Ryan McElligott

12.55 WWW.RACINGHOMEFOREASTER.COM MAIDEN HURDLE 2M

Bleu Et Rouge can enhance his trainer’s fine record in this race. Willie Mullins has landed this for the last three years and this time he relies on this French import who finished second on both his flat outings in his homeland. Bleu Et Rouge hasn’t run since August 2014 but he is still taken to deal with the threat posed by the Kilbeggan bumper winner St Stephens Green who chased home Tycoon Prince on his hurdling debut at Punchestown last month. Bel Ami De Sivola may improve on the form he showed when finishing sixth in a valuable sales bumper at Fairyhouse last April.

Selection: BLEU ET ROUGE

Next Best: St Stephens Green

1.25 I.N.H. STALLION OWNERS EBF MAIDEN HURDLE 2M

This should see Bellshill get his jumping career off to a winning start. He was unable to make an impact in the bumper at Cheltenham but still ended last season as one of the best bumper horses around as he was second to Barters Hill at Aintree and he signed off for the campaign with a Grade 1 win over Disko at Punchestown. He might have most to fear from Hurry Henry who won a heavy ground bumper in good style at this track last January. Hurry Henry then struggled in a graded hurdle at Leopardstown next time but he did show up well to be placed in a maiden here last December.

Selection: BELLSHILL

Next Best: Hurry Henry

2.00 FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK HANDICAP HURDLE (80-109) 2M

Fighting Days has a good opportunity to open his account. He has put together several solid runs in defeat lately with his most recent effort seeing him chase home All You Need in a reasonable 2m contest at Naas a fortnight ago. This doesn’t appear to be as strong a race so he shouldn’t have any trouble dealing with a 2lbs rise up the weights. Balofilo, a winner at Listowel and Ballinrobe in September, is a lively danger. Her winning sequence has come to an end lately but she still comes here off two decent runs in defeat the last of which saw her taken third behind Sizing Scorpion at Fairyhouse last week.

Selection: FIGHTING DAYS

Next Best: Balofilo

2.30 TICKET SALES ONLINE HANDICAP HURDLE (GRADE C) 2M 4F

The much improved Damut could make it four wins in succession. Admittedly he has crept up 26lbs in the weights for his winning sequence but he could yet have more to offer and his form does look solid. Furthermore his recent Clonmel win over Holeinthewall Bar (winner since) suggested that he could do better still when he moved up to this trip. Byerley Babe is a danger although she does tend to need her first run of the season and this is her first outing for 223 days. Last season’s Leopardstown Chase runner-up is a smart chaser and a hurdles mark of 116 makes her very interesting.

Selection: DAMUT

Next Best: Byerley Babe

3.05 I.N.H. STALLION OWNERS EBF BEGINNERS CHASE 2M 5F

Nickname Exit is a tentative choice. He didn’t make much impression on his return to action at Naas but that run did come in a competitive and well contested handicap hurdle. It is worth recalling that he did win a Clonmel maiden hurdle last April and if he were to match that sort of form he could mount a strong challenge for victory. Toushan comes here off a very respectable 11l fifth to No More Heroes in a Punchestown beginners’ chase. This race represents a notable drop in class for him and a repeat of that last run should enable him to be very closely involved.

Selection: NICKNAME EXIT

Next Best: Toushan

3.40 CHRISTMAS PARTY RACEDAY DECEMBER 6TH HANDICAP CHASE 2M 1F

This should see Pairofbrowneyes record his first win over fences. The Luso gelding developed into quite a capable handicap hurdler last season and he should be able to build on his encouraging reappearance over fences at Down Royal two weeks ago when he was beaten 2l into third by The King Of Brega. He should be able to step forward on that form which could enable him to account for the top-weight Leap Dearg. The latter reeled off three handicap wins in succession and then didn’t run at all badly when signing off for the season with an eighth to Irish Cavalier at Cheltenham.

Selection: PAIROFBROWNEYES

Next Best: Leap Dearg

4.10 FOLLOW US ON TWITTER (PRO/AM) FLAT RACE 2M

Champagne Harmony looked a horse with a nice future when he made a winning debut in a Galway bumper last month. He defeated Glendine River by 6½l that day but won easily and was value for much more than the margin of victory would suggest. He faces an appreciably stiffer task as he steps up to winners’ company but he should be more than good enough to hold his own. Beyond The Obvious won nicely at Navan last week where he never came under particularly strong pressure to defeat Cherry Bomb by 4¾l. A repeat performance should see him get closely involved.

Selection: CHAMPAGNE HARMONY