Naas option for Latest Exhibition

Fairyhouse at Easter still big target for Nolan’s top novice.

Latest Exhibition is a surprise name among the entries for the Bar One Racing Directors Plate at Naas.

Paul Nolan has given his stable star the option of running in Sunday’s Grade Three over two and a half miles before heading to Fairyhouse at Easter.

Nolan had last week announced that a return trip to Cheltenham for the 2020 Albert Bartlett runner-up was unlikely, having already chased home his Festival conqueror Monkfish twice more over fences since.

Latest Exhibition (left) would have won a further three Grade Ones if not for Monkfish
Latest Exhibition (left) would have won a further three Grade Ones if not for Monkfish (Simon Cooper/PA)

“We’ll make a final decision closer to the weekend – we’ve just given ourselves the option,” Nolan said of the eight-year-old’s Naas entry.

“We’re almost sure we won’t be going to Cheltenham, but we’re leaving it until the last minute just in case anything untoward happens.

“We’re just giving ourselves an option this weekend. If we hadn’t entered there was no decision to make.

“We’re looking at the Ryanair Gold Cup or the Irish National at Fairyhouse at Easter.

“We’ll make our mind up a little bit later whether we run in Naas or not.”

Tom Mullins’ Court Maid, Willie Mullins’ Blackbow and Harrie are also among nine entries.

Brahma Bull and Coko Beach head the weights for the Baroneracing.com Leinster National on the same card.

Also in the mix is Cabaret Queen, who has already won the Munster and Kerry Nationals for her Syndicates Racing connections.

“It’s nice to have Naas as an option for Cabaret Queen,” said Jack Cantillon, manager of the syndicate.

Cabaret Queen with some of her owners following her Munster National win
Cabaret Queen with some of her owners following her Munster National win (Thomas Weekes)

“Bar One Racing are great supporters of the sport – and if she wasn’t to go to Cheltenham, where she holds an entry in the Mares’ Chase, we’d love to go here for the Bar One Racing Leinster National.

“As a Grade A Chase, it’s a Grade One on a catalogue page – which makes it particularly appealing for mares.

“Cabaret Queen has been brilliant for us, as the first horse we bought. She won the Munster National and the Kerry National, so it would be a nice feather in the cap to add the Bar One Racing Leinster National to that – on our way to our bid to claim the ultimate National, the Aintree Grand National.”

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Paul Nolan Latest Exhibition

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