11.40 Kilberry Pub & Kitchen Maiden Hurdle 2m 4f

Dual bumper winner Wingmen was hugely impressive when winning at the Punchestown Festival on his last start and can start a big weekend for Gordon Elliott on a winning note. A six-year-old who has the experience of three bumper outings and a point-to-point win, he’s thought highly of by connections.

Forty Coats, who followed up his debut point-to-point success with a smart bumper victory at Naas, rates a bright prospect for the in-form Henry de Bromhead team and ought to be in the thick of things on his hurdling bow. The experienced Syracus Du Houx makes most appeal of the remainder from a place perspective.

SELECTION: WINGMEN

Next best: Forty Coats

12.15 Lisadell Equine Hospital Handicap Hurdle 2m 4f

A competitive race for the grade that should produce its share of winners as the winter develops. In For The Night won in the style of a handicapper going places when earning an 8lb rise at Gowran last month. He should be comfortable on the decent ground and is entitled to be bang there once more for the local Des McDonogh yard.

Voice Of Reason, only a four-year-old, fired a bit of a warning shot last time at Cork and may well be sharpening up with racing in handicaps. He was useful on the flat for Ger Lyons and could make appeal off a hurdles mark of 106 for Gordon Elliott. One Night Standard, back hurdling after a couple of low-key showings over fences, needs respecting for the Gavin Cromwell team, as does stablemate Reflectionist, who can be expected to improve from his comeback run at Tramore last month.

SELECTION: IN FOR THE NIGHT

Next best: Voice Of Reason

12.50 Hotel Park St. Johann In Tirol Austria Handicap Hurdle 2m

Harsh excelled on decent ground in a big-field handicap hurdle at the Punchestown Festival and his race was effectively ended last time at Down Royal when lucky to not be brought down by a faller just as the race was beginning to develop. He hasn’t always been the easiest to catch right but the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle fourth has the ability to be competitive in a race like this.

Tonaghneave Well is in deeper waters than last time when runner-up in a rated novice hurdle at Wexford but isn’t overly exposed and should appreciate these ground conditions. Fiveonefive needs to show much more than when down the field in the Welsh Champion Hurdle but is a capable sort when delivering his ‘A’ game and is another with form on good ground.

SELECTION: HARSH

Next best: Tonaghneave Well

1.25 Bar One Racing For Auction Novice Hurdle (Grade 3) 2m

There wasn’t much depth to the maiden hurdle that Bleu De Vassy won at Fairyhouse last month but the Gordon Elliott-trained bumper winner absolutely bolted up there on his first try on a sound surface. His jumping was satisfactory and he won at a time when the stable’s runners were tending to improve nicely for their seasonal reappearances. With the potential for a good chunk of improvement to come, he gets the nod.

Mywayofthinkin mixed it with some classy types in bumpers last season and is bred in the purple as a half-brother to the owner and stable’s Cheltenham Festival winners Inothewayurthinkin and Limerick Lace. He made a winning hurdling debut at Punchestown in May and hasn’t been seen since so lacks a recent run, but he is highly promising. Helvic Dream rattled the crossbar when second in a competitive handicap hurdle at Down Royal last time. His sole hurdles win came over this course and distance.

SELECTION: BLEU DE VASSY

Next best: Mywayofthinkin

1.58 Railway Bar Lismullen Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m 4f

Bob Olinger got the better of Zanahiyr in this prize 12 months ago and a similar outcome could be on the cards again. Robcour and Henry de Bromhead’s nine-year-old had a fine campaign last term, following up his victory here with a win in the Relkeel at Cheltenham and seconds in both the Irish Champion Hurdle and Aintree Hurdle. This two-and-a-half-mile test looks like his optimum trip. Provided he doesn’t find the ground livelier than he ideally wants, it’s hard to see why he shouldn’t be in the thick of things.

Zanahiyr arrives here with no concerns over his fitness, having been racing through the summer. The addition of blinkers for the first time looks a positive step and he shouldn’t be judged too harshly for his last run, having been one of many who couldn’t live with the front-running Flooring Porter in the Kerry National.

Home By The Lee won this race two years ago but the trip looks on the sharp side for him these days, while Jetara, fit from wins over hurdles at Limerick and on the flat at the Curragh, should be well suited to this and can’t be ruled out. Beacon Edge turns out a fortnight on from a well-placed win at Wetherby.

SELECTION: BOB OLINGER

Next best: Zanahiyr

2.33 Bar One Racing Fortria Chase (Grade 2) 2m

Just the six runners involved but this is a cracking little race for early in the season. Reigning Champion Chase hero Captain Guinness won this impressively last season and is seeking a hat-trick in the race - he is the obvious starting point, especially with the Henry de Bromhead team in sparkling form. While he does have form in ground with the word ‘yielding’ in the description, he’s probably at his most effective in softer conditions than he’ll face this weekend, however. Timeform described the ground as heavy when he won the Champion Chase at Cheltenham, while he came up just short against Banbridge on what they called good to soft at the Punchestown Festival.

That Joseph O’Brien-trained chaser is proven as highly effective on better ground and if he’s sharp enough after 200 days off, he could ruffle the hat-trick seeker’s feathers.

He’s won well on his seasonal reappearance in each of the last two years and gets a tentative nod. Found A Fifty has a fitness edge on the aforementioned pair, having won at Down Royal a fortnight ago, while Gentleman De Mee’s best form gives him an obvious chance but he has tended to get better as the season goes on.

SELECTION:

BANBRIDGE

Next best: Captain Guinness

3.08 Irish

Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase 2m 1f

This race proved a superb formline to follow last season and there is plenty of quality to the 2024 renewal too. Given he has race fitness on his side and receives an 8lb pull at the weight from his elders, the four-year-old Nurburgring could be up to making a winning debut over fences. The Galway Hurdle hero has posted two excellent runs in top staying handicaps on the flat the last twice and relishes decent conditions.

King Of Kingsfield ran a blinder on his return behind Brighterdaysahead at Down Royal and now makes his chasing bow. His record of just one win from eight hurdles starts means he may not be entirely bombproof, though, for all that he is clearly talented. The same stable’s Down Memory Lane is the one Mark Walsh rides here from a talented quartet of J.P. McManus-owned runners.

SELECTION: NURBURGRING

Next best: King Of Kingsfield

3.43 Bar One Racing

‘Guaranteed Overnight Prices’ (Pro/Am) Flat Race 2m

Gordon Elliott has given a strong mention to He Can’t Dance in the early-season previews and the £300,000 point-to-point recruit can make a winning rules bow. Now owned by Gigginstown, the Jukebox Jury four-year-old won well at Monksgrange in March for Rob James.

The same connections’ Whinney Hill showed some ability when second on his bumper introduction at Punchestown and has the advantage of a recent run. Others bring placed form to the table too, such as The Lookout Man, while newcomer Khmer has a chance on paper.

SELECTION: HE CAN’T DANCE

Next best:

Whinney Hill