1.30 BALLYMORE NOVICES’ HURDLE

An excellent renewal. The drying ground is probably a negative for Hermes Allen, he looked a real stayer in the Challow. The market has moved for Impaire Et Passe since last week but he’s poor value now in and around the 2/1 mark, based on the little he has achieved so far over hurdles. Gaelic Warrior is a talented horse but surely won’t be able to win a race as deep as this jumping to his right, as he tends to.

Champ Kiely is the forgotten horse and has drifted out to a very backable price. He showed loads of pace to win over two miles and finished fourth in a good renewal of the Royal Bond, despite pulling hard early in the race; and the form of that contest was upgraded significantly by its winner Marine Nationale. Allowed to stride on by Danny Mullins in the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle, he always looked in control when dealing with Irish Point. That race has become a fine trial for this contest and Champ Kiely’s earlier proven speed form is also key.

Good Land gets the second vote. He has been the subject of rave reviews from Barry Connell but he backed it up when speeding away from his rivals in the Grade 1 ‘Nathaniel Lacy’ at the Dublin Racing Festival. He can step forward again to have a big say.

SELECTION: CHAMP KIELY ALTERNATIVE: GOOD LAND

2.10 BROWN ADVISORY NOVICES’ CHASE

Gerri Colombe is one of the most solid favourites of the week. Unbeaten in seven track runs, he is a dual Grade 1 winner over two and a half miles this season, winning in spite of the distance, or the ground, or both for those two runs. He looks an absolute surefire improver coming up in trip and, in truth, this looks a soft renewal. Sir Gerhard is seriously talented but has had just one run over fences and it came over two miles, just not ideal for a race in which you often need a battle-hardened sort. The Real Whacker’s form just doesn’t stack up, for all that he jumps beautifully from the front. Thyme Hill makes zero appeal at his price as a nine-year-old chaser with jumping frailties and very questionable form.

If you don’t want to back the favourite, it’s well worth having a swing at one of the bigger-priced runners and the best option could be Thunder Rock at around the 20/1 mark. He wasn’t beaten far by Gerri Colombe in the Scilly Isles or The Real Whacker in the Dipper, and is another who looks a likely improver at this three-mile trip.

SELECTION: GERRI COLOMBE ALTERNATIVE: THUNDER ROCK

2.50 CORAL CUP HANDICAP HURDLE

This is one of the toughest handicaps of the week so it’s no surprise it’s 8/1 the field. The buzz horse has been An Epic Song, well backed since declarations, and potentially well plotted having shown little in his runs so far this season but he ran out a most impressive winner last term at Punchestown. That said, in a roundabout way, I think this horse has led the market away from San Salvador, through jockey bookings. J.J. Slevin would usually ride Joseph O’Brien’s horses but seems to be riding first jockey for Sean and Bernadine Mulryan these days so may have had to ride An Epic Song. Don’t let that put you off San Salvador, however, because he was really impressive in winning the same race An Epic Song won last season and has been kept for this since. Richie Deegan has been booked and takes 3lb off.

Have a look at Gordon Elliott’s Riaan as well. He is 28/1 but he beat San Salvador comfortably earlier in the season at Cork and won his warm up for this a shade cosily. He is one of the more unexposed runners in the field so could well improve to get himself involved.

SELECTION: SAN SALVADOR ALTERNATIVE: RIAAN

3.30 BETWAY QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE

The market has this as something of a match between Edwardstone and Energumene but I can’t help feeling Editeur Du Gite is still underrated. The Clarence House Chase is the key piece of form where all three met - Editeur Du Gite just holding off the late challenge of Edwardstone, with Energumene held back in third. A lot was made of Edwardstone’s rider Tom Cannon tracking the run of Energumene instead of the winner, with his horse having to produce a huge secondary effort to get up to him, but not many people are talking about the way Editeur Du Gite fought back once joined. He may just have been idling in front, or indeed showed an excellent attitude to get back up but either way, there was more in the tank. That race was on the new course, but this sharper test on the old course should suit him and he has an excellent record in general at Cheltenham; three wins from five starts.

If the ground stays relatively soft, Energumene should improve and it will be no surprise to see him go from the front here, or take a lead from Editeur Du Gite, but his previous run was disconcerting and he has a bit to prove now.

SELECTION: EDITEUR DU GITE ALTERNATIVE: EDWARDSTONE

4.10 GLENFARCLAS CHASE (CROSS COUNTRY)

Not a race to be getting too involved in but Delta Work has solid claims of landing back-to-back wins. He famously saw off Tiger Roll in this race last season, the pair of them coming clear, and that form looks well ahead of anything else on offer. He showed his prowess over the course and distance again in January when conceding lumps of weight to Back On The Lash but still finishing a close third, and he meets those rivals again off level weights.

Galvin is a class act on his day but has to prove he can act on this course. It’s the same case for Franco De Port, but at least he is running to a better standard of late, so he gets the second vote.

SELECTION: DELTA WORK ALTERNATIVE: FRANCO DE PORT

Delta Work and Jack Kennedy (blue cap) famously beat Tiger Roll and Davy Russell in last year's Cross Country \ Healy Racing

4.50 JOHNNY HENDERSON GRAND ANNUAL CHALLENGE CUP

Elixir De Nutz disappointed in this race last season but conditions had gone near unraceable at that stage so you can forgive him and he deserves another chance to prove himself. He comes into the race in even better form compared to last year, having put up a career best effort when closing in on Funambule Sivola in the Grade 2 Game Spirit Chase at Newbury. Soft ground or better over two miles is ideal for him and he won on this course over hurdles.

Andy Dufresne was a gambled-on favourite here last year and found only one too good in Global Citizen. He arrives back off the exact same mark and with his proven ability over course and distance, he has to go well. If the ground dried out, keep an eye on Third Time Lucki and at a bigger price, Before Midnight. Third Time Lucki is a course and distance winner and another coming here off a career best following his smooth win at Sandown. Before Midnight beat a previous winner of this race, Sky Pirate, easily over this course and distance last season and a return to the track could bring out his best.

SELECTION: ELIXIR DE NUTZ ALTERTNATIVE: ANDY DUFRESNE

5.30 WEATHERBYS CHAMPION BUMPER

A wide-open renewal. A Dream To Share was impressive at the Dublin Racing Festival and should go well, but there are any amount of dangers in waiting. Willie Mullins has won this a record 12 times and has a strong contingent of 10 runners again. It’s quantity over quality, as such, and it often pays to go down the Closutton line in this case. Western Diego makes a bit of appeal with a notable booking of Rachael Blackmore. He won easily on his debut at Naas and had Will Do, a standing dish in lots of good bumpers in Ireland this year, back in third.

Westport Cove did plenty wrong on his debut win at Fairyhouse, pulling hard for much of the journey, yet he still had enough to see off Faulty, so he has lots of scope to progress for that experience and the big field and likely strong pace could help him.

Mares have a decent record in this race from only a handful of runners so keep an eye on Fun Fun Fun, who again pulled hard early on in her Grade 2 contest at the Dublin Racing Festival, but then shot clear in the straight.

SELECTION: WESTERN DIEGO ALTERNATIVE: WESTPORT COVE