12.10 Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m

Willie Mullins often targets this contest with one of his best novice hurdlers and that may well be the case with Impaire Et Passe.

It was hard not to be taken with the way he won his maiden hurdle over two miles three furlongs at Naas, always travelling well but then picking up very smartly to put 18 lengths between himself and his rivals by the time he reached the line.

The time of that race compared well with the Grade 2 won by Inthepocket on the same card so by all means it was a very good performance what was his hurdles/seasonal/Irish debut, so there should be more to come.

It probably isn’t the strongest renewal with the main competition coming from mares Shecouldbeanything and The Model Kingdom.

The former won her mares’ maiden hurdle in good style at Limerick and should be fine on the likely testing ground, perhaps more so than The Model Kingdom, who is a decent mare who has won twice at the course, but all three of her career wins have come on yielding or better ground.

SELECTION: IMPAIRE ET PASSE

Next best: Shecouldbeanything

12.40 Seamus & Annie Hughes Memorial Maiden Hurdle (Div I) 2m

The first divide of this maiden hurdle features two notable horses coming off huge breaks - Let’s Go Champ and Tactical Move. Let’s Go Champ cost £375,000 at auction after he won a Bartlemy point-to-point in 2019 but clearly he’s had a setback or two because this is his first run since, meaning he has a 1344-day absence to overcome.

It has been 1158 days since we saw Tactical Move win his bumper at Clonmel - he defeated Idas Boy with the pair pulling clear. He rates a slightly more solid proposition with that track experience.

Gordon Elliott’s pair Clodders Dream and Ideal Vert have plenty to do after their hurdle debuts. Do Whatever is the most interesting newcomer as a half-brother to Bellshill by Walk In The Park.

SELECTION: TACTICAL MOVE

Next best: Let’s Go Champ

1.10 Seamus & Annie Huges Memorial Maiden Hurdle 2m

Belle The Lioness can get off the mark. Henry de Bromhead’s mare has put together two good runs over hurdles, firstly finishing second to the Willie Mullins-trained Intranet, and then filling the same position in a listed mares’ hurdle won by Liberty Dance at Thurles. That latter effort was a step forward and if she can improve again back in maiden hurdle company with her mares allowance, she could be tough to beat.

Sa Fureur is noted for Gordon Elliott after he ran promisingly on his debut in the Limerick maiden hurdle won by Maidenstreetprince. He should be thereabouts with improvement likely, while Bialystock is an obvious danger making his debut for Willie Mullins. The Susannah Ricci-owned five-year-old was bought off the flat in France for €160,000.

SELECTION: BELLE THE LIONESS

Next best: Bialystok

1.40 15% Off Festival 2023 Mares Handicap Hurdle 2m 4f 200y

Birdie Blitz ran a fine race on her seasonal debut when fifth to Jungle Prose in a competitive handicap hurdle over three miles at this course, a race that has worked out very well since. This contest, although it’s competitive, looks an easier target and she should be fitter now. She stays well and has form on heavy ground. She also wears cheekpieces for the first time which may help her.

Both Carrig Carol and Light Parade are in-form mares trending in the right direction but Lizlucky gets the second vote.

She was probably ridden to pick up the pieces when fourth to Saylavee in a listed contest over a furlong shorter here in December but it was still a useful effort. She races off the same mark and goes well on soft or heavy ground.

SELECTION: BIRDIE BLITZ

Next best: Lizlucky

2.10 Madigan Group Novice Chase (Grade 3) 2m 3f 160y

Impervious is a smart mare and showed that when accounting for Dinoblue on her previous run in a mares’ Grade 2, but she basically races off level weights with some very smart gelding novices here and may well be worth taking on. Ha D’Or could be the one. He ran to decent level as a novice hurdler last year but on the evidence of his debut chase win at Fairyhouse, he could be even better over fences. He jumped well in front for Paul Townend on that occasion, readily accounting for a useful type in The Goffer (runs in a Grade 2 at Warwick today) and he can progress from that effort now.

Journey With Me and Minella Crooner are old rivals, having finished first and second in a Leopardstown maiden hurdle last season, but neither has fully convinced that they are improvers over fences. Glengouly could be underrated here. He had a rather understated hurdles career but ran to a good level when winning a novice hurdle at Leopardstown last March. He produced a very good performance to topple Telmesomethinggirl on his debut over fences with that rival jumping better than she did when winning at Naas last weekend.

SELECTION: HA D’OR

Next best: Glengouly

2.40 Sporting Life Beginners Chase 2m 6f 150y

Salmanino has run well on both of his previous starts and can get off the mark now. Liz Doyle’s seven-year-old was only half a length away from Monishter Are Mwee at Cork and filled the same position again when finding only Innovated too good at Down Royal. This looks a softer heat and he has course winning form, having taken a 22-runner handicap hurdle here 12 months ago.

Old Soul should run well on his chase debut. He won a handicap hurdle at this course over just short of three miles on his previous start and has generally been consistent over hurdles. Cahirdown Boy is another to consider after producing his best effort over fences to date when second at Limerick over Christmas.

SELECTION: SALMANINO

Next best: Old Soul

3.10 Total Event Rental (QR) Handicap Chase 2m 6f 150y

John Adams can make it back to back wins in this race. Peter Maher’s gelding unseated early on his previous run but prior to that he ran really well over the banks in the Risk of Thunder Chase, defying odds of 80/1 to finish fourth to Delta Work. His form around Punchestown on the course proper is strong, as he unseated at the last in another race here last season so he looks sure to go well with a clear run today.

Krabat’s third to Maskada in the Tim Duggan is among the best form on offer, but he’s a suspect stayer at this trip on heavy ground. That is not the case for Temptationinmilan whose half-length second to Sir Bob over an extended three miles and one furlong here on his penultimate start reads well. Fakiera is an obvious contender as well, having gone close in the Porterstown (second to Punitive) and Notice To Close also has winning course form.

SELECTION: JOHN ADAMS

Next best: Temptationinmilan

3.40 Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Chase 2m 3f 160y

In a tricky contest, Earths Furies is taken to score a fourth career win. Eugene O’Sullivan’s gelding has been running consistently of late, finishing fourth and third on his previous two runs, which both came over hurdles. Prior to that he finished third to Hoke Colburn at Fairyhouse on soft ground. He can ran off a 4lb lower mark over fences (compared to his hurdles rating) so should be thereabouts.

Made In The Woods gets the second vote. He’s only had two starts over fences, and completed one of them, but was a good run, when finishing second to Difficult Decision at Limerick over Christmas. It is feasible that he can improve from that and if he does, he’ll be a threat.

SELECTION: EARTHS FURIES

Next best: Made In The Woods