1.20 Connolly’s Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Novice Hurdle 2m

Only the seven runners declared, but this has the makings of an intriguing little contest. Great Attitude landed a right touch at Fairyhouse last weekend and looks set to make a quick reappearance. He commands obvious respect, but is stepping up in grade and it would be quite the effort to go from being unraced a week ago to landing back-to-back races at leading tracks.

Honesty Policy showed a likeable attitude at Navan three weeks ago and is very much unexposed for Gordon Elliott. Provided he’s as effective on drying ground as he was in deeper conditions the last twice, he’s bound to run a big race and might just shade it. Hurdling debutant Champagne Jury created a fine impression when winning a Naas bumper by five lengths in January on his first start for Gavin Cromwell. He might benefit from this experience before going back to a maiden hurdle in due course, but he remains of interest - especially if market confidence were to arrive. Further depth is added to proceedings by the more experienced Rockymountainbleu (rated 125), Sommesky (rated 127) and Coral River (rated 120).

SELECTION: HONESTY POLICY

Next best: Great Attitude

1.50 Adare Manor Opportunity Maiden Hurdle 2m

This doesn’t look the deepest of maiden hurdles and it could be a chance for Quint Major to get off the mark in this sphere, albeit his hurdling form so far hasn’t been as good as his peak showings in bumpers. His jumping has scope for improvement and his latest run at Punchestown behind Ethical Diamond caught the eye of the stewards. This contest represents a step down in class from that event.

We haven’t seen Fortune The Brave in action since winning a two-and-a-half-mile bumper at Kilbeggan in September, though John McConnell’s representative is bound to appreciate returning on this drying surface. Net Boy is back from a similar absence and remains open to improvement for Barry Connell, Polemon is worth a market check and Harbour Highway was by far the best of these in bumpers so is clearly of interest if back on song. He will be eligible for a handicap mark after this run, and the same applies to Jerisk Star.

SELECTION: QUINT MAJOR

Next best: Fortune The Brave

2.25 QuinnBet Hurdle

2m 2f 72y

Pied Piper has been absent since a crashing fall at Punchestown in October and this small-field contest could look a decent starting point for him over a trip that’s suitable. He comes out best at the weights and has often come good in the spring, placing at each of the last three Cheltenham Festivals.

Thedevilscoachman has shown up well on his two starts over hurdles since returning from a break this season, though his finishing effort was a little disappointing last time, when second to Maxxum in the Boyne Hurdle (traded as short as 2/13 in-running, having been sent off at 15/8). Meet And Greet didn’t fully fire then and is capable of throwing down a serious challenge if back to his best, but he blows a little hot and cold at times. Aspire Tower might appreciate returning to this style of race versus the ultra-competitive Dublin Racing Festival handicap hurdle he was midfield in last month.

SELECTION: PIED PIPER

Next best: Thedevilscoachman

2.57 Cancer Fund For Children Charity Handicap Hurdle

(Div 1) 2m

Saffronandblue notched his first flat win in a handicap at Leopardstown last spring and he gets a tentative vote to make a successful handicap hurdle debut back at the same venue, off an introductory rating of 102. Martin Brassil’s lightly raced five-year-old hasn’t been involved at the business end of his three maiden hurdle outings, but has kept decent company, and his penultimate seventh at Punchestown behind Kappa Jy Pyke wasn’t a bad showing. A concern is that perhaps he’ll need the experience on his first handicap hurdle start. The market is worth a check.

Plenty are in with chances of some description. Oakley deserves a mention for Tony Mullins if bouncing back to something like his second to the well-handicapped Brave Troop two starts ago, Down Around was fourth here over Christmas and warrants respect for the in-form Tiernan Power Roche-Philip Rothwell combination, and Serienmond is an interesting stable switcher to Gavin Cromwell, with a hood fitted for the first time. The in-form Royal Time is upped in class, but remains at the attractive end of the weights for Shane Crawley.

SELECTION: SAFFRONANDBLUE

Next best: Oakley

3.30 Cancer Fund For Children Charity Handicap Hurdle

(Div 2) 2m

Crescent Moon disappointed at Gowran a fortnight ago, but perhaps the especially testing ground wouldn’t have been ideal for her on that occasion, having produced her best hurdles showing on yielding to soft on her previous start at Cork. These conditions could be more up her street now and she looks to be on a competitive enough mark for top connections.

Liberated Light finished behind the selection last time, but comes here fresher now, while Jolie Jewel has snippets of interesting form and wasn’t disgraced when sixth here over Christmas.

Great Realisation is off the track since November 2022, though his current rating of 92 is eye-catching and he’s worth a second look in the market. Imadpour likely has a day in him over hurdles when all falls right off an appealing mark of 89, given his best flat form.

SELECTION: CRESCENT MOON

Next best: Jolie Jewel

4.02 QuinnBet Handicap Chase (Listed) 2m 5f 107y

This has been a tricky contest for punters in recent years, with six of the last nine winners sent off at double-figure prices. Tyre Kicker makes some appeal off a feather weight, with Conor Stone-Walsh claiming 3lb off 10st for Gavin Cromwell. He bumped into a well-handicapped Hasthing at Windsor over a similar trip last time and technically runs off 1lb lower in Ireland here than was the case last time in Britain. He won at this meeting last year and has a decent type of profile for the race.

Monbeg Park has been frustrating to follow in recent starts, following up three straight seconds with a close third at the Dublin Racing Festival last time. He has the ability to play a part in proceedings. Meetingofthewaters never fired at the same meeting over hurdles, but could be a different proposition back over fences, if this trip isn’t too sharp for him.

SELECTION: TYRE KICKER

Next best: Monbeg Park

4.37 Dublin National Handicap Chase 3m 4f 61y

Brandt just failed when trying to deliver a bold bid over three miles and two furlongs last time, and that effort suggested this even longer trip could be well worth a try. He’s been nudged up 4lb for that second to One Horse Army, but appears to have favourable ground conditions and has been running consistently well of late for Cian Collins.

One Horse Army is back in opposition once more, but being given a 9lb hike for that victory makes life a fair deal tougher (winning margin was three quarters of a length). Brucejack should be in his element over this type of trip too and, over a distance short of his best at Punchestown in January, finished a decent second to subsequent winner Ney. Union Station is an unknown in terms of stamina over this far, but it wouldn’t be a shock if he took to the challenge well and posted a big showing.

SELECTION: BRANDT

Next best: Brucejack

5.12 QuinnBet (Pro/Am) Bumper 2m

It remains to be seen how deep a race it was that the well-bred Carrigmoorna Beech bolted up in on her debut at Gowran on Thyestes Day, with none of her five rivals having run before or since, but she collected in a manner that suggested she could be nicely above average. She hails from a stable enjoying a terrific season, and who have been especially effective in bumpers this term.

Eternal Echo, who has more of a flat pedigree than the selection, quickened up nicely to beat Apples Jane in a tactical four-runner event at Naas three weeks ago. He looks useful, though more will be learned about him in a contest of this nature.

Patrick Mullins is an eye-catching booking for Tom Cooper’s newcomer Oneinthewell, a €56,000 foal whose dam is a close relation to Altior. Of the last five times that Patrick Mullins has ridden for Tom Cooper in Ireland, the pair have collected in four four-year-old bumpers (including with three newcomers).

SELECTION: CARRIGMOORNA BEECH

Next best: Eternal Echo