Naas Racecourse

Classic preparations continue apace on Saturday, with Lingfield staging the Listed Oaks and Derby Trials and Naas hosting the G3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Blue Wind S. Godolphin did not fare well in the main events at Chester this week, but are well-represented again in both Lingfield trials with the Derby hopeful Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), such an eye-catching runner-up in the Apr. 23 G3 Sandown Classic Trial on the same card that the filly Nash Nasha (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) captured a well-contested novice. Adayar will be a warm order...

Just days after launching The Goffs Million, a €1-million race for 2-year-old graduates of the Orby Sale to be held at The Curragh on Sept. 24, 2022, Goffs announced on Wednesday that the Goffs Sportsman's Challenge, worth a minimum €100,000, will be staged at Naas going six furlongs on Sept. 15, 2022. Like The Goffs Million, the continent's richest 2-year-old race, the Goffs Sportsman's Challenge will pay out to tenth place. It is open exclusively to graduates of the Goffs Sportsman's Sale, which will take place at Kildare Paddocks this...

Compas Stallions will sponsor four of the eight races on the season Flat opener at Naas on Sunday, Mar. 28, Naas Racecourse announced on Monday. Micheal Orlandi, founder and owner of Compas Stallions, will also recognise breeders by rewarding the winning breeder of each of the Compas Stallions-sponsored races with a free nomination to the named stallion of the race. A trio of handicaps and a maiden race will be named after four Compas Stallions-Cappella Sansevero (GB), Smooth Daddy, Kuroshio (Aus) and Far Above (Ire). Orlandi said, "We are delighted...

Irish equine nutrition company Plusvital will support Naas's 2021 flat season, which kicks off on Mar. 28, with sponsorship of the Listed Plusvital Devoy S. Plusvital will also provide equine care packs to all winning grooms of best-turned out awards at Naas throughout the season. There will be 12 flat meetings staged at Naas this season through Oct. 31 with a minimum of 92 races. Ciara Watt, general manager of Plusvital, said, "The team at Plusvital are delighted to develop our partnership with Naas Racecourse for the 2021 Flat season....

Weatherbys will sponsor the Weatherbys GSB Premier Handicap at Naas on the Irish EBF Ballyhane S. undercard on Aug. 23. Weatherbys Ireland General Manager Sharon O'Regan said, "We view this sponsorship as support for the whole industry which is understandably under a great deal of pressure in the face of the Covid pandemic. It will sit alongside our other race sponsorships headlined by the Weatherbys Ireland Greenland S. and the very popular Weatherbys ITBA National Hunt Fillies Bonus Scheme."

A total of 20 lockdown heroes, nominated by their peers for good deeds done in the midst the coronavirus pandemic, are required for the Irish EBF Ballyhane S. on Aug. 23 at Naas, Horse Racing Ireland announced on Thursday. Each hero will be assigned a horse in the €320,000 race, with the winner earning the use of a luxury car from Colm Quinn BMW for a week, a four-night luxury break for two adults and two children at the Heritage, Killenard in County Laois and €2,000 in spending money. To...

Carrying a five-pound penalty for her G1 Cheveley Park S. win in 2019, Stonethorn Stud Farms Limited's Millisle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) made light of that burden to return to the winner's enclosure in style in Wednesday's G3 Yeomanstown Stud Ballyogan S. at Naas. On the front foot from the outset under Shane Foley, the 9-4 second favourite who was no match for Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the course-and-distance G3 Lacken S. last time took control passing halfway and drew away to score by four lengths from Pronouncement...

The inaugural Irish EBF Ballyhane S. at Naas Racecourse on Aug. 23 has had its purse upped to €320,000 from €200,000-making it the richest Irish 2-year-old race of the year--and a consolation race has been added due to high demand. The Irish EBF Ballyhane S., open to the progeny of sires with a median of no more than €75,000 at last year's yearling sales, attracted an initial 563 entries-an Irish record. The winner will receive €150,000 and prizemoney will be paid to all 20 runners, with the final five finishers...

Irish racing returned with a bang as Susan Magnier's More Beautiful (War Front), a half-sister to MG1SW sire Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact), powered into the ranks of TDN Rising Stars with an impressive 3 1/2-length debut victory in Monday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over five furlongs at Naas. The 11-4 favourite made a fast getaway and was in the vanguard throughout. Cruising into an outright lead passing the quarter-mile marker, she quickened in style approaching the final furlong and lengthened clear under mild coaxing in the closing...

Irish equine nutrition company Plusvital has joined Naas Racecourse's portfolio of sponsors and will lend its support to the Plusvital Irish EBF Polonia S. on June 20. Eamonn McEvoy, general manager of Naas Racecourse, said, "We are delighted to have Plusvital on board to sponsor the Irish EBF Polonia S.; we really appreciated them stepping up and supporting us now more than ever. We have also welcomed new sponsors Anglesey Lodge Equine Hospital and Compas Stallions who will sponsor the listed races this coming Monday. Existing sponsors Clinton Higgins Chartered...

In a spirit of entente cordiale prompted by the extraordinary environment of the coronavirus pandemic, Goffs UK and Arqana have announced that they will join forces to hold their respective breeze-up sales together in Ireland on June 29 and 30. In what could be a first for European sales, the horses will gallop "potentially in a timed breeze" a few days prior to being offered for sale at the Goffs complex at Kildare Paddocks. There will also be an online bidding facility to support the live auction. A joint statement...

The inaugural renewal of the €200,000 Irish EBF Ballyhane S. scheduled for Aug. 3 at Naas has drawn 563 entries--an Irish record. Those include 345 Irish-based entries, 217 from Britain and one entry from a Wesley Ward-trained colt in America. The six furlong race for 2-year-olds is open to the progeny of sires whose yearlings averaged no more than €75,000 last year. With racing off indefinitely, the forfeit stage has been postponed. Jason Morris, Horse Racing Ireland's director of racing, said, "The level of initial entries for the Irish EBF...