1.40 Adare Manor Opportunity Mares Maiden Hurdle 2m 4f 110yds

Blacksmiths Forge won a bumper on debut at Downpatrick in July and has followed that up with two solid efforts over hurdles, including when not beaten far in fourth at Roscommon 12 days ago. Provided this isn’t coming too soon, the Ger Keane-trained four-year-old stands out as one who isn’t exposed and has enough experience in this sphere to make her mark.

Whitewinewednesday showed up well when third at Tramore last time and ought to be on the premises again. Lady Nightingale has place claims too.

SELECTION: BLACKSMITHS FORGE

Next best: Whitewinewednesday

2.15 O’Neills.com Maiden Hurdle 2m 2f 110yds

This isn’t typically the peak time of year for the Gordon Elliott stable to have their runners in top form (representatives beaten at 1/9, 8/11, 11/10 and 13/8 in the past fortnight), but Bleu De Vassy might be able to overcome that in what looks a weak enough race. He landed a Clonmel bumper readily when last seen in April, having previously mixed it with some useful sorts in December bumpers.

Blaze The Way pulled up in a Grade 2 novice hurdle here in April, but had won a bumper prior to that. Fast Felix has plenty of experience in this sphere and can be placed but a mark of 106 means he’ll need to improve.

SELECTION: BLEU DE VASSY

Next best: Blaze The Way

2.50 Protection & Prosperity Financial Services Supporting Louth GAA Handicap Hurdle 2m 2f 110yds

On the evidence of how she finished out over an extended two miles at Galway on Monday, this trip could be ideal for Bella Be Good. She comes with risk attached given, she’s exposed enough and has only been placed twice in 12 runs. However, two of her best runs have come in her last three starts and decent ground appears to be helping her cause.

U Asking Me received an 8lb hike for winning readily at Clonmel last week and is entitled to be bang there again. C’Est Rien, a winner over fences two starts ago, is ground-versatile and has run well here before.

SELECTION: BELLA BE GOOD

Next best: U Asking Me

3.25 Powerscreen New England Supporting Louth GAA Handicap Hurdle 2m

Son Of Hypnos hasn’t been seen over hurdles since bolting up at the Galway Festival, and he could be worth siding with again despite being hit with a 12lb rise. He certainly wasn’t disgraced when turning out quickly on the flat at Ballybrit, finishing fourth in a mile-and-a-half handicap, and got tired over a quarter mile further than this up Downpatrick’s stiff finish last time over fences.

Cases can be made for plenty, but Star Harbour is lightly raced in this discipline and makes his first hurdles start since May 2023. He has been in excellent nick on the flat of late and is worth a second look off a hurdles mark of 109, given he’s currently rated 103 on the level.

SELECTION: SON OF HYPNOS

Next best: Star Harbour

4.05 Frank Lynch & Co Chartered Certified Accountants Supporting Louth GAA Handicap Hurdle 2m

Fresh from getting off the mark at the 10th attempt at Galway on Monday, Ragmans Corner has a good chance to double up while still remaining in the 80-95 handicap bracket. He’s due to go up 6lb for that victory and runs under a 7lb penalty here so is technically 1lb wrong at the weights, but remaining in this basement grade of race, which he will not be eligible for after today, is a massive help. Ger Keane’s dual-purpose five-year-old wasn’t winning out of turn earlier this week either.

Dream Escape was third as favourite at Gowran last week and ought to be in the mix again. It will be interesting to observe how the market assesses the chance of Cleopatra’s Needle on her handicap hurdle bow. A 10-furlong handicap winner on the flat earlier this year, she starts out in this sphere with a potentially workable rating of 87 if translating the best of her flat form to hurdles, though improvement is required from what she has shown so far over flights.

SELECTION: RAGMANS CORNER

Next best: Cleopatra’s Needle

4.40 Morgan Fuels Supporting Louth GAA (Ladies Pro/Am) INH Flat Race 2m

None of these have outstanding credentials on paper and that could make this a nice opening for Pay The Tab, whose third at Down Royal in a bumper last November was a decent showing. He hails from a top stable, though hasn’t been seen for 291 days.

Monica Dowdall Blake’s Trooper Lewis is making his debut less than a couple of months before he officially turns eight, but he’s bred to be useful as a son of the stable’s triple bumper winner/103-rated flat performer, Shu Lewis (placed in Group 3 company on the level).

SELECTION: PAY THE TAB

Next best: Trooper Lewis