Bob Olinger set to return to two miles in Grade 3 at Naas on Sunday

Bob Olinger will race over the two-mile trip for the first time since his hurdling debut in November 2020 in the Grade 3 Naas Racecourse Business Club Limestone Lad Hurdle (2.42) at Naas on Sunday, for Rachael Blackmore and Henry De Bromhead. 

The two-time Cheltenham Festival winner, who holds an entry for the Champion Hurdle, was last seen finishing fifth in the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown last month over three miles and is seeking to recapture the form of his novice hurdle days when he was a spectacular winner of the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle.

Willie Mullins has landed this contest five times and saddles Echoes In Rain and Cash Back. The former is the choice of Paul Townend and seemed to be travelling reasonably well in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse last time before falling two out. She enjoyed a productive season on the Flat before that when winning at the Galway Festival and narrowly missing out in the Irish Cesarewitch and drops back to two miles here over hurdles.

Darasso is looking to repeat last year’s triumph in this contest for Joseph O’Brien but has to give away 9lb to the majority of his rivals. Luke Dempsey takes the ride on the ten-year-old.

Oliver McKiernan’s Meet And Greet is set for a significant drop in trip having put in a commendable effort over three miles in the Christmas Hurdle when finishing third under Phillip Enright, while Derry Lad is set for a big test on his first start over hurdles for trainer Kevin Coleman.

The first race at Naas is the Grade 3 Finlay Ford At Naas Novice Chase (12.57) and features a small but select field with Chemical Energy the headline act for Gordon Elliott and Davy Russell. Chemical Energy is 9-2 second favourite for the National Hunt Chase and will be bidding to emulate last year's winner Stattler, who picked up this contest before heading to Cheltenham.

Willie Mullins and Paul Townend are responsible for Ramillies, who is also a potential contender for the National Hunt Chase. He scored impressively on chase debut at Thurles, while Thedevilscoachman, Amirite and Francin make up the rest of the field.

The ground at Naas is soft with a mainly dry forecast for the next 48 hours.

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