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3.40 RACE
A race confined to horses owned by certified Kildare farmers, this is a sort of local Gold Cup. The mare Grangeclare Rosa is a short price for one with no previous experience of racecourse fences and we’ll look elsewhere. Trainer Peter Maher deserves a bit of luck having seen Enniskillen and Ballyboker Bridge beaten by J.P. McManus-owned horses earlier this week. Enniskillen is back in action here and finished third in this race three years ago. Shin A Vee finished fifth in 2013, second in 2014 and won it a year ago. This is his first race since that win and he is a safer bet than most.
Selection: ENNISKILLEN. Next best: SHIN A VEE
4.20 RACE
Top weight Avant Tout sets a good standard in this competitive handicap chase. Any further rain won’t inconvenience this recent Grade 2 winner who showed his versatility when a decent fifth on faster ground at Cheltenham in the Coral Cup (over hurdles). A test of stamina will also suit his stable companion Sambremont who can easily be forgiven his moderate effort at Cheltenham (ground didn't suit). Easy ground will not help the chances of Full Shift but it will be just fine for Marlbrook, the mount of Barry Geraghty. He looked very much on the upgrade when winning at Leopardstown in February and has been put by for this race. Marinero is one to watch on his handicap debut. He has yet to show his true worth over fences but the handicapper has not taken many chances by giving him a rating of 135, close to the horse’s best over hurdles.
Selection: MARLBROOK. Next best: AVANT TOUT
4.55 RACE
A win for top weight Emily Gray would provide a great story. The mare began her career with Tim Hyde, winning three races, then went to Kim Bailey and won four more. After she won at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival the plan was to retire her but, now back with the Hydes, she is obviously in top form as connections go to the well one last time. She is a great jumper and very tough in a battle but can she give away 12lb and more to this field? Bonny Kate had looked a mare going to the top prior to the Irish Grand National where she never managed to get to the front and dominate as usual. Back against her own sex here she is worth a wager and the more rain that falls the better. With those two front-runners in the field, it’s possible the race could set up nicely for Solita, the other standout mare in the race. She has been raised 10lb for her latest win but is in the form of her life and, like the others mentioned here, she goes well on soft ground.
Selection: EMILY GRAY. Next best: BONNY KATE
5.30 RACE
He hasn’t won a hurdle race for two and a half years but My Tent Or Yours should get his turn today. He came back from a two-year break to finish a respectable second in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and he can be forgiven for getting nowhere near Annie Power at Aintree as the two and a half mile trip was beyond him. Back to two miles he should be able to end the long unbeaten run of Vroum Vroum Mag. Ruby Walsh’s mount is surely vulnerable over this distance. Identity Thief had looked a proper Champion Hurdle horse in mid-winter but, looking back at his form now, perhaps he needs to go chasing if he is going to reach the top.
Selection: MY TENT OR YOURS. Next best: VROUM VROUM MAG
6.05 RACE
A brave bit of placing here by trainer Gavin Cromwell, putting his four-year-old filly Jer’s Girl in against the big boys. She gets a lot of weight from her elders and Missy Tata’s win here yesterday confirmed that the current bunch of juvenile fillies (headed by Apple’s Jade) are a decent crop. Gigginstown House Stud run two and Bryan Cooper has chosen A Toi Phil. He looked a potential star at Leopardstown in January and can be forgiven his Cheltenham flop on fast ground. He is the value bet. Cooper has passed over Disko, a horse who Noel Meade raves about but is hard to fancy in a Grade 1 having had a training setback which means he has not been out since November. He could help the selection by setting a strong pace.
Selection: A TOI PHIL. Next best: JER’S GIRL
6.40 RACE
This looks a poor enough heat in which Bello Conti has the standout piece of form. His fourth place finish in the Neptune Hurdle at Cheltenham looked good but, even though he finished a lot closer to Yorkhill at Aintree, the winner was well below his best that day and there has to be a worry that this race could be one too many for Bello Conti. That said, it’s not easy to pick an alternative. French import Koshari is only a four-year-old and his French form doesn’t look special. Three Wise Men won a Fairyhouse race which traditionally does not work out well, and Tony Martin’s bumper winner Fire In His Eyes showed little on his hurdling debut.
Selection: BELLO CONTI. Next best: KOSHARI
7.10 RACE
A tricky bumper in which a Willie Mullins runner could actually end up at a good value price. The Mullins camp has had a few setbacks this week but their bumper runners have been performing well. Their sole representative here, Some Neck, has finished second on all three outings to-date and those form figures will put off a lot of punters. Whatever his fate here it looks long odds-on that Some Neck will be bang in contention entering the final furlong and there’s not many in the race about whom you could say that with confidence. He steps up in trip by two furlongs and that could help him. The Philip Hobbs runner No Comment has also filled the runner-up spot on his two career starts, including once over hurdles and, though his form is nothing special, one has to suspect that he has been working particularly well to be sent over for this contest. Henry de Bromhead’s Monalee caught the eye on his racecourse debut and should give a good account of himself too.
Selection: NO COMMENT. Next best: SOME NECK
7.45 RACE
On The Fringe has already set all kinds of records in the hunter chase sphere and victory here would mean he had completed the Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown treble two years running. Marito pushed him close at Cheltenham and can get the majority of the place money again. It would be lovely to see Salsify, another former Cheltenham hero, perform with credit.
Selection: ON THE FRINGE. Next best: MARITO
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