Sunday horse racing tips: Four best bets from Angus McNae

Four winners and a second last week made it a really good start to the New Year here on the Sunday blog. With four selections at Naas on Sunday afternoon I am hopeful of a few more winners.

12.50 Naas: Instit

She made a promising start to her chasing career last time whilst shaping as if she would come on for the run.

Willie Mullins was confident enough in her ability to start her off in a Grade Two chase and she shaped well at Cork until tiring from two-out, thereafter not given a hard time. She will be sharper for that effort and will find this beginners chase a good deal less exacting.

Instit is clearly open to plenty of improvement and can land this opening contest on what could be an excellent day for her trainer.

1.50 Naas: Indiana Jones

This free-going type looks likely to benefit from returning to two miles in this handicap chase.

Indiana Jones failed to stay on his last couple of starts and, now back in trip, I can see him making all the running here. He has never raced at two miles over fences, yet in three hurdles races over two miles he recorded a win and a third and a fourth.

He looks to be fairly treated from a mark of 132 on this handicap debut and, while he has had jumping issues in the past, he was more fluent on his last two starts. A clear round will see him go very close here.

2.20 Naas: Irish Point

This Grade One for novices is a deep contest and I think Irish Point sets the standard here.

He was pitched in at Grade One level on only his second start over hurdles and acquitted himself well in being beaten narrowly by Marine Nationale. He travelled well in that contest and maybe hit the front a little sooner than ideal, but that Fairyhouse effort was nonetheless a tremendous effort from this unexposed novice.

This is a very strong race, but with the best form in the line-up Irish Point looks to be the one at around 4-1.

2.50 Naas: Hunters Yarn

He is a standout in this maiden hurdle and should win without too much fuss.

Hunters Yarn was a very useful bumper performer with three wins in that sphere and after a summer break he returned with a third in a maiden hurdle at Punchestown having been very well supported. He went through the race like the best horse and briefly hit the front at the last hurdle before tiring.

He will surely come on for that effort and if he can replicate his bumper form over hurdles he will be very hard to beat.