Successful hurdling debut for Hats And Heels The odds-on 5/6 favourite Hats And Heels took the Annual Membership at Naas Maiden Hurdle in convincing fashion for her trainer Willie Mullins with Ruby Walsh aboard. Having won her bumper at Cork in November the daughter of Flemensfirth (second winner of the day for that sire after Flemenstar) then ran well to finish third behind Thynetocatcher in a Listed Mares bumper at Navan in the same month. Having chased the leaders early on, the winner moved into a close third before the straight. She hit the front at the second last and went clear. She made a slight mistake at the last but kept on well under pressure to score by five lengths at the line from the 7/2 second favourite Beef to the Heels under Davy Russell back in second. Somedaysomehow was best of the rest a further twelve lengths back in third at 10/1 for her trainer Michael Hickey with Ian McCarthy aboard. Winning trainer Willie Mullins said afterwards: "She is exciting for the size and scope of her. She is a natural to jump and was just a little green at the last. "She seems to have plenty of ability and we will look at mares races for her now. We will also look at open races as she will have a mares allowance."
