12.30 Connolly’s Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle

1m 7f 132yds

This doesn’t look a deep race and it might finally represent a chance for Purse Price to get off the mark over hurdles at the 13th attempt, having finished second three times and third four times in this sphere so far. It was a solid enough showing from her when reaching the frame behind The Other Mozzie at Down Royal on December 26th, and her experience is an asset to her, for all that the level of form she brings to the table isn’t an insurmountable one.

Charlie Buckett, representing Emmet Mullins and Paul Byrne, was sent off the 8/11 favourite for his auction bumper debut here in November but pulled up on that occasion and was found to have scoped badly post race. He might be worth affording a second chance to, especially if the market speaks in his favour again. On Lovers Walk ran a cracker when second at Limerick over Christmas but the same attritional conditions are rarely found at Thurles. He has a big chance if able to prove as effective on this likely sounder surface.

SELECTION: PURSE PRICE

Next best: Charlie Buckett

1.05 Carey Glass Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase (Grade 2) 2m 4f 35yds

It’s a bold call from the Con O’Keeffe team to roll the dice and run Silent Approach here just a week on from her last start, but that was a career-best performance from the improving six-year-old and she gets a tentative nod to put up a similar showing and collect this weekend. There was plenty of encouragement to take from what she showed when third to Spillane’s Tower and Blood Destiny, and the mares’ novice chase division hasn’t looked red-hot so far this term.

Harmonya Maker finished closest to the selection at Cork two starts ago but didn’t live up to expectations at Limerick over Christmas when Hauturiere bolted up. The latter rival looks the biggest threat to Silent Approach now and should be bang there after looking an improved performer last time. She has form on better ground too, having won at Killarney last May on good-to-yielding.

SELECTION: SILENT APPROACH

Next best: Hauturiere

1.35 Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase (Grade 2) 2m 4f 35yds

He may not be the force of old but Allaho gets the verdict to make it a hat-trick of wins in the race registered as the Kinloch Brae Chase. It was disappointing that he didn’t show more when third in the King George at Kempton 26 days ago, and he would have been fourth but for Shishkin’s dramatic late exit. That said, he gets back down to his preferred trip now and probably can afford to run a little below his best and still win, albeit he is certainly not bombproof at the age of 10.

Appreciate It is shaping as though this type of mid-range trip is what he wants nowadays. He got the run of the race when second to Fastorslow in the John Durkan but that was still a smart showing and he might be able to finish closest to his stablemate. Capodanno caught the eye with a view to the Grand National when a safely-held third in the Savills Chase, French Dynamite can be expected to improve from his seasonal comeback third to Classic Getaway and Stattler probably needs further than this to be seen at his best.

SELECTION: ALLAHO

Next best: Appreciate It

2.10 Duggan Veterinary 4Cyte Handicap Chase 2m 5f 132yds

An open affair in which a chance is taken on the Eric McNamara-trained Falco Blitz notching a first win since joining these connections from Nicky Henderson. It didn’t look a vintage renewal of the Tim Duggan Handicap Chase that he finished fourth in at Limerick over Christmas but he did keep plugging away and looks to be reasonably treated by the handicapper. This trip is probably his optimum and he could be an each-way sort of price.

Ahead Of The Posse appeals as one who will probably win a handicap chase off this type of mark, but the concern is his lack of experience against handicappers over fences. If the market speaks in his favour, he has to be taken seriously for Gavin Cromwell and Conor Stone-Walsh. Four of the 13 runners won on their last start, including the admirable R’evelyn Pleasure, who won with a shade more dominance than the winning margin suggested last time at Cork. It’s tough for a 12-year-old to rattle off a hat-trick as he is trying to do, but he’s tough to overlook if back in the same form again.

SELECTION: FALCO BLITZ

Next best: Ahead Of The Posse

2.45 W.T. O’Grady Memorial Irish EBF Novice Hurdle 2m 6f 110yds

High Class Hero heads into this weekend as the 10/1 second-favourite in ante-post listings for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle and will be expected to get the job done here in this five-runner affair. He has scored on all four of his starts under rules, including when beating The Big Doyen in another small-field listed novice hurdle at Limerick in October, and the step up to this trip shouldn’t be a negative for him.

Easy Fella has always looked a fairly useful type but only now looks to be fully getting his act together. He won nicely around here last time and should be on the premises again if building on that. What Path is capable of playing a part on his day but has sent out mixed signals in terms of trip preferences at times. Perhaps this track and trip will play to his strengths better than three miles at Cork last time when possibly failing to stay.

SELECTION: HIGH CLASS HERO

Next best: Easy Fella

3.20 Horse & Jockey Handicap Hurdle 1m 7f 132yds

This looks a trappy contest and despite the fact his recent National Hunt form figures don’t make for inspiring reading, it could be worth keeping Doctor Parnassus in mind from an each-way perspective. He was too keen for too long in a competitive two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival, and that contributed to him not getting home on heavy ground. The manner of how he travelled on that occasion suggested he’d be fine dropping back to this sort of trip and a couple of his flat runs for Richard O’Brien last summer suggested there are still opportunities for him to win races.

Zoffanien is declared for 1.55 at Navan today and if he goes there, how he performs can have a bearing on what to expect here, or whether he’ll run again at all. If on his ‘A’ game, the feeling is that he will win a handicap such as this somewhere along the way. He failed to catch fire at Leopardstown over Christmas but was eyecatching on his comeback at this track two starts ago. Pakens Rock seems in fine fettle at the age of 11, while Senecia is a useful operator but looks more of a chaser and is back from 11 weeks off so looks entitled to sharpen up for the run.

SELECTION: DOCTOR PARNASSUS

Next best: Senecia

3.55 Carey Glass Hunters Chase 3m 123yds

Ferns Lock ran out an easy winner of this race 12 months ago and can follow up again here as he takes on a trio of last-time-out hunter chase winners. It is concerning that on his last two appearances under rules he has been beaten after trading close to 1/10 in the in-running markets, but he probably has a class edge over these rivals for David Christie and Barry O’Neill.

Romeo Magico coped with tough ground at Limerick over Christmas and the form of that win was boosted by runner-up Casey West winning at Clonmel last week. He has point-to-point form in better conditions too and doesn’t have many miles on the clock so can earn a share of the prize money. Hardline is a 12-year-old now and hasn’t won on the track since the 2018 Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick. He showed his wellbeing when scoring between the flags at Borris House last month, though - a race in which seven of the 10 runners pulled up.

SELECTION: FERNS LOCK

Next best: Romeo Magico