12.00 Noreside Catering Irish EBF Beginners Chase 2m 4f

With the ground heavy, some big names are set to make their debuts over fences here. Minella Cocooner sets the standard via his Grade 1 win over hurdles last season and close seconds to The Nice Guy at Cheltenham and Punchestown. It’s interesting he starts over two and a half miles, considering most of his best form came over further but the ground should be fine for him and he looks the one to beat.

Journey With Me is another high class novice hurdler from last season, though he had less opportunity to show it. His defeat of Minella Crooner in a hot maiden hurdle at Leopardstown last Christmas has him closely matched with the selection here, and he looked booked for third at least in the Ballymore, before he came down at the last. That is strong form and he has his ground today. Classic Getaway is also an intriguing chase debutant. He clearly hasn’t lived up to the expectations that came with his £570,000 price tag but you’d imagine he was bought for chasing and gets a clean slate now.

SELECTION: MINELLA COCOONER

Next best: Journey With Me

12.35 MW Hire Group Beginners Chase 2m 4f

Willywampus looks a different proposition over fences so far and he can get off the mark in this specialised beginners chase. You have to be rated 102 or less over hurdles to get a run here and Donal Commins’s five-year-old fits that bill with a mark of 95, though he probably ran at least 15lb-20lb above that when second to Kilcruit at Punchestown last Saturday. That was just a four-runner race and it can be dangerous to take the form literally but he jumped well out in front and kept going strongly in the straight. Prior to that he had run second at Tramore so it wasn’t a performance out of the blue.

It is hard to get a read on a lot of his rivals but Hardwired put up a solid run when third to Gateau De Miel at Fairyhouse earlier this month and a similar effort should see him involved at the finish again.

SELECTION: WILLYWAMPUS

Next best: Hardwired

1.05 Gowran Park Handicap Chase 2m 4f

Gevrey rates a solid proposition. Gordon Elliott’s six-year-old has been in good form lately, winning at Limerick and then running well off his revised mark at Down Royal on his latest start. This doesn’t look a strong heat, certainly compared to when he finished second to Bois De Clamart in a Grade B chase at this track last season. That was also on heavy ground so he looks set for a big run, with the cheekpieces he wears for the first time also a potential aid.

Archies Charm can give him most to do. He only found the well handicapped Final Orders too good for him at Down Royal on his latest start and that was a big step up from his seasonal debut run over hurdles. He can improve again as this is just his sixth run over fences.

SELECTION: GEVREY

Next best: Archies Charm

1.40 PRL Group Novice Hurdle 2m

This is a fascinating contest that could throw up a horse worth following in the top races in the two-mile novice hurdle division. Imagine and Inothewayurthinkin have both shown strong form already this term, but the Mullins runner here, Spanish Harlem, is most intriguing.

A €360,000 recruit from France, he won first time out at Auteuil in June, which is crucial because he maintains his novice hurdle status for the season. With that in mind, he fits the bill of some of Mullins’s previous winners of this race which include Sharjah and Douvan. It will be interesting to see what he can do.

Imagine is marginally preferred over Inothewayurthinkin. His close second to Hercule De Seuil in a Grade 3 contest at Navan looks a like good effort, considering he wasn’t receiving any weight allowance from the five-year-olds he finished in between.

SELECTION: SPANISH HARLEM

Next best: Imagine

2.15 Proficient Engineering Irish EBF Maiden Hurdle 2m

Kalanisi Star looks like a real prospect for Oliver McKiernan and he can get his hurdles career off to a winning start. A point winner at Corbeagh House, he won his bumper at this track in March, pulling all of 16 lengths clear of odds-on favourite Monbeg Park, who won on his next start and showed his talent again when winning his maiden hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday. Heavy ground will be fine for this five-year-old.

Pink In The Park has some smart mares’ bumper form, notably finishing a close fifth in the Grade 2 mares’ bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival. She is clearly a threat for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend while more is expected of Blackwater after a slightly disappointing bumper run at Punchestown in February.

SELECTION: KALANISI STAR

Next best: Pink In The Park

2.50 Glanbia Novice Handicap Hurdle 2m

A marginal vote goes to Itwasfate. He ran well enough when fourth to One Last Tango at Wexford last month, challenging the two leaders as they turned in before his effort petered out and he was caught for third. That was his first run in 108 days so he was entitled to get tired and he should strip fitter now. It’s worth noting that his best run over hurdles came in a heavy ground maiden hurdle at the Limerick Christmas Festival last year so he should have no problem with the conditions today and remains open to general improvement on just his eighth start over hurdles.

Enchanted Magic is clearly a big threat on his first start for Willie Mullins, having won his maiden hurdle at this track also, though it’s difficult to get a read on his mark of 120. Hey Johnny unseated his rider early at Cheltenham last time but he was well fancied to run well after a smooth win on his penultimate start at Clonmel. It won’t be a surprise to see him involved.

SELECTION: ITWASFATE

Next best: Hey Johnny

3.20 entegro.ie Handicap Hurdle 2m 4f

Banada Bridge can build on her recent second at Fairyhouse to score for the first time over hurdles. Denise Foster’s mare found only Clody Valley too good on that occasion, having finished a 10-length fourth to Natural Look over this course and distance on her penultimate start. Both of those runs were all-sex races and she races against just her own sex today, in what looks a generally weaker contest.

Shean Glory is out again quickly having finished second to Brandy Harbour at Limerick on Tuesday. That was a good run and she can go well again if ready to go again, while Haveuseentherain is also one to consider at a potentially big price. Her effort to finish sixth to Sweet Will at Fairyhouse last time was easily her best in a good while and she may be able to build on it now.

SELECTION: BANADA BRIDGE

Next best: Haveuseentherain