January 28 / 14.45 Naas

14.45

Heavy

Finlay Ford At Naas Novice Chase (Grade 3)

  • Prize money: £14621.74
  • 3m 0f 174y
  • 4 runners
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Finlay Ford At Naas Novice Chase (Grade 3)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Windy

15/8 (Won)

  • Win: £1.40

Form: 41P6-1

Last run: 47 days

W: 11st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Struggled when raised in class last season after a 2m7f Thurles novice win; raced too freely in the Albert Bartlett, remote sixth in Grade 1 at Punchestown; looked like a thorough stayer when jumping well to wide-margin win at Punchestown, with a below-par Cool Survivor beaten more than 20l in fourth; trainer also runs the more battle-hardened Meetingofthewaters.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

3rd Apr 2025

Good To Soft

3m 0f 210y

Class 1

14:55 Aintree

Embassy Gardens

11st 10lb

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

Stablemate of Gaelic Warrior; record of 3-6 over fences features a very useful performance at Tramore (2m7f, heavy) on New Year's Day; subsequently came up short in the Irish Gold Cup, taking overall Grade 1 form figures to P6P6; still has something to prove at this level.

8/1

3

3rd Apr 2025

Good To Soft

3m 0f 210y

Class 1

14:55 Aintree

Embassy Gardens

11st 10lb

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

Stablemate of Gaelic Warrior; record of 3-6 over fences features a very useful performance at Tramore (2m7f, heavy) on New Year's Day; subsequently came up short in the Irish Gold Cup, taking overall Grade 1 form figures to P6P6; still has something to prove at this level.

8/1

6th

2

1st Feb 2025

Yielding

3m 0f 70y

15:30 Leopardstown

Embassy Gardens

11st 10lb

J: Michael O’Sullivan

T: W P Mullins

led narrowly or disputed lead, prominent 3rd

12/1

Form: 331-42

Last run: 64 days

W: 11st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Third in last year's Albert Bartlett (3 3/4l in front of Letsbeclearaboutit) before winning a valuable contest at Punchestown; improved from chase debut when second behind Favori De Champdou in a Grade 2 at Punchestown, though beaten 14l; tongue-tie on now; needs to find more, still early days.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

1

9th May 2026

Good

2m 7f 0y

15:35 Killarney

Sandor Clegane

11st 10lb

J: Sean O’Keeffe

T: Paul Nolan

Useful sort at his best and has run well in defeat in Grade 1 company over hurdles and fences; finally got off the mark over fences at Down Royal last time over 2m4f; this trip will suit better; a big player.

5/2

1st

4

12th Apr 2026

Good

2m 4f 88y

16:07 Down Royal

Sandor Clegane

11st 12lb

J: Eoin Staples

T: Paul Nolan

Promising novice chaser in 2023-2024 season and ran well in Graded hurdles in winter of 2024-2025; fairly moderate form this season but he shaped better than the bare result in the Kim Muir last time when making smooth headway turning in before his effort petered out (3m3f, good); tongue tie goes back on now and this is a good opportunity.

13/8

10th

5

12th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 2f 70y

Class 2

17:20 Cheltenham

Sandor Clegane

11st 7lb

J: Mr J W Hendrick

T: Paul Nolan

Promising novice chaser in 2023-24 season and ran well in Graded hurdles in winter 2024-25; well handicapped on his peak form but he's failed to produce it over the last 12 months; 0-9 over fences and last hurdle win was in April 2023; a major turnaround is needed in first-time cheekpieces.

20/1

Form: 4-1133 D BF

Last run: 15 days

W: 11st 6lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 152

Form & Verdict
Fourth in last year's Albert Bartlett, fourth in 2m4f Grade 1 event at Aintree; favourite on all four chase starts, won first two handsomely over 2m4f; faded from the last when third of five in the Drinmore, form franked by the second; jumping let him down when dropped in trip for handicap debut; this trip more suitable, the concession of 6lb could be a problem.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

14th Mar 2024

Soft

2m 3f 168y

Class 1

13:30 Cheltenham

Letsbeclearaboutit

11st 7lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Gavin Cromwell

Has raced only on softer than good; ran well (fourth) in the Albert Bartlett over 3m here 12 months ago but failed to show his form when back at similar trip on latest chase start; promising record at 2m4f over fences, winning twice then solid third in Grade 1; however, he's the wrong age according to the stats (no horse older than eight has won this prize).

25/1

3rd

1

28th Jan 2024

Heavy

3m 0f 174y

14:45 Naas

Letsbeclearaboutit

11st 6lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Gavin Cromwell

held up in rear, headway and went third before 5 out, raced wide from 3 out, outpaced approaching last

9/4

3rd

3

13th Jan 2024

Soft

2m 1f 60y

13:57 Fairyhouse

Letsbeclearaboutit

11st 9lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Gavin Cromwell

Has seemingly improved for a fence and a step up in trip to 2m4f this season; ran with credit in the Drinmore here when last seen; has more to give over fences but a return to this sort of trip is the main question mark; not one to put a line through.

5/2

Form: 217118 D

Last run: 32 days

W: 11st 0lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 145

Form & Verdict
125-rated hurdler has achieved a mark of 145 after five chase runs, featuring big handicap wins in the Midlands National at Kilbeggan and Kerry National at Listowel; never managed to land a blow when eighth behind the 10lb-receiving Meetingofthewaters in the Paddy Power; the pair meet now on precisely the same as revised handicap terms.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

4

30th Apr 2026

Yielding

4m 1f 11y

15:40 Punchestown

Desertmore House

11st 12lb

J: Ricky Doyle

T: Martin Brassil

Close second to Busselton here last year on cross-country debut; looked in fine shape when beating The Goffer and subsequent Cheltenham winner Final Orders over 3m here in November; pulled up over hurdles the following month; dropped away from the 23rd of 31 obstacles at Cheltenham; obvious chance if on song again.

11/4

8th

9

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 5f 56y

Class 2

15:20 Cheltenham

Desertmore House

10st 5lb

J: Ricky Doyle

T: Martin Brassil

Untested on this track but close second in La Touche Cup on cross-country debut at Punchestown (4m1f, good to yielding) last May and looked in very good nick when beating The Goffer and Final Orders to win over 3m on that Bank course (soft to heavy) in November; pulled up over hurdles the following month and 3lb out of the weights today but still considered.

4/1

2nd

5

1st May 2025

Yielding

4m 1f 11y

15:40 Punchestown

Desertmore House

11st 7lb

J: Ricky Doyle

T: Martin Brassil

prominent, left in third 12th, went second after 2 out, led narrowly when not fluent last, headed run-in, kept on

12/1

Non-runners

Cool Survivor, Meetingofthewaters

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €3.30
Straight Forecast €3.41
Trifecta €4.80

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Letsbeclearaboutit

The Irish Sun:

Embassy Gardens

POSTDATA:

Meetingofthewaters

RP RATINGS (IRE):

Letsbeclearaboutit

TOPSPEED:

Letsbeclearaboutit