look to be Royal Thief in the second division of the 2m maiden hurdle (1.40).

Nolan in the mood for dancing

Paul Nolan is red-hot right now.

The Enniscorthy-based trainer has sent out three winners from just eight runners in the last fortnight, but that does not tell the whole story as Discorama might well have won a Grade 3 at the track last month but for coming down at the last to allow rival Ballyward to romp home.

Crazyheart unshipped Bryan Cooper at the third fence at Thurles on Thursday too, while Monotype (third) and Mon Lino (fourth at 50-1) have both performed well in that time.

The only blot on Nolan's copybook of late was Dawn Hoofer, who beat only two home at Down Royal last month.

With Quamino winning a hot handicap at Leopardstown, Cresus De Grissay doing the business at Down Royal and Latest Exhibition picking up a bumper at Naas, it is safe to say Nolan is in fantastic form.

He has two runners on the card - Alcatraz (1.40) and Peculiar Genius (3.10).

Harty's big hope has an Advantage

The latest effort of Edward Harty's Advantage Point, when third here to Borderline Chatho in November, has worked out very well.

Dallas Des Pictons, who finished 16 lengths behind Advantage Point, has won twice since and is now rated 137, while Thosedaysaregone, who was more than 30 lengths back in seventh, has also won since and now has a mark of 127.

On a line through those two, Advantage Point should be hard to beat in division two of the 2m maiden hurdle (1.40).

Hats off to Mullins

Willie Mullins has won the feature Opera Hat Mares Chase (2.10) twice in the last three years with Grade 1 winners Gitane Du Berlais (2016) and Benie Des Dieux (2018), and it is worth noting that Ireland's champion trainer was also responsible for the 4-7 favourite, Listen Dear, in the 2017 edition won by Slowmotion.

Mullins tends to target this prize with some of his most talented mares and Pravalaguna certainly looked up to that billing when winning by eight lengths at Limerick's Christmas festival.

Pricewise says Island out on his own

Tom Segal selected City Island at 33-1 for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in his ante-post Pricewise column last month.

That does not look bad value now given he is 8-1 for the race with Paddy Power, so Pricewise punters will be hoping he advertises his claims by landing the 2m3f novice hurdle opener (12.40).

This is what Segal had to say about City Island: "Ante-post betting is all about timing and the one that makes most appeal at present is the relatively unknown Irish novice City Island for Grand National-winning trainer Martin Brassil.

"Last time out, City Island had no problem dropping back to two miles at Leopardstown, where his jumping was particularly slick, and he simply looks like a horse of great quality. The runner-up that day has subsequently won a race by ten lengths, and every time I look at City Island's form it gets better and better."

Stand by your beds.

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