Ted Walsh happy to give Shuffle The Deck stiffer test at Naas

Shuffle The Deck will take the “logical next step” for trainer Ted Walsh in Sunday’s Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle at Naas.

The four-year-old will move up to Grade One company on just his third hurdles outing, having finished third at the first attempt at Punchestown in November before striking at Naas before Christmas.

Walsh is content to switch up in company with the JP McManus-owned gelding, who was also a point-to-point winner at Borris House back in March when handled by Derek O’Connor.

“I was happy with Shuffle The Deck the last day when he won at Naas and the Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle looked the logical next step for him to take,” Walsh said.

“Hopefully he puts up a good show. He’s a fine, big horse that will improve with time and we will know a lot more after Sunday’s race.

“Naas is my local track and it always has great ground and is a true test for a horse. I am fortunate to be living so close to two great tracks, Naas and Punchestown, and they have both been very lucky tracks for me.

“This horse has run a nice race at both of those tracks this season and we’ll see how he runs back at Naas on Sunday, but it’s nice to be going back there with a horse like him.”

Shuffle The Deck is one of just two contenders in the two-and-a-half-mile race that is not trained by Willie Mullins or Gordon Elliott, with the other being Henry de Bromhead’s unbeaten Butch Cassidy, who had Shuffle The Deck back in third on his jumping debut.

Mullins endured a few disappointments over the Christmas period but he has won five of the last 10 renewals of this race, sending out Champ Kiely and Readin Tommy Wrong to victory in recent years.

The Closutton handler has eight of the 12 entries, headed by Champion Bumper winner Jasmin De Vaux, who opened his account over hurdles at Navan impressively earlier this month.

C’Est Ta Chance, You Oughta Know, Ballygunner Castle, Plontier, Supersundae and Naas winner Spasiba are joined by Cork scorer Kel Histoire to complete the list of Mullins’ hopes.

Elliott’s pair of The Yellow Clay – already a winner in Grade Two and Three company – and recent Cheltenham second Wingmen are the other possible runners.

The new Grade Two Racing Post Novice Chase has drawn a quality entry, headed by the Mullins-trained Majborough, who was an impressive winner on his chasing bow.

Stable companion Ile Atlantique adds to Mullins’ claims, with De Bromhead’s Grade One-winning hurdler Inthepocket also amongst the contenders after a comfortable success on his return from a lengthy absence.