Joseph O'Brien looking for Je Zous to win €65,000 contest today at Naas

Trainer Joseph O’Brien will bid for a third successive victory in the Group 3 Al Shira’aa Racing Irish Jannah Rose Stakes at Naas today. 

Je Zous is O’Brien’s sole representative in the €65,000 contest which he won last year with Caroline Street beating stable companion Lumiere Rock, while in 2022 it was Tranquil Lady who triumphed for the Kilkenny-based handler.  O’Brien will once again face stiff opposition in the 10-furlong event with a small but select field of five fillies declared for the feature event.

Madam Celeste is a Juddmonte Irish Oaks entry and looks a notable inclusion to have just her second racecourse start in Saturday’s Al Shira’aa Racing Irish Jannah Rose Stakes. 

The Ger Lyons-trained daughter of Galileo made an impressive start to her racing career at Dundalk last November and will look to build on that under champion jockey Colin Keane. 

Fresh from combining for listed success on Wednesday evening at Gowran Park with Empress Of Beauty, Henry de Bromhead and Billy Lee will this time seek Group 3 honours with her stable companion Higher Leaves. Higher Leaves is also a Dundalk maiden winner having opened her account on the all-weather surface last month. 

Sea The Boss has held good company since winning a Tipperary maiden last season and represents Jessica Harrington and Shane Foley, while Flight Of Fancy is aiming to open her account at the third time of asking for trainer Aidan O’Brien.  

Sea The Boss had a number of subsequent winners behind her at Tipperary and was herself fourth in Leopardstown at the Irish Champions Festival. 

Kate Harrington, assistant to her mother Jessica, said: "Sea The Boss has wintered very nicely. We feel she has developed and done really well. Overall we are very happy with her ahead of her first run on Saturday and we are looking forward to a very exciting season ahead with her." 

The Declan Landy Fencing Handicap has attracted a couple of course and distance winners in Edwardian for Aidan O’Brien and Tai Tam Bay for Eddie & Patrick Harty. The weights for the €45,000 sprint are headed by Bid For Chester who despite having yet won at Naas has earned some nice prize money in defeat on his three racecourse starts here. 

The Sean and Bernardine Mulryan colours carried by Punchestown Gold Cup winner Fastorslow will feature in the ALTO EQUINE Building Solutions Rated Race as Naturally Nimble lines up for Joseph O’Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle. 

Messerschmitt for Noel Meade and Colin Keane is the highest rated of the quartet which also features the Aidan O’Brien-trained Old Faithful and Andy Oliver’s Gibbs Island. 

Saturday’s meeting is the first Family Fun Day of the year at Naas with a range of free activities for kids including face painting, a magic show, reptile zoo and more. Family tickets are available for €25 and more details can be found at naasracecourse.com.

The eight race card gets underway 1.30pm.