Easy for Lake at Naas
Watson Lake continued his education over fences with a facile success in the Woodlands Park 100 Poplar Square Chase at Naas.
Noel Meade’s seven-year-old led five out and Paul Carberry was able to keep a tight hold on the 8-15 shot, who easily kept Green Belt Flyer at bay by two-and-a-half lengths, with Euro Leader back in third.
Meade said: “His jumping was not as flamboyant as it usually is. I felt he met some of his fences wrong. The John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown next month is a distinct possibility.”
Carberry and Meade completed a double on Iktitaf (4-1) in the Ardmore Blood Booster Hurdle.
“He’s a nice horse but when we gelded him it seemed to take a lot out of him and he got quite light,” said Meade.
“He’s just starting to fill out now and he loves soft ground. He’s entered in the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse next month.”
Conor O’Dwyer enjoyed a near 8-1 brace on Forty Licks (9-4) and Mansony (7-4) in the first two races.
Forty Licks, trained by Edward O’Grady, overcame a 21-month absence when upsetting the odds-on Travino by half a length in the INH Stallion Owners European Breeders Fund Maiden Hurdle, while Mansony justified favouritism by eight lengths in theIrish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase.
