JP McManus's unbeaten novice 'in very good nick' for Grade 1 test at Naas

Gavin Cromwell is hopeful that a step up in trip will suit Inothewayurthinkin, who runs at Grade 1 level for the first time on Sunday.

A son of Walk in the Park, Inothewayurthinkin is 5-1 with Paddy Power to maintain his unbeaten record in the Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle, having been successful over two miles at both Gowran Park and Cork.

He battled well to hold off the Gordon Elliott-trained Imagine by half a length at Gowran, and will likely face him again at Naas, as well as the Willie Mullins-trained Spanish Harlem, who finished third on that occasion.

Cromwell thinks a lot of the JP McManus-owned five-year-old, who skipped the Leopardstown Christmas festival having been aimed here. The trainer says the evidence of his last run should mean he’ll stay two and a half miles.

“He’s in very good nick at the moment,” said Cromwell. “The step up in trip should suit him. He’s been staying on well and hit the line the last day at Gowran. It’s a big step forward in a tough and competitive race, but we’re very happy with him and he should go well.”

Gavin Cromwell: “The step up in trip should suit him'Credit: Caroline Norris

Cromwell hopes to win the race for the first time, whereas Mullins is looking for an eighth Lawlor’s of Naas success.

The champion trainer has four entries, including the unbeaten Grangeclare West and 86-length Tramore winner Gaelic Warrior, who are both ahead of Inothewayurthinkin in the market, while Elliott, who has won four of the last six runnings, has Irish Point and Three Card Brag among his entries.

It was a somewhat frustrating festive period for Cromwell, but he did start 2023 well with a double at Tramore on New Year's Day, courtesy of Ahead Of The Posse and Tyre Kicker, while Final Orders landed a handicap chase at Leopardstown.

“It was nice to have the double at Tramore and the win with Final Orders,” he said. “It’s a hard time of the year to be winning really. We had a lot of seconds but that’s just racing.”

The seven-time Grade 1-winning trainer had hoped Flooring Porter could land the Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown, before a bid for a third consecutive Stayers’ Hurdle win at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

It didn’t go to plan with the eight-year-old finishing fourth to Lismullen Hurdle winner Home By The Lee.

“I thought he ran okay,” said Cromwell. “He ran below his mark. Maybe in hindsight, we should have gone quicker. It was a bit disappointing to be honest. You would like to be winning it.”

Paddy Power: 5-4 Grangeclare West, 9-4 Gaelic Warrior, 5 Inothewayurthinkin, Irish Point, 7 Champ Kiely, Dawn Rising, 10 bar.

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