Naas Report: Barry Geraghty and Kilkenny trainer Eoin Griffin will face next Sunday's Pierse Hurdle with confidence after Kazal continued the team's purple patch by landing yesterday's feature at Naas.
The French-bred six-year-old thrived in the heavy ground of the Woodlands Park Slaney Novice Hurdle to maintain his progress to Grade Two level after scoring in a Limerick Grade Three over Christmas.
Lounaos propelled herself to the top of Ireland's Triumph Hurdle contenders by winning a Grade Two at Leopardstown last month, and Kendor Dine is set to represent the in-form Griffin team in the first big handicap pot of 2007 at Leopardstown on Sunday.
"As things stand, the 5lb penalty Kendor Dine got for winning his last race puts him in at 10.6 in the Pierse," the trainer said yesterday. "Things are going well for us at the minute and Barry will ride Kendor Dine again at the weekend."
Griffin played down reports that Lounaos could take on Brave Inca & Co in the AIG Champion Hurdle this month, even though she would get 19lb from her seniors.
"The chances of her running in the AIG are slim enough," he said. "But if it cut up enough, I wouldn't rule her out of it."
Kazal was introduced as a 16 to 1 shot by Cashmans for the Brit Insurances Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival, but despite yesterday's success he was all but ruled out of that.
"Two-and-a-half miles is his absolute minimum and soft ground is an absolute necessity. We will probably enter him, but I can't see him going. It will probably be too quick for him," Griffin said.
There was nothing quick about yesterday's slog, and sure enough Kazal thrived on the test as he held off Earth Magic and the favourite Casey Jones.
Kazal's sole defeat this season came at the hands of Aran Concerto at Navan last month, and Griffin added: "He will be a nice horse for fences next season. I don't know where he will go next - but we will be avoiding Aran Concerto anyway."
Snowy Morning started a warm favourite for the novice chase, but Ruby Walsh's mount was upset by the 20 to 1 outsider Baron De Feypo, who provided the colourful Monaghan trainer Oliver Brady with his first winner in almost six months.
Brady was in typically exuberant form in the winners' enclosure: "The snow didn't come today, boys. Our horse can go where he likes now. He took care of a few good ones there."
Earlier, Walsh had better luck on another Willie Mullins favourite as Black Harry took the maiden hurdle to provide the champion jockey with his 95th winner of the season in Ireland.
Tom Mullins has New Field as a possible Pierse Hurdle contender, and his stable companion Chelsea Harbour provided a welcome success when edging out The Parishioner by a short head in the handicap chase.
Owner James Gough has 35 horses in training, and he secured his second victory of 2007 as Pennyforurthoughts landed the maiden hurdle under Mick Darcy.
"Declan Gillespie used to train her and she broke her jaw going into the stalls one day and wouldn't go in them again," Gough said. "Declan recommended her and she only cost us €5,500. We had a bad patch last year but they're getting their act together now."
Noel Meade could have four runners in the Pierse Hurdle - Power Elite, Jaamid, Aitmatov and Orbit O'Gold - and the champion trainer warmed up for the task with another bumper winner courtesy of Nina Carberry and Rinroe.
