Cork success at Naas as Answer to Kayf delivers for Terence O'Brien and Paul Towend lands treble

Attritional conditions were very much the order of the day at Naas over the weekend. 

On a bitterly cold, wet and windy afternoon there was plenty of East Cork-themed success. Lisgoold jockey Paul Townend and Willie Mullins combined for a short-priced treble, claiming both Grade 3 contests for Joe and Marie Donnelly. 

Carrigtwohill trainer Terence O’Brien provided arguably the day's most impressive winner in the opening novice handicap chase. Answer To Kayf landed strong market support to defy top weight with a bloodless victory under a confident ride from Glanworth jockey John Shinnick. He might be Cheltenham-bound after that performance.

Willie Mullins and Paul Townend capped a memorable week for Closutton with a treble. Townend and Mullins won both Grade 3 contests with Dancing City (8/11) in the novice chase and Anzadam (1/10) in the featured Limestone Lad Hurdle.

They initiated the treble courtesy of Charlus who made a successful hurdling debut in the four-year-old maiden hurdle.

CANTER

Joe and Marie Donnelly were an integral part of the Cork angle to the success. Anzadam enjoyed little more than an exercise canter at in the three-runner Limestone Lad Hurdle. 

Anzadam is in the Champion Hurdle, but Mullins indicated that Aintree might be a better option given his age profile. His hurdling was particularly slick and long term he might be an Arkle horse. He'd won on his Irish debut at Fairyhouse in November and made another striking impression. 

He remains 10/1 for the Champion Hurdle but he will likely follow a similar path to Impaire Et Passe last season and head straight to Liverpool in April.

Dancing City completed the Mullins-Townend treble making all the running in the Grade 3 Finlay Ford At Naas Novice Chase. The 8/11 favourite comfortably beat the towering mare Bioluminescence (7/2) who lost little caste in defeat.

IMPRESSIVE

Answer To Kayf, making his handicap debut over fences, was a seriously impressive winner of the novice handicap chase at Naas under Glanworth pilot John Shinnick. He'd been 7/2 in the morning markets and was backed on course from 5/2 into 7/4. 

The race was dominated for much of the journey by the favourite and the pace-setter El Champo. The favourite assumed control jumping the second last with Shinnick exuding confidence as El Champo cried enough. He sealed it with a terrific leap at the final fence and quickly asserted stretching 12 lengths clear of Canal End. 

Answer To Kayf had won a hot race over hurdles at Naas last season where Captain Cody and Blizzard Of Oz were among his victims. 

He went on to finish fourth in the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. He also ran really well at the Punchestown festival. 

This marked his third attempt over fences having finished fourth and fifth behind some smart sorts in beginners' chases at Fairyhouse and Naas.

The handicapper is certain to give him a fair hike in the weights. Going forward the novice handicap chase at Cheltenham is on the radar. The Irish National at Fairyhouse is also a possibility but clearly the ground is key to his destination.