Among the two contenders attempting to claim the €150,000 first prize for the richest race of the year at Naas Racecourse, will be five British-trained runners.

Entry to the race meeting will be free on Monday, courtesy of Ballyhane Stud, and racegoers will also have the opportunity to win the trip of a lifetime to the Rugby World Cup in France.

A classy renewal of the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes which has attracted the Willie Mullins-trained Royal Ascot winner Vauban, is an interesting back-up race to Monday’s feature.

Two of Willie Mullins’ former stars, Hurricane Fly, Faugheen and Briar Hill will be joined by Masterson and Bonita Bay as part of a Treo Eile parade of retired racehorses following the second race on the card.

In a race that features two horses making their competitive debut, Innvincible Friend is the most experienced runner in the line-up with Monday being his seventh racecourse start, and will be the mount of Séamus Heffernan.

Kevin Ryan has confirmed Jungle Mate, one of two runners for owners the Bronte Collection, with the Hugo Palmer-trained Golden Trick also representing those connections.

Alice Haynes has booked Chris Hayes for Shayekh, while Karl Burke will saddle That’s For Sure.

Last year’s winning trainer and jockey Joseph O’Brien and Declan McDonogh will combine with Gold Coast Galleon, while Ger Lyons is double-handed courtesy of Ragga Bomb and Simplexity, the latter being the mount of champion jockey Colin Keane.

Sheila Lavery will have three chances in the €300,000 contest with Kortez Bay, Glamora and the newcomer Vestigia.

Monday will also see the return of apprentice jockey Wesley Joyce. The Moyross native suffered serious injuries in a fall at Galway just over 12 months ago and will complete a spectacular comeback when partnering the Johnny Murtagh-trained course and distance winner Wave Machine in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap.

There will be a Rugby and Racing panel with Kevin O’Ryan previewing the racing and Hugh Cahill along with former Ireland international Bernard Jackman and current Munster coach Mike Prendergast will look ahead of the Rugby World Cup.

Twenty lucky racegoers will be assigned a horse each in the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes and the person linked with the winner of the feature race will win a two-night package with return flights, hotel transfers, hotel B&B, pre-match lunch and tickets for Ireland v South Africa.

The Grand Slam and Six Nations trophies won by Ireland this year will also be at Naas on Monday.

The first race of the day will be off at 2.15pm.

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Naas

Soul Search, beaten only a head by Qipco 1000 Guineas winner Love on her two-year-old debut, went to post in the Naas Fillies Maiden at 4.00pm as 2/5 favourite, and duly obliged for jockey Colin Keane from Ya Beauty.

Ben Coen rode the winner of the competitive three-year-old fillies’ maiden as the Johnny Murtagh-trained Pronouncement (6/4f) went in. Pronouncement held off Na Blianta Beo, who came with a late rally, but the eventual winner fought hard to win by a neck.

Edward Hopper, another odds-on favourite (4/6) took the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden by a short head from Aztec Parade (5/1), while Dark Magic (11/2), who refused to load at Naas last Saturday, gave trainer Johnny Levins and Donagh O’Connor a winner, when scoring from Accladora (9/1).

Oisín Orr recorded a double on the card with trainer Dick Brabazon’s Son And Sannie (7/2) easily claimed the Naas Handicap over five furlongs, by three and a half lengths. He completed his brace when the Dermot Weld-trained Hightimeyouwon (3/1f) held off Papa Bear to take the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden for colts and geldings aged three and older.

The Jessica Harrington team continues producing winners as Dacesa (11/10) and Shane Foley won the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden by a neck from Blueberry Faygo.

Roscommon

Rachael Blackmore, who achieved a Listed race double on the level last week, teamed up with her boss, Henry de Bromhead, to claim a double at Roscommon on Wednesday evening.

The Tipperary rider and Telmesomethinggirl dominated the Tulsk Mares Maiden Hurdle (Div 1), as the mare jumped beautifully before racing clear to win by 14 lengths from Moll Dote (9/2).

