Lean bids for hat-trick at Naas Oliver McKiernan bids to strike a blow for one of the smaller yards when the hat-trick-chasing Lean Araig steps down to two miles for the Grade Two Paddy Power Shops Better Value Novice Hurdle at Naas. The six-year-old comes into the race fresh from two handicap hurdle wins over three miles at Punchestown, but is now tried at a contrasting distance. McKiernan said: "He's in good order but the trip is on the sharp side. "Hopefully he won't be too far away, but it is a good race to check him out for the first time (since his bumper days) over this trip. "He's a genuinely nice horse and has a lovely, relaxed way and nothing seems to ruffle him. "He's probably a chaser in the making and while he likes a trip, this should tell us more about him. "We might stay hurdling for another season with him and won't over-cook him this year. "He qualified to run at Cheltenham with his win at Punchestown the last day, but he definitely won't go there." McKiernan faces the might of the Mullins yard in the shape of Aminabad and Max Dynamite. Mullins said of his duo: "Aminabad (Paul Townend) was disappointing last time but we think he is way better than that run. "He will love this trip and ground and will run a much better race. "He is in good form, but the fact that Bryan Cooper prefers to ride his retainer's other horse (All Hell Let Loose from Sandra Hughes' yard) is probably not a good sign. "We were disappointed when Max Dynamite (Ruby Walsh) was well beaten by Kitten Rock at Limerick over Christmas, but, in hindsight, it might not have been a bad performance. "He has plenty of stamina for this ground and should go very well." The Jessica Harrington-trained Modem and Denis Hogan's Ridestan complete the six-runner field.
