A dozen of Ireland’s leading novice hurdlers remain in contention for the first Grade 1 honours of the new year in the Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle.

This Sunday’s Grade 1 highlight has become a red-letter date in the racing calendar and Willie Mullins is keen to maintain his impressive recent record in the Naas race with eight of the 12 entries residing in his Closutton stables.

Among the Mullins-trained entries is the Cheltenham Champion Bumper winner Jasmin De Vaux, who carries the colours of last year’s Lawlor's Of Naas Novice Hurdle winning owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede. Jasmin De Vaux, who made a winning racecourse debut at Naas, opened his account over hurdles at Navan impressively earlier this month.

C’est Ta Chance is another for Mullins, Munir and Souede, while impressive Punchestown winner You Oughta Know and the three-time victorious Ballygunner Castle also highlight the depth of talent that the champion trainer looks to have at his disposal in this division.

Early season winners Plontier and Supersundae and Naas winner Spasiba are joined by cosy Cork winner Kel Histoire who completes the list of Mullins entrants.

Walsh's plan

Kel Histoire is owned by JP McManus and the owner is also responsible for the Ted Walsh-trained Shuffle The Deck who remains among the 12 horses which stood their ground at today’s forfeit stage.

Walsh immediately earmarked a return to Naas for the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle after Shuffle The Deck won his maiden hurdle at his local track a fortnight ago and the five-year-old remains on course for Sunday’s Grade 1 assignment.

“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 on Monday.

“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 ran 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.”

The Henry de Bromhead-trained Butch Cassidy may once again renew his rivalry with Shuffle The Deck. Butch Cassidy scored in the maiden hurdle at Punchestown in which Shuffle The Deck was third, while the Bective Stud-owned pair of The Yellow Clay and Wingmen remain in the mix for Gordon Elliott.

Elliott has won the Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle four times since it became a Grade 1 contest and The Yellow Clay is already a Grade 3 and Grade 2 winner over this distance.

One to watch

The biggest fixture of the year at Naas Racecourse comes early in January and brings the curtain down on a busy festive period of racing and is now further enhanced with the new Grade 2 Racing Post Novice Chase that adds further quality for racegoers.

As well as getting to witness a Cheltenham Festival winner and potential contenders over hurdles in the Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle, racegoers may get a sight of another Cheltenham Festival winner and leading contender in the Racing Post Novice Chase as Majborough features among the entries.

Triumph Hurdle winner Majborough was an extremely impressive winner on his chasing debut at Fairyhouse earlier this month and has eight potential rivals for Sunday’s fascinating novice chase.

Stable companion Ile Atlantique once again gives Mullins a strong hand, while Henry de Bromhead’s Grade 1 winning novice hurdler Inthepocket, Gordon Elliott’s multiple Grade 1 runner-up Firefox and Gavin Cromwell’s two-time chase winner Only By Night suggest the first renewal of the Racing Post Novice Chase is going to be one to remember.

Sunday’s high quality card will begin with the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase at 12.25pm and conclude with the first four-year-old bumper of the year at 3.40pm.

Click here to view entries for Grade 1 Lawlor's Of Naas Novice Hurdle Day