Blackmore brought up the double when 11/8f Email Rose was victorious in the www.roscommonracecourse.ie Maiden for colts and geldings. Though the eventual winner was headed after the last by Onlyhuman, Email Rose fought back to get up by a neck.

Sneaky Getaway (5/4f), a four-time winner for Emmet Mullins, made an impressive debut over hurdles under rider Brian Hayes, and was much better than this evening’s opposition, claiming an easy six and a half length success in the end.

Paul Nolan’s Quamino took the Knockcroghery Handicap Hurdle, leading from flag fall, with Bryan Cooper in the saddle. The 2/1 second favourite was in charge at the front throughout, beating the favourite Mutadaffeq (7/4).

Bonarc (3/1) took the second division of the mares’ maiden hurdle with ease from the front as David Mullins’ judgement meant a four and a half lengths victory over She Tops The Lot.

Trainer Colin Bowe claimed his second win since racing’s resumption as Sweet Home Chicago (18/1) easily beat Kilkishen in the Roscommon Handicap Hurdle.

The Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Ladies Pro/Am) Mares Race went to Beret Rouge and Jody Townend for the Willie Mullins yard. Townend moved her mount into contention half a mile from home before easily pulling clear of the field.

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Hours earlier, Hogan’s stable star, Sceptical, had run an excellent race in finishing third in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, her first effort at the highest level.

Now, however, the Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary, handler seems to have another star on his hands, having lifted the valuable prize at the Co. Kildare track.

Make A Challenge clearly relished the drop down to five furlongs, and travelled powerfully in the main group as My Laureate set the pace on her own on the rail. When jockey Joe Doyle asked the eventual winner for her effort, Make A Challenge put distance between himself and the remainder of the field to claim a two and a half lengths success from Flash Gordon (later placed third) and Rapid Reaction (promoted to second).

The winner, a €6,500 purchase, may now target the Group 2 Greenlands Stakes over six furlongs at The Curragh next weekend.

In the Listed Plusvital Irish EBF Polonia Stakes, Lady Penelope (11/1) completed a Joseph O’Brien double as Capel At Dawn (20/1) had earlier taken the Abbey Electrical Services Celebrate Handicap under Dylan Browne McMonagle.

Sussex Garden (4/1) gave Jessica Harrington some domestic success, to go with the later victory of Alpha Star in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, when winning the Free Eagle Irish EBF Fillies’ Maiden, ahead of 6/4 favourite Hazel.

There was more success for trainer Johnny Murtagh as his incredible winning form continues. Shane Kelly gave Kosman (15/2) a smart ride from the front to take the Sobac Soil Health Call Tom Stapleton From Soil.ie Handicap.

Thank You To The HSE & Frontline Handicap saw Damian English’s Mokhalad (13/2) win at Naas for the third time despite having run over five furlongs at Tipperary just 24 hours earlier.

The Johnny Levins-trained Prisoner’s Dilemma (18/1) took the Sobac Healthy Soil Healthy Animal Handicap, while Aidan O’Brien, who was out of luck at Royal Ascot today, saw his Military Style (100/30) take the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Maiden from 2/1f Eastern Voice.

Credit: Photo of Make A Challenge and Joe Doyle taken by Caroline Norris, and provided by Horse Racing Ireland.

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The Kilkenny rider completed a four-timer with wins on Lucky Vega (9/2), Parkers Hill (18/1), Punita Arora (22/1) and Masteroffoxhounds (9/2).

Foley began with a winner for his boss, Jessica Harrington, when Lucky Vega was a half-length winner of the 6 furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Maiden.

He followed up an hour later when giving trainer Leanne Breen a winner in the Clinton Higgins Accountants Handicap (Div I) with the Airlie Stud-bred Parkers Hill.

Foley was back in the winners’ enclosure after the next race, the Listed Kuroshio At Compas Committed Stakes, when bringing up a double for Jessica Harrington’s Commonstown Stables with the victory of Punita Arora.

The day got even better for both jockey and rider when Masteroffoxhounds completed a Harrington treble and a Foley 13,218/1 four-timer when claiming the final event of the 8-race card, the 1m Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Maiden.

Owners James McAuley and Jim Gough’s £2,800 bargain purchase, Sceptical (3/1jf), was an impressive winner of the Listed Anglesey Lodge Equine Hospital Woodlands Stakes for trainer Denis Hogan.

The former Godolphin horse, who prior to today had notched up three wins at Dundalk, passed his biggest test to date with flying colours, taking a comfortable three-length success under seven pound claiming Joey Sheridan.

Sheridan pushed the four-year-old Exceed And Excel gelding, Ireland’s highest rated sprinter, into the lead a furlong and a half out and easily dismissed the remainder of the 11-runner field.

“He’s a special horse and so easy to train” said winning trainer, Denis Hogan. “I’m delighted for Jim Gough and James McAuley. They picked him out. Jim’s gutted he’s not here as he loves his racing but he has a good horse and he’ll probably go to Ascot next week for the King’s Stand.”

Aidan O’Brien and Séamie Heffernan had a double on the day as More Beautiful (11/4f) and Elfin Queen (13/8f) were both eye-catching winners.

More Beautiful took the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden in scintillating style as the daughter of War Front out of Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Maybe stretched away from the field in the race’s latter stages to win by an easy three and a half lengths.

Elfin Queen, a $1.2m three-year-old daughter of American Pharoah, the 2015 US Triple Crown winner, had six and a half lengths to spare over the late-finishing Aunt Bee (18/1) in the 18-runner Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

The second division of the Clinton Accountants Handicap went the way of Donagh O’Connor and John Levins as 14/1 shot Nordic Passage stayed on strongly in the closing stages to win for owner Hugh P Ward.

Racing on Tuesday is at Leopardstown.

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Three Group 2 contests have been added to the two-day meeting, namely the Curragh Cup (14 furlongs) for older horses and the Railway and Balanchine (both six furlongs) for two-year-olds.

The Tattersalls Gold Cup, now open to three-year-olds and upwards, will be the feature race on a new Curragh card on Sunday 26 July.

Dundalk will host the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes over 10.7 furlongs on Sunday July 12, the first day that the newly resurfaced track will be in operation, as the final leg of the European Road to the Kentucky Derby. As a result, the Listed 12-furlong Nijinsky Stakes will move a week later than originally indicated, from July 9 to July 16, and will remain at Leopardstown.

HRI has also confirmed a change of date for the €200,000 Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes which will be run three weeks later than originally planned at Naas on Sunday, August 23. This will allow two-year-olds more time to get runs before the race given the delayed start to the season.

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The new race, aimed at the progeny of sires with a median of no more than €75,000 at last year’s yearling sales, has attracted 345 Irish-based entries, 217 from Britain and one from America, a colt owned by Stonestreet Stables, now in the care of Wesley Ward.

There are 289 colts and geldings, including Poetic Flare, winner of the opening two-year-old race of the season for Jim Bolger at Naas, and 274 fillies among those nominated.

In consultation with the race sponsors, Irish EBF and Ballyhane Stud, HRI has committed to examine increasing the €200,000 prize fund and to investigate the staging of a consolation race on the same day for those horses not making the final field in the feature race. This would give owners and trainers with entries an additional opportunity to avail of valuable prize money.

In the light of the ongoing Covid-19 situation the first forfeit stage will be deferred from April 22 to an unconfirmed later date that will be announced when there is a clearer indication of the resumption of racing and dates for the breeze-up sales.

Joe Foley, owner of Ballyhane Stud, which sponsors the race, was delighted with the level of entries, stating:

“I was delighted with the response to the race and a big thank you goes to all the owners and trainers who have entered two-year-olds, especially to the 81 Ballyhane Stud sired entries, who are in with a chance to win the €50,000 bonus if they win the race. It’s going to be a very exciting race at Naas and the huge prize money will be something to look forward to in these uncertain times.”

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