2:40 Baroneracing.com Hatton’s Grace Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 4f

Bacardys: Dual Grade 1-winning novice but has endured a messy career since, struggling went sent chasing twice and then returning to hurdles as an afterthought. In the circumstances, he has done well when coming back to hurdles – he fell at the last when set to place in the 2018 Stayers’ Hurdle and he finished second to Unowhatimeanharry in the Champion Stayers’ Hurdle at Punchestown last season. He is an interesting proposition now that he looks set to be campaigned as a hurdler for the whole season and he got off to the best possible start when much too good for Apple’s Jade at Navan. Tough task trying to concede 7lbs to her now, and the other mares as well, but he’s had a clear run for the first time since his novice days and can progress now.

Davids Charm: Galway Hurdle eyecatcher in fourth and progressed significantly following that run with three wins in a row, one on the flat and two over hurdles, the latest a nice performance to win the Grade 3 Horse & Jockey Hotel Hurdle at Tipperary. However, that race rather fell apart when his main rivals burnt themselves out in front and his winning run came to an end when fifth in the Irish Cesarewitch on his latest start. Possible he could find further improvement back over hurdles but will certainly need to.

Killultagh Vic: Once supremely promising young horse but has his career was derailed following an injury suffered as a novice chaser (714 days off the track). Has only been able to show flashes of his ability in last two seasons but most of his better performances have come over three miles, including a fourth to Unowhatimeanharry in the Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown when last seen. Difficult to see him landing a significant blow over this trip in this sort of quality race.

Penhill: 2018 Stayers’ Hurdle winner will be arriving here off a 584-day break, not seen since chasing home Faugheen in the same season’s Champion Stayers’ Hurdle at Punchestown. Real classy sort on his day but worth noting that his rise through ratings came when he was upped to three miles, so this trip is a concern, especially off a long break.

Apple’s Jade: Began a sensational sequence of form in this contest last season when 20 lengths too good for Supasundae, going on to add Grade 1 wins over three miles and two miles, with a cumulative winning distance of 62 lengths when you combine all three. Not near that form thereafter, though still competitive in defeat at Aintree and Punchestown. She has a pattern now of performing her best in the first half of the season but her comeback at Navan was disappointing, beaten comfortably by Bacardys. That said, she has looked laboured in her seasonal debuts in the past and she gets a 7lb swing with Bacardys now (was conceding Grade 1 penalty at Navan). We’re into last-chance-saloon territory, but if there is anywhere she’s going to get back to somewhere near her best, it’s probably Fairyhouse, where she has won this race for the last three years.

Honeysuckle: Unbeaten mare with four of her five wins coming at this course, three over this exact distance. Unfortunately missed her Cheltenham target (Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle) last season but on all known form, it’s very reasonable to expect she would have won that race, considering she had the winner, Eglantine Du Seuil, well-beaten here in the Grade 1 Mares’ Novice Hurdle Championship Final at the Easter Festival. That mare, along with the runner-up Elfile, boosted that form further with their performances at Punchestown (Elfile won again this week). Looked good on her return when comfortably dispatching two useful Willie Mullins-trained geldings and although this is clearly a big step up, she looks well equipped, especially at this course.

Conclusion

No Benie Des Dieux here but this still looks a top bill contest. Honeysuckle is so exciting and could be anything this year but Apple’s Jade should not be written off just yet and at the prices at the time of writing, she looks worth playing.