Kevin Blake

12.25 WWW.GOWRANPARK.IE 3-Y-O MAIDEN HURDLE 2M

Gordon Elliott has his team in excellent form and he saddles the most interesting contender for this race in the shape of Dakota Moirette. The son of Voix Du Nord came within a nose of winning an AQPS flat race at Nancy in France back in May and that run stamps him as a smart prospect over hurdles for his new trainer. Market support for him would obviously be very encouraging. Of those with hurdling experience, the Ken Condon-trained Niven shaped with promise on his hurdling debut at Fairyhouse and warrants respect.

Selection: DAKOTA MOIRETTE

Next best: Niven

