1.40 Navan Ford & Opel Maiden Hurdle 1m 7f 150yds

It probably didn’t look the deepest of races that Honesty Policy finished second in at Naas last month, but he was a 16/1 shot on the day who shaped as though he’d have improvement to come. Stablemate St Cuthbert’s Cave was five and a half lengths behind then and reopposes here. Honesty Policy handles testing ground, is Gordon Elliott’s top chance on jockey bookings and may well be able to take advantage of a maiden hurdle where Willie Mullins has no representative. This Jukebox Jury point-to-point recruit is bred to be useful as a half-brother to last year’s Pertemps Final third Cuthbert Dibble.

Come Walk With Me made a fairly pleasing introduction when fifth in a strong maiden hurdle here in December and got closer to the target when second at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day, admittedly in a race that probably lacked depth. He could be good enough to win one of these for Eddie Cawley. Salt Bay is the fascinating recruit to hurdles for Henry de Bromhead given he was Group 1-placed as a juvenile on the flat and has a strong rating of 109 in that code.

SELECTION: HONESTY POLICY

Next best: Come Walk With Me

2.10 Ryan’s Cleaning Apple’s Jade Mares Novice Hurdle (Listed) 2m 4f

On winter ground, perhaps this two-and-a-half-mile trip will be just what the doctor ordered for Just For Love, who has already shown she can be competitive in this type of company and possibly didn’t quite thrive over an extended three miles last time on testing ground at Cork. She comes here fresh for the champion trainer and jockey and gets a tentative vote.

Blue Mosque was due to run at Thurles on Thursday before racing was abandoned and rates a big threat to the selection. She was possibly unlucky to get caught out by a tactically-run affair at Down Royal last time, though her jumping can’t afford to be sticky in this company. She’s rated 5lb behind Just For Love and receives 4lb from that rival.

Magic Boum has a chance if bouncing back from being safely held at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day, Tareze comes out best at the weights and ran with plenty of credit in listed company last time, while experienced mares Grainne A Chroi and Workinonadream come here on the back of wins in lesser company and must keep improving.

SELECTION: JUST FOR LOVE

Next best: Blue Mosque

2.40 William Hill Top Price

Guarantee Boyne Hurdle

(Grade 2) 2m 6f

Given he’d been off for 297 days beforehand was sent off a 28/1 chance, Thedevilscoachman exceeded the expectations of many when finishing a cracking second in the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran 17 days ago. Provided the bounce factor doesn’t come into play, he’s entitled to be bang in the mix once more if building on that positive showing over this two-mile-six-furlong trip. It’s probably his best distance and testing ground plays to his strengths, as seen when winning this race in 2022.

Last season’s Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle winner Farren Glory adds fresh blood to a race that has plenty of aging candidates, though having to concede a 9lb penalty for his top-level win isn’t ideal as he reverts back from fences. Minella Indo, now a 12-year-old, hasn’t been seen over hurdles since winning back-to-back Grade 1s in the spring of 2019. He didn’t run badly when second to French Dynamite on his sole run this season in October but is entitled to be operating a level below his best nowadays and this trip could be sharp enough for him. Meet And Greet, second in this race two years ago, has always been a talented sort and got back on winning tracks at Limerick last time. There’s no obvious reason why he shouldn’t deliver a bold bid and get involved, albeit he’s 6lb wrong at the weights with Thedevilscoachman.

SELECTION: THEDEVILSCOACHMAN

Next best: Meet And Greet

3.12 Gibney’s Handicap Hurdle 2m 6f

Coffeys Forge was well backed when bombing out two starts ago in a maiden hurdle for horses who had yet to be placed, though he probably did too much in front. There was some encouragement to take from his latest third at Clonmel in a handicap on his first start since joining Gordon Elliott. Given it was only 57 days between those runs, he surely wouldn’t have been with the Cullentra team for too long, so it’s certainly possible he could have improved with more time in the system. Expect him to go close off 2lb higher for a local team who clearly love having winners here.

The lack of a recent run for Waittillitellyou (absent since March) is a concern but he’s got the benefit of Tiernan Power Roche’s 5lb claim to help with shouldering top-weight. He has mixed it in better company than this. Comeonarchie showed up well when second to an improving mare last time and shouldn’t be far away again.

SELECTION: COFFEYS FORGE

Next best: Waittillitellyou

3.45 William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Novice Chase (Grade 2) 3m

Gordon Elliott has won three of the last four runnings of this and holds the aces again this year with Cheltenham Festival winners Better Days Ahead and Stellar Story, and an intriguing challenger in the shape of Three Card Brag. On the basis of his Christmas Grade 1 second to Croke Park, who ran a cracker to be runner-up to Ballyburn at the Dublin Racing Festival, Better Days Ahead looks the pick of the Cullentra trio and could enhance his claims as a live player in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase picture with a win here.

Three Card Brag gained an overdue first success over fences here last time and is a stout stayer capable of testing the selection’s stamina, while Stellar Story is clearly better than he showed last time when trailing the four-runner Grade 1 field at Leopardstown behind Croke Park and Better Days Ahead. Chosen Witness didn’t run badly last time but hasn’t reached the same level as his rivals over fences thus far.

SELECTION: BETTER DAYS AHEAD

Next best: Stellar Story

4.20 William Hill Proper Prices Handicap Chase 3m

Even though he was never really dangerous, there was a flicker of encouragement to take from Gringo d’Aubrelle’s first start in a handicap chase last time and this type of contest could be right up his street. A former third to Cheltenham Festival scorer Stage Star and Aintree Grade 3 winner West Balboa in the Grade 1 Challow Novices’ Hurdle back in 2021, he must have been difficult to train in the interim as he missed 1,020 days before returning to the track this season.

Encouragingly, however, he appears to have got a clear run at things this winter and could have a workable chase mark of 115. The addition of cheekpieces for the first time and stepping up to three miles look further positives for the €270,000 point-to-point recruit, who does need to step up on his chasing form to date.

Salmanino was running well in the same contest as Gringo d’Aubrelle when falling four fences from home at Punchestown last time, and his previous second to today’s rival Verdant Place makes him of interest in this company too. Whateys Quest was hampered and unseated his rider at the third last time, having won on his previous outing over the festive period. He’s no back number for Charles Byrnes if his confidence hasn’t been impacted negatively.

SELECTION: GRINGO D’AUBRELLE

Next best: Salmanino

4.55 William Hill Keep Your

Raceday Positive (Pro/Am)

Bumper 1m 7f 150yds

The form of Coyote Spirit’s second to He Can’t Dance here in December wasn’t done any harm when the winner finished a close-up third in the Grade 2 bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival, and it’s noteworthy that he has since joined Gordon Elliott and Bective Stud from Finbarr Hand. His debut sixth at last season’s Punchestown Festival wasn’t without promise either and the experience of those two runs should stand him in good stead here.

Copacabana, a newcomer by Blue Bresil, is of obvious interest for Willie Mullins given the stable’s bumper exploits, Burrows Drive was an eyecatching third on his Punchestown Festival bow last spring but hasn’t been seen since, while A Boy The Kid must have been doing something right at home to be handed his debut in a valuable bumper at Windsor last month. The fitting of a hood to help him settle better looks a positive move on the evidence of how he raced there in fifth. Noticebox held every chance when falling at the last in a point-to-point and is worth a second look for Gavin Cromwell and debut point-to-point winner Frankie John is back with Denis Hogan after going through the ring for £275,000 in December.

SELECTION: COYOTE SPIRIT

Next best: Copacabana