Foxrock to set record straight at Naas
He went off a 2-5 chance at Punchestown, but could only manage a disappointing third behind Kashline and Fergiethelegend.
The bare form leaves him with a mountain to climb, because this certainly looks a hotter contest. But the race was run on the inside track and Foxrock, at least to my eyes, could never get into a proper rhythm.
He is surely better judged on his previous outing at Leopardstown, where he finished four lengths second behind Mala Beach.
That heat has been working out quite nicely. Mala Beach went on to take second to Bright New Dawn in a Grade 2 at Thurles, while the fifth horse, Mullaghanoe River, has won in the meantime.
Henry de Bromhead tosses You Must Know Me - still a maiden over fences - in at the deep end in the Grade 3 Naas Directors’ Plate Novice Chase.
He was only marking time over flights and seemed to have a big future as a chaser when running Boston Bob close at Navan on his debut in December.
But You Must Know Me was most disappointing subsequently at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve, when a remote third behind Vesper Bell.
He was, however, found to be lame after the race and gets the nod to bounce back against some useful rivals.
The dropped in class Moscow Mannon gets the vote in the Listed Kingsfurze Novice Hurdle. A three-time bumper winner he does, however, have to learn to settle and, hopefully, will do so on this occasion.
His latest outing saw him finish third behind Annie Power, Defy Logic and Don Cossack on this track and now faces an easier assignment.
Noel Meade’s Couleur France, third behind Bonisland and Thunder And Roses at Roscommon in October, might deliver in the Bumper.
Aidan O’Brien’s newcomer Angel Chorus, a four-year-old daughter of Dylan Ross, is of obvious interest in this.
The Gowran Park programme today holds little or no appeal, with a tentative nap vote falling on Golden Plan, third behind Mullaghanoe River and Gold Bullet at Navan, in the Great Oak Maiden Hurdle.
