Free entry at Naas next Tuesday Naas Racecourse will host an additional seven-race National-Hunt card next Tuesday with racegoers able to attend free of charge courtesy of the Irish National Professional Bookmakers Association (INPBA). Following the recent spell of heavy rain and a number of cancelled fixtures, Naas will stage the card to afford opportunities to a number of horses which have missed out on recent planned engagements due to the weather. The card will feature two maiden hurdles, four handicap hurdles and a bumper with the first race on the card due to go off at 1.30pm. The Irish National Professional Bookmakers Association sponsor each of the races on the card and also covering free attendance for all racegoers. The card sees course and distance winner Iron Allen holding entries in both the Franco Hughes Bookmakers Novice Handicap Hurdle and the Daragh Fitzpatrick Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle for Ciaran Murphy. Rickey Gernon, Secretary of Irish National Professional Bookmakers Association, said: “After losing a few meetings due to weather lately, it is great to have an extra card added to the calendar at Naas next Tuesday. "The INPBA are delighted to get involved by sponsoring the card and the gate so we hope people can come along and enjoy a free day of jump racing.” Ryan McElligott, CEO of the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association, added: “We are very grateful to all involved in getting this additional fixture put into Naas next week. "It’s great to be able to afford this cohort of the equine population a chance to run following what has been a very difficult time for racecourses, trainers, owners and the industry as a whole due to the weather.”
