Weekend racing tips: Rachael Blackmore and Uhtred can get punters off to winning start

Some really good racing today at Naas and tomorrow at Navan, and Uhtred can get punters off to the best start by taking today’s opener, the BetVictor Maiden Hurdle

Sat, 06 Nov, 2021 - 00:00

Tommy Lyons

Some really good racing today at Naas and tomorrow at Navan, and Uhtred can get punters off to the best start by taking today’s opener, the BetVictor Maiden Hurdle, for Joseph O’Brien and Rachael Blackmore.

The Gigginstown House Stud gelding won a bumper on debut and then made his hurdling debut in a Cork maiden in which he found only Front View too good. He then made a successful return to bumpers, at listed level, in late 2019.

Off from then until returning in a listed hurdle at Punchestown in February of this year, he finished third to Thedevilscoachman and followed that by finishing fourth in a Grade 1 at the Punchestown festival. Clearly, he has had his issues but all visits to the track have yielded efforts that ought to be more than good enough to win today’s race, and he can make the overdue breakthrough over timber.

The Grade 3 BetVictor Fishery Lane Hurdle, for four-year-olds, is a cracking race, and Triumph Hurdle winner Quilixios can make a winning start to his season by reversing Punchestown form with Jeff Kidder. The latter is race-fit having had three spins on the level, but Quilixios is easily forgiven his Punchestown effort, and he can get back to winning ways. His trainer, Henry De Bromhead, can also take the Grade 3 Poplar Square Chase with Captain Guinness. A talented sort, his chasing career hasn’t gone quite as well as anticipated but there is plenty of time for the six-year-old to rectify that. In receipt of weight from chief rivals Andy Dufresne and Felix Desjy, he can begin to realise his potential as a chaser by taking today’s race.

A mares’ bumper brings Saturday’s card to a close and all eyes will be on Bellatior, a half-sister to Altior who cost €300,000 in August of last year.

NAAS (Saturday)

Tommy Lyons

12:15 Uhtred (nap)

12:50 Quilixios (nb)

1:20 Captain Guinness

1:55 Panda Boy

2:30 Eric Bloodaxe

3:05 Wa Wa

3:40 Mr Incredible

4:15 Bellatior

Next best

12:15 Prevaricate

12:50 Teahupoo

1:20 Andy Dufresne

1:55 Snugsborough Hall

2:30 Highland Charge

3:05 King Alex

3:40 Genois

4:15 Lilian Bland

Sunday at Navan, My Mate Mozzie can extend his unbeaten record in National Hunt races by taking the Grade 3 For Auction Novice Hurdle for Gavin Cromwell and Mark Walsh.

Winner of his only outing in a point to point, he made a winning track debut in a bumper at the Punchestown festival and after finishing runner-up in a Flat maiden in June, got off to a winning start over timber in a Punchestown Maiden Hurdle 25 days ago.

On that occasion, he was far too good for the highly-rated Barbados and yet left the impression he could improve further. Today’s race is a step up for the five-year-old, but over today’s two-mile trip should prove too sharp for recent course winner Chemical Energy.

The Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle is another good race, in which last year’s winner, Sire Du Berlais, can come out on top. Stayers’ Hurdle winner Flooring Porter is a free-going sort and likely to try to make all the running once more, but if he is not quite at the top of his game, he could set it up for a rival. Sire Du Berlais is quite uncomplicated, doesn’t have too much to find on Cheltenham form, and when he won this last year it was also on his seasonal debut.

NAVAN (Sunday)

Tommy Lyons

12:10 Ginto

12:40 My Mate Mozzie (nap)

1:10 Sire Du Berlais

1:45 Influential Lady

2:20 Gaspard Du Seuil (nb)

2:55 Notebook

3:25 Ballyadam

3:55 Gringo D’aubrelle

Next best

12:10 Happy Victory