12.19 Earl Of Harrington Mares Maiden Hurdle 2m 4f

Uhavemeinstitches was a real eyecatcher on her comeback run at Clonmel three weeks ago behind a well-regarded novice from the Willie Mullins team and can go one better with natural improvement now back against her own sex. She’s bred to be smart for James Motherway and J.P. McManus, being a four-year-old daughter of Walk In The Park and 2010 Irish Grand National heroine Bluesea Cracker.

Barnahash Primrose landed a gamble when bolting up on debut in a bumper here last Christmas and proved there was no fluke about that when third in a Dublin Racing Festival Grade 2 next time, albeit she failed to fire on her only other start last March. If sharp enough after 272 days off and not needing this initial experience over hurdles, she’s capable of winning this. Twentyfourcarrot impressed here last time and is bound to be in the mix, while Sainte Tartare can improve from her debut second at Tramore last month.

SELECTION: UHAVEMEINSTITCHES

Next best: Barnahash Primrose

12.52 Tim & Martin Molony

Veterans Handicap Chase

2m 6f 120yds

Cases can be made for each of J.P. McManus’ trio of runners, and Donkey Years might be the one to click in veterans’ company off a mark of 125. He hasn’t run over fences since May 2023 and, having taken advantage of an attractive hurdles mark at Listowel in September, should be well suited to these conditions back chasing again. He wasn’t at his best last time, however.

Enjoy D’Allen, turning 11 next week, hasn’t recaptured the form that saw him previously placed in an Irish Grand National and Paddy Power Chase, but there was a flicker of promise in his latest banks run at Punchestown behind subsequent Cheltenham winner Stumptown. Weihnachts has been absent since April when winning at Down Royal off 8lb lower. A little freshness has suited him well in the past, though.

SELECTION: DONKEY YEARS

Next best: Enjoy D’Allen

1.27 McMahons Builders

Providers Irish EBF Dawn Run Mares Novice Chase (Grade 2) 2m 6f 120yds

The consistent and tough Shecouldbeanything probably deserves to be favourite here given the experience edge she holds over Bioluminescence, a highly-promising type in her own right but a chasing debutante. The selection finished last of five in a tactically-run Drinmore, yet the encouraging point from that run was the fact she was beaten only five lengths by Grade 1-level novice chasers. With Limerick not expected to be as testing as usual this Christmas. the ground shouldn’t be problematic for Gordon Elliott’s seven-year-old.

Bioluminescence won a Grade 3 novice hurdle here last March before pulling up at Fairyhouse in Grade 1 company. She’s better than that and might prove the better mare over fences in the fullness of time.

SELECTION: SHECOULDBEANYTHING

Next best: Bioluminescence

2.02 Goggin Buckley Hurdle 2m 4f

A trappy contest in which Kilcruit gets an extremely tentative nod on his first start back from 513 days off. If he was trained by nearly anyone else, it would be difficult to approach this with confidence but Willie Mullins has proven many times that can strike after layoffs and this Grade 1 winner is operating over what is probably his optimum trip, with ground conditions likely fine.

Jalila Moriviere is a bit of an unknown quantity for the same yard and J.P. McManus on her Irish debut, having started her career with Paul Nicholls before heading to France and earning blacktype at Auteuil. Now lining up in the same race that Sa Majeste won on his second start for these connections, she’s worthy of respect and it will be interesting to see how the market interprets her claims. Jigoro and Karl Des Tourelles, both second last time, have a race sharpness edge on the Mullins pair, while Meet And Greet has held his own in better company than this. He needs to show a lot more than last time on his return from a 593-day break.

SELECTION: KILCRUIT

Next best: Jalila Moriviere

2.36 Grant Thornton Ladies Handicap Hurdle 2m 4f

A competitive affair where Optional Mix, who won this race two years ago off an identical mark for the same rider, might be able to capitalise as a ground-versatile mare. Fitness won’t be a question for her, given she’s been improving with each start since returning from a break and showed some promise last time at Thurles.

It’s not hard to fancy several of these, however. Sarah Beara has showed up well here before and, if bouncing back from a heavy defeat at Navan last time, is capable, while coming back in trip should suit Billy Lee Swagger.

Strutter has the assistance of Jody Townend on his first start since joining Willie Mullins from Nicky Henderson. It was a low-grade handicap he won at Uttoxeter when last seen in May. Storm Mahler has something to find on recent form but Georgie Benson is an excellent booking.

SELECTION: OPTIONAL MIX

Next best: Billy Lee Swagger

3.11 Roche’s Feeds Handicap Hurdle 2m

A handicap that should throw up its share of winners later this season. Mount Ferns is fancied to prove his last run at Cork was a blip, with the ground on that occasion quicker than he wants. He looked a two-miler on the up when winning at the Listowel Harvest Festival prior to that and represents the local Eric McNamara team.

Collaborative was an eyecatcher on handicap debut at Clonmel last time, earning a 1lb nudge to 101 for that fourth. He looked useful on his flat debut at the Curragh for Dermot Weld and sold for 44,000gns afterwards. Bridie’s Beau is another with the potential to win one of these off 95 too based on his bumper showings, rather than his wide-margin defeats over hurdles.

SELECTION: MOUNT FERNS

Next best: Collaborative

3.41 Whitebox Property Group Handicap Hurdle 2m

At a likely big each-way price, Fear The Deere could be worth keeping an eye on here. He’s been a slow burn but took a step in the right direction last month at Thurles in a low-key handicap when beaten 14 and a half lengths in fourth. He’s got a chance on paper, being a half-brother to Christmas Grade 2 winner Sailors Warn and a full brother to Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle sixth Metamorpheus. Tim Doyle’s runners were in excellent form at Thurles last weekend and this six-year-old races off just 10st 1lb when factoring in John Shinnick’s 5lb claim.

New York Style disappointed when 4/1 for a mares’ handicap hurdle at Listowel in June and hasn’t been seen since. However, she looked to be getting the hang of things in maiden hurdles prior to that (second to Cash The Cheque at Tipperary a month earlier) and the debut bumper second could be able to put it all together off a mark of 103 if back to her best. Musta Lovea Lovea has proven hard to win with (0-14 over hurdles) but his top form is good enough to win this, while Wardens Whisper fired a warning shot last time.

SELECTION: FEAR THE DEERE

Next best: New York Style