Naas target for Dylrow David Christie is eyeing the hunters chase at Naas on January 26th for Christmas winner Dylrow. The Kalanisi gelding sprang a 25/1 shock at Down Royal on St Stephen's Day when lowering the colours of some big names in the Bluegrass Hunters Chase. He had former Irish Gold Cup winner Edwulf in behind in third that day and could face a rematch with Joseph O'Brien's charge at the Kildare track at the end of this month. Christie is trying not to look too far ahead with the ten-year-old but has a tilt at the Foxhunters at Aintree in the back of his mind for his charge. “He's just ticking over at the moment and we'll have a look at the hunters chase at Naas at the end of the month,” said Christie. “It's the race that has replaced the Raymond Smith Memorial that used to be run at Leopardstown. “We'll see how he goes there and then make a decision after that. “For me Cheltenham is not everything. I bought him really to be an Aintree horse because I thought he has two mile pace, he stays well, jumps well, and Aintree might suit him better. “Naas might tell us something different and then we will go from there. “We were delighted with Down Royal because we felt he was a good horse and we felt that he had improved a lot in the last while. “He had a small wind operation and that had helped him. “He had won a very competitive Open at Kirkistown on ground that he would have hated. There were plenty of winners in it and plenty of reputations there also. “I went to Down Royal thinking he was well capable of running in the first six but didn't think he'd be up to winning it the way he did. That was a bonus to see that. “For his two owners to come from only 20 minutes down the road, as well, it was a nice place to win. “There was a lot of depth in the race this year, it was very deep as regards form. “The one thing I said to the owners beforehand was that you can be a 150-rated horse but they might have been to the well a few times and have memories when they go back to the track. “Whereas in his case I knew he had no hang-ups about going back to the track from point-to-pointing. “He wasn't going to be worrying about that and was going to at least give his best running, whatever that level was. He's still a very fresh horse. He hasn't been over-raced. “The other thing about him is that everyday we worked him he works to a level of 130. “I knew I had a horse that could work to that level so if he ran to within 7lb of that he was going to be in with a chance of something but never did I think we were good enough to be in the first three. “That was a pleasant surprise. I was surprised how well he stayed on that ground. “It opens up a few options but I don't tend to plan too far ahead because with these older horses they can be here this week and have something wrong with them the next. “We'll keep our fingers crossed that he has a clear run, stays healthy and sound. If he does he can give a couple of very good accounts of himself in the spring time.”
