Naas Course Guide

A left-handed track of about one and a half miles. It is very much a galloping track and has a stiff four-furlong straight. There is a two-furlong chute at the entrance to the straight that allows for five- and six-furlong races to be run on a straight course.

It’s known as the “Punter’s Graveyard”, but I don’t see why it plays out like that, as it is a fair track by all accounts. On the round track, the ground before the chute for the mile start back up to the mile-and-a-quarter start tends to get softer than the rest of it. I’d always prefer a low draw in the mile-and-a-quarter races. The seven furlong and mile tracks are very fair. The draw isn’t a big issue, as there is plenty of time to get across and find a position before the turn into the straight. The sprint track has always been good and it is even better now since they levelled out the first three furlongs or so to take the ridges out of it. The draw isn’t really a factor on it barring the ground gets soft, then high draws are favoured as they tend to come towards the stand rail.

View from the saddle: Mick Kinane

A left-handed oval track with a circuit of a mile and a half. This is a galloping track in character, with a stiff uphill finish, and it suits staying types. The chase course, which is on the outside of the hurdles course, has eight fences to a circuit, two of them in the home straight of almost four furlongs, and there is a run-in of over a furlong.

A great galloping track. The ground from the seven furlong post to the winning post is always a bit better than the ground past the winning post to the seven furlong pole, which tends to be that bit softer and when the ground is heavy, it can be very deep indeed out there. The finish is stiff, but in general, I found it paid to be handy and it can be difficult to come from off the pace there. The fences were always stiff enough, but fair. You rarely see hard-luck stories around Naas.

View from the saddle: Charlie Swan