Get Black to winning ways

HAVING bumped into the very smart La Bague Au Roi in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown last month, Kaiser Black looks the horse to beat in the Grade 3 Naas Directors Plate in Naas tomorrow.

Pat Doyle’s charge, a relatively lightly-raced eight-year-old, looked progressive in handicaps last summer, winning Nationals at Ballinrobe and Roscommon.

But his most recent Leopardstown effort, when beaten only a length and a quarter, with Grade 1 winner Hardline and subsequent winner Jetz behind, is the stand-out piece of form on offer.

Held up in the Flogas at Leopardstown, he challenged down the outside, had every chance early on, but couldn’t cope with the tough and classy, Warren Greatrex-trained mare.

Last summer, the selection won the Mayo National, off a mark of just 123, at Ballinrobe and followed-up, off a 15lb higher mark, in the Connacht National at Roscommon in June.

His recent Leopardstown effort, after an eight-month absence, represented a huge step forward for the Germany gelding, which is now rated 154.

And, if he can reproduce such form, he should prove too strong for the Willie Mullins-trained mare

boasting a record of five wins from six starts over fences, including victories at listed Grade 3 and Grade 2 levels. And the selection holds recent Flyingbolt winner Jetz on Leopardstown form.

The €100,000 Toalsbet Leinster National looks ultra-competitive and features last year’s winner,

one of three runners for Willie Mullins, plus a trio from Gordon Elliott, including top-weight

up 9lb for his win in the Grand National Trial at Punchestown.

But the horses I like are at the other end of the handicap, particularly Noel Meade’s which runs here rather than fulfil an engagement at Cheltenham next week.

Winner of the Brown Lad Handicap Hurdle on this track, off a 2lb lower mark than his current chase rating, he was a cosy winner of a handicap chase in Navan.

Last time, he was strongly-fancied for the Paddy Power at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting but failed to make an impact. He comes into tomorrow’s race a fresh horse, nicely-weighted with 10-0, and, with Niall Madden on board, looks set to run a big race.

Chief threat might be Joseph O’brien’s, inset, 6lb better off with Dounikos, to which he finished second in the Grand National Trial at Punchestown.