Rachael Blackmore Sunday Naas Rides: Senior Chief interesting on switch back to hurdles

• Rachael Blackmore has three rides at Naas on Sunday

• Looking forward to riding Withabitofluk

• Senior Chief makes the switch back to hurdles

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13:50 Naas - Withabitofluk

Withabitofluk will be having his second run over hurdles in the opening maiden hurdle at Naas on Sunday.

He kept on well to win a bumper on his racecourse debut at Ballinrobe in April, and the runner-up in that race won his maiden hurdle at Clonmel last week. Withabitofluk didn't run again after that until he made his debut over hurdles at Punchestown in December, when he didn't run badly in finishing fourth, in a race from which the third-placed horse came out and won at Thurles next time.

He won't have encountered ground this soft before, but some of his siblings handle soft ground well so we're hopeful that he will be okay on it. We're looking forward to seeing how he goes.

15:50 Naas - Senior Chief

Senior Chief will be going back over hurdles for the first time in a while when he runs in the Pertemps Qualifier.

He has been in good form over fences since he last ran over hurdles.  He won his beginners' chase at Punchestown in February last year, and he stayed on well to win at Cheltenham on his debut this season, leading home a 1-2 for Henry in the race. And he didn't run badly in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in November.

He hasn't run since then, but he's in great form at home, and we're looking forward to seeing how he gets on now, back over hurdles.

16:50 Naas - Nas Na Riogh

Nas Na Riogh would be an appropriate winner of the Nas Na Riogh Novice Handicap Chase, at Naas.

He did well over hurdles in the early part of the summer last year, winning his maiden hurdle at Tipperary in April and following up by winning a novice hurdle at Killarney in May. He was well beaten in each of his first two runs over fences early this season, but he didn't run badly last time in a rated novice chase over two miles and half a furlong at Down Royal.

We hope that he can step forward again from that now. He is stepping back up to two and a half miles, the distance of his two wins over hurdles last year. He is a lovely big horse, he jumps well and he seems to be quite ground versatile.  He has won on yielding ground, but he has run well on soft too.

Timeform verdict

Senior Chief - 15:50 Naas

Senior Chief is able to run off a much lower mark over hurdles than fences so looks an interesting runner back over the smaller obstacles.

Senior Chief showed smart form when winning a handicap chase at Cheltenham on his return in October and then produced a creditable effort when sixth in the valuable Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in December.

He's running over hurdles for the first time since finishing third in a valuable conditions race at the 2023 Punchestown Festival and the level he has since reached over fences suggests this hurdles mark could underestimate him.

It would be little surprise to see him go well, though the progressive Bridie's Beau, who has won his last two starts, looks to hold the strongest claims.

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