3.00 Race And Stay

Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle 3m 104yds

As competitive as this is, it’s hard to get away from likely favourite Fine Margin. On his first start for Willie Mullins, the seven-year-old put up a clear career best when finding only Slate Lane too good in the Betfair Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle at Haydock. The form of that race has been enhanced significantly by the third Crambo scoring at Grade 1 level on his next start. Fine Margin has huge scope to progress now on just his sixth start over hurdles and second start for Willie Mullins.

Canal End and Panda Boy could be nicely handicapped but there are longer priced horses that are interesting, none more so than The Very Man. He was ninth in this race last season but he comes back here a much improved horse on the flat, having scored at the Shergar Cup and finished second to Teed Up in the Connacht Hotel Handicap at Galway. He could easily outrun odds of 33/1. Yeats Star is another one to consider at likely big odds. He has run really well twice this season, beating the useful Heliko Conti at Punchestown and then finishing third to Champagne Admiral over two and a half miles here at Christmas. He takes a big step up in trip but if that can engage further improvement, he could run very well.

SELECTION: FINE MARGIN

Next best: The Very Man

4.10 Ryanair Handicap Chase 2m 1f

Madara makes plenty of appeal here for British trainer Sophie Leech. An import from France, he has improved for each of his three starts for Leech, and was a good winner of a two-mile handicap chase at Cheltenham in December, when he had the useful In Excelsis Deo in behind him. He’s a lightly-raced five-year-old with lots of scope to improve further and presents a completely different form line in this contest.

Path D’oroux and The Folkes Tiara are closely matched on their meeting here at Christmas, the latter jumped across the former at the last, perhaps causing him to fall while challenging. Both of them have chances again here but they were well held by Solness earlier in a Fairyhouse contest. Joseph O’Brien notably has decided to run here instead of going for the Dan & Joan Moore Memorial, and the six-year-old strikes as one who can improve again.

SELECTION: MADARA

Next best: Solness

4.40 Donohoe Future Stars INH Flat Race 2m

There are plenty of promising horses here but they have to face one of the best bumper horses in recent memory in the shape of A Dream To Share, who somewhat uniquely, returns here to defend his ‘Future Stars’ title. The John and Thomas Kiely-trained gelding made history last term as a five-time bumper winner and the form of his two Grade 1 wins could hardly be working out better.

Of this year’s bumper winners, perhaps The Enabler can give the favourite most to do. He was a taking winner of a listed contest at Navan, finishing out his race strongly and looked a very smart prospect in the process.

SELECTION: A DREAM TO SHARE

Next best: The Enabler