12.03 Bar One Racing “Bet 10 Euros Get 50 Euros Sign Up

Offer” 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle

1m 7f 145yds

There has been more than enough encouragement to take from Turn And Finish’s last two attempts over hurdles to suggest he’s up to winning a three-year-old maiden hurdle before long, and that may well come here. He’s been ridden patiently and surely will have been learning for the experience he’s gained with those tactics. He had little chance with how the race unfolded last time when Coul Dreamer got a run on the field from the front.

Lakota Blue is another maiden hurdle winner waiting to happen in this division. His first start for the Gordon Elliott team, finishing second to the promising It’s Bilbo at Punchestown, was certainly positive and improvement looks very much possible.

SELECTION: TURN AND FINISH

Next best: Lakota Blue

12.33 Bar One Racing

“Guaranteed Multiples All Shops” Maiden Hurdle

1m 7f 145yds

A maiden hurdle that regularly produces high-class operators and this year’s renewal ought to throw up its fair share of future winners. Willie Mullins has sent the likes of Kilcruit and Dysart Dynamo to this race in recent years and his 2024 representative Kappa Jy Pyke, who won an AQPS bumper over a mile and a half back in October 2023, gets a tentative nod. The €140,000 purchase is by a smart sire in the shape of Masked Marvel.

Two of J.P. McManus’ three runners are of interest, with Mark Walsh riding debut point-to-point winner Pure Steel, who makes his rules debut for Jimmy Mangan. The Enda Bolger-trained Park That ran well when third in a maiden hurdle here back in March, albeit this race demands more from him. Ciaran Murphy’s Titanium is rated 95 on the flat so could make a decent hurdler in time if taking to this discipline, while Sky Lord and Icare d’Aubrelle bring competitive bumper form to the table.

SELECTION: KAPPA JY PYKE

Next best: Pure Steel

1.05 Singletons Supervalu Stayers Novice Hurdle (Grade 3) 3m 80yds

Even though he won over course and distance last time, stepping up from a two-mile maiden hurdle victory, this race in deeper ground will likely present a greater stamina test for Luckinthecity. Whether he will truly relish it remains to be seen, but he won’t be found wanting for fitness, he has the assistance of Paul Townend and is going the right way as he chases a hat-trick.

His Mullins-trained stablemate All For Love was beaten by a useful sort at Limerick last time and is no back number, having stayed on well to win at Killarney previously. Churchroad Prince needs to step up from his Ballinrobe maiden hurdle win and lacks a recent run. However, he does look promising.

SELECTION: LUCKINTHECITY

Next best: Churchroad Prince

1.40 Coolmore N.H. Sires Order Of St George Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase (Grade 2)

2m 160yds

It was a highly pleasing introduction to fences from Only By Night when beating the boys in an extended-two-mile beginners’ chase at Tipperary. That was only 16 days ago but the best of her was seen early in the campaign last season and this could be a good opportunity to strike while the iron is hot. The former point-to-point winner’s jumping was assured last time and that should stand her in good stead here.

Nara showed a bit of class when winning a mares’ beginners’ chase on ground described as good, good to yielding in places at Gowran last month. She’s fully entitled to a crack at this, but it is a tougher assignment in slower conditions and it was interesting to hear Henry de Bromhead say last time that she “probably has a preference for nicer ground”.

Zenta, a Grade 1-winning juvenile hurdler, ran with credit when third at the Dublin Racing Festival and seventh (beaten five lengths) in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham. She jumped much better on the second circuit than the poor round she put in on her first circuit at Ballinrobe when last seen finishing fourth in a beginners’ chase in May. Time is on her side as a five-year-old, but this track presents a decent jumping test.

SELECTION: ONLY BY NIGHT

Next best: Nara

2.15 Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase (Grade 2)

2m 160yds

Willie Mullins has well and truly put his weight behind this race, responsible for six of the eight runners. It’s great to see Energumene back in action for the first time since winning Cheltenham and Punchestown’s Champion Chase prizes in 2023, and he’s the class act of the line-up. Whether he’ll be at his best after a 593-day layoff is clearly a query, but he’s got an excellent record fresh and won back-to-back runnings of this race before missing last season through injury. Any rain ought to be in his favour too.

Dinoblue has been able to collect on her reappearances in the past and certainly has age on her side as a seven-year-old taking on a 10-year-old Energumene. The top-class yet extremely fragile Ferny Hollow turns 10 next month too but has only been seen four times since winning the 2020 Champion Bumper, so he remains a chaser with low mileage. Banbridge won’t want to see any extra rain coming and needs to improve plenty from his comeback run in the Fortria.

SELECTION: ENERGUMENE

Next best: Dinoblue

2.50 Bar One Racing “100% Acca Boost On Self Service

Terminals” Handicap Hurdle

2m 4f

One Big Boum had hinted at winning potential when sent off at big prices early in his career, so it was pleasing to see him get off the mark in a Wexford maiden hurdle (restricted to horses who had yet to be placed after at least three runs under rules). He actually did well to win given the blunder he made at the last. Stepping back up in distance to two and a half miles should be a positive for him in handicap company and soft ground plays to his strengths.

This does look an open affair, however, and one worth a mention is Johnny Blue, an interesting recruit to Willie Mullins from Nicky Henderson. He was just touched off as 1/6 favourite in an Exeter maiden hurdle when last seen in April, and he didn’t look a complete natural over his obstacles there. He did get within a length and three quarters of Cian Collins’ Fiveonefive in a Hereford novice hurdle last season, though, when receiving 12lb from that rival. Johnny Blue starts off here off a mark of 111, while Fiveonefive went on to reach a mark of 132.

SELECTION: ONE BIG BOUM

Next best: Johnny Blue

3.25 Greenvalley Transport

Novice Handicap Hurdle 2m 4f

Colleen Danu isn’t overly exposed over hurdles, with just six starts in this discipline, and she looked to be going the right way on just her second start for Pat Foley when winning at Gowran last month. A 6lb rise forces her to step up in class but she should cope with these conditions and probably has found her best trip.

If Duffys Hodey managed to get in under the 7lb penalty as first reserve, he certainly would command major respect after collecting at Clonmel five days earlier. Zoomtime and Chautuaqua have been off the track for a long time but would be interesting if market support arrived. Hesasmoothoperator’s best two runs have been his last two, and if proving as effective on slower ground than then, he should be in the mix once more.

SELECTION: COLLEEN DANU

Next best: Hesasmoothoperator