Opera Hat, who has so often played the role of leading lady at Naas, can be the star of the weekend show in a four-runner Poplar Square Chase, easily the best quality race on offer between the two programmes.
Victory here would bring Opera Hat's lifetime National Hunt earnings to more than £100,000 and become her eighth steeplechase win on this circuit.
Whatever her form elsewhere, she seems to be indifferent to the distance at Naas, having switched with seeming ease from two miles to miles miles and all points in between.
She will still have to call upon all her course wisdom if she is to beat Merry Gale. He made a very encouraging comeback at Naas lately where, after making much of the running over two miles one furlong, he finished a pleasing fourth to Arctic Weather, to whom he was set to concede two stone in the Fortria EBF Handicap Chase.
The Saturday nap goes on Hazy Buck in the Go Racing in Kildare Pro-Am Bumper. He has run well every time and could find the heavy ground to his liking.
Saradante could beating some more high profile opponents in the EBF Beginners Chase. He plugged on well to be second at Thurles to Mulkev Prince.
The going at Naas will also suit Heavy Hustler, who ran his best race in soft ground at Navan in February when third to Coq Hardi Venture and Silvian Bliss over hurdles. In time, I imagine that this horse, in the typical Arthur Moore mould, will develop into a decent staying chaser.
Norman Williamson has got some good rides, and I particularly like Fiddlers Bow VI, who was in front a long way out at Navan when hanging on by a head from Reasilvia.
There could be a lot of improvement coming from Williamson's first ride of the day, Foxchapel King.
He was having his first start at Clonmel three weeks ago and rallied especially well after coming under early pressure to catch and beat Coulthard in the last few strides.
Ted Walsh is having a good run and his recent import Scoss could keep the ball on the roll in tomorrow's Clonmel Racecourse Supporters Club Juvenile Maiden Hurdle. He won on the flat in England in soft ground for Luca Cumani, and the danger is another ex-Newmarket horse Purchasing Power.
At first sight, Colm's Rock would look a stand out in the Tully Travel Beginners Chase but Charlie Swan has a different opinion and he rides Sea Fisher instead.
The Swan mount is the more experienced novice and finished third at Thurles to Mulkev Prince and Saradante. The case to be made for Sea Fisher would all the more appealing if Saradante wins or runs really at Naas today.
Another Deadly, a course winner in heavy ground, is an eye catcher in the Clonmel Oil Handicap Chase, even if the top-weight Blaze Of Honour could be hard to beat.
The INH Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle will be a real slog and at the end of the three miles you can be quite sure that there will be some exhausted novices.
Fountain Page has the best form and, one hopes, will not be stopped by the weight, while the same remark applies to Finchogue in the bumper.
