It Could Pay To Side With Pride At Naas

Billingsley travelled well for a long way for us at a huge price at Ludlow and he ran better than the distance beaten suggests. He was far too fresh and free on his first run back of the season and he was never going to get home given the pace he set. However, he definitely displayed some ability and he is a horse that could win at tasty odds before the season is out. 

The ground will be testing at Naas.

Today I like the look of one at Naas, a horse I have followed closely ever since tipping him up almost a year ago (see here) at Down Royal. He looked very interesting on his Irish debut on the form of his Wetherby run back in 2014 when splitting The Grey Taylor and Ma Du Fou in a 2m soft ground maiden hurdle when trained by Ian Williams. He showed a bit that day at Down Royal but finished well beaten in 7th, and his three subsequent maiden hurdle runs weren't much better. 

The Irish handicapper handed Rossmore's Pride a mark of 92 on the back of those runs, and he didn't show much on his handicap bow over 2m 6f at Navan back in December. That trip was always going to stretch him though, and it was likely one to fine tune his fitness. It was a lot more like it next time out at Down Royal on St Stephens' Day, when beaten just over 5L in 5th by Cubomania, today's favourite. That horse won again on his next start and he arrives here off a 16lb higher mark than Down Royal.

Urbanist ( who I tipped up) was a couple of lengths behind Rossmore's Pride in 6th at Down Royal, form that was franked by Urbanist winning easily on his next start, and he is 6lb worse off with Rossmore's Pride here. Although Rossmore's Pride is a 10yo, he is very lightly raced for his age and there could be more to come from him. He must have had some issues, being off the track for so long, but Christian Delcros could be coaxing him back to form and his last run was his best yet for the Donegal trainer. 

The bookies have priced Rossmore's Pride up at 20/1 and I think that looks far too big. He is handicapped to turn the tables with the favourite (who is having his 3rd run in 2 weeks) and 6lb better off with a horse he beat 2L last time out (8lbs when Short's 4lb claim is factored in). He finished off his race strongly at Down Royal, and if ridden closer to the pace I think he can make a bold bid on ground that will suit. At 20/1 he looks well worth chancing each way. 

STEVOS' SELECTION: 15.25 NAAS-ROSSMORE'S PRIDE E/W @ 20/1