Naas Racecourse is set to host the Jumps Finale At Naas Sunday 8th March Rated Novice Hurdle this Wednesday, March 4th, 2026, a key event for up-and-coming horses in the National Hunt scene. The race, featuring a field of seven runners, promises competitive action over two miles on the turf. This event is particularly noteworthy for trainers and jockeys looking to secure wins as the jumps season progresses.
Among the contenders, Tip Of The Wings, trained by Gordon Elliott and ridden by Josh Williamson, appears to be a strong prospect. The five-year-old showed significant improvement with a recent novice hurdle victory at Limerick, covering 15.7 furlongs on heavy ground. Sporting Life reports that Elliott’s stable is currently performing well, suggesting further improvement is possible for Tip Of The Wings.
Key Contenders and Recent Form
Raise You Up, trained by R. O’Sullivan and ridden by Donagh Meyler, is another horse to watch. This progressive sort followed up a maiden success at Limerick with a win in a novice hurdle at Naas itself, over 18.5 furlongs on heavy ground just 25 days ago. The horse is aiming for a hat-trick of victories, making it a serious contender. The official racecard details a current OR (Official Rating) of 124 for Raise You Up.
Straight John, also trained by Gordon Elliott, and ridden by Jack Kennedy, is considered a “big player” according to the Sporting Life racecard. The Doctor Dino gelding recently secured a comfortable win in a 16-runner novice hurdle at Punchestown over 16.7 furlongs on heavy ground 14 days prior to the Naas race. His in-form yard adds to his chances.
Bokamsint, trained by Henry de Bromhead and ridden by Darragh O’Keeffe, is a fairly useful maiden hurdler. Whereas finishing fourth in a novice race at Punchestown 37 days ago, the addition of a tongue strap could improve his performance. Astley, trained by Paul Traynor and ridden by Alex Harvey, is looking for a better showing after finishing fourteenth in a novice race at Down Royal 68 days ago. The horse previously displayed fairly useful form in bumpers, suggesting potential for improvement.
Race Details and Course Information
The Jumps Finale At Naas Sunday 8th March Rated Novice Hurdle is a Grade 1 race for horses aged four, and over. The distance is two miles, and the race is held on the turf course at Naas Racecourse. Weights are set at 11st 10lbs, with a 7lbs allowance for fillies and mares, as detailed by The Stats Don’t Lie. The Slaney Novice Hurdle, as We see also known, has historically favored horses aged five or six, with 11 of the last 12 winners falling into this age bracket.
Historical Trends and Key Statistics
Looking at historical data, seven of the last twelve winners were favorites or joint favorites, and nine of the twelve were in the top three in the betting. A significant number of past winners – ten out of the last twelve – had won their previous race before competing in the Slaney Novice Hurdle. Ten out of twelve winners ran within the last 35 days. Eight out of twelve winners had previous experience running over distances between 19-21 furlongs, and all twelve had at least one previous win over hurdles.
The statistics also reveal a trend towards horses with established form. Six of the last twelve winners were rated 134 or higher, and nine had previously won in a Grade 1-3 race. Most winners (12 out of 12) had at least two runs that season, and eleven had secured at least two wins. Following the Slaney Novice Hurdle, two of the last twelve winners went on to win their next race, while three placed.
Dollar Nolimit, trained by E. Buckley and ridden by Kieren Buckley, is also entered, having returned to form with a win in a handicap hurdle at Limerick 22 days ago. The horse’s recent success adds another layer of competition to the race.
Looking Ahead
The Jumps Finale At Naas Sunday 8th March Rated Novice Hurdle promises an exciting contest with several well-regarded horses vying for victory. The race will provide valuable insight into the potential of these young horses as the National Hunt season continues. Further updates and results will be available on the Sporting Life website following the race. The next major event for many of these horses could be the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown, although only a small percentage of past Slaney Novice Hurdle winners have competed there subsequently.
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