Horse Racing Tips

Lawlor’s Of Naas Tips 2025: Runner-By-Runner Guide

8 months ago

| BY Steve Mullington

The feature race on Sunday at Naas is the Lawlor’s Of Naas Town Centre Hotel Novice Hurdle. Not only is it the first Grade 1 National Hunt race of the year in the Irish calendar, but also the only Grade 1 race that the racecourse hosts.

In the last few years we’ve witnessed Envoi Allen and Bob Olinger land the prize before going on to take the Grade 1 Ballymore Novice Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, so will we see more stars at Naas this January and will the result have an impact on the Cheltenham betting?

Butch Cassidy (Henry de Bromhead)

Butch Cassidy outgunned Sermandzarak after a pulsating battle in the Sebden Steel Maiden Hurdle at Punchestown 43 days ago.

Sermandzarak went into the race as last season’s Goffs Defender Bumper hero and the 2/1 favourite for his hurdling debut with Butch Cassidy just behind him at 3/1 in the horse racing betting on his first go over flights. It was the John Magnier-owned runner who prevailed however and he can put up another bold show here.

Jasmin De Vaux (Willie Mullins)

Jasmin de Vaux’s victory at the Cheltenham Festival last season gave Willie Mullins his 100th winner at the meeting and the gelding didn’t let him down as he got his hurdling career under way with victory in the Headfort Arms Hotel Maiden Hurdle at Navan last month.

However, his jumping was not without error around the two-mile trip and he will need to brush up on it if he is to score in this Grade 1.

Plontier (Willie Mullins)

A winner of 14 Flat races on the continent between Poland, France and Spain, the much-travelled Plontier made a winning debut in Ireland when easily landing a Maiden Hurdle back in August.

His limitations were evident in the Grade 2 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at the start of December and he would be a shock winner of this event.

Shuffle the Deck (Ted Walsh)

The five-year-old, owned by JP McManus, moves into Grade 1 company on the back of a maiden success over a similar trip at Naas on December 16th.

He won nicely at Borris House in his point-to-point and Ted Walsh is very keen on his chances.

Spasiba (Willie Mullins)

Spasiba overcame some sloppy jumping to land a maiden hurdle here in November.

A useful sort on the Flat and third in a big handicap at the Galway Festival, the six-year-old will probably need others to falter to figure on the podium.

Supersundae (Willie Mullins)

Beaten 10½ lengths in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on his first start for Mullins, he won a maiden hurdle at Ballinrobe back in May and hasn’t been seen out since.

The ex-French hurdler could well be the surprise package in this Grade 1 should the going become Auteuil like.

The Yellow Clay (Gordon Elliott)

A smart bumper performer last year, The Yellow Clay has taken to hurdles like a duck to water and is already unbeaten in three outings this season.

He was installed as the favourite for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at The Festival after impressively landing the Grade 3 Monksfield Novice Hurdle and that price will retract even further should he be victorious in the Lawlor.

Wingmen (Gordon Elliott)

In the same ownership as The Yellow Clay, Wingmen got his hurdling career off to a pleasing start when successful in a Maiden Hurdle at Navan on November 16th.

Beaten a country mile by Country Mile at Cheltenham last time, he will need to put that form firmly behind him to trouble the judge on Sunday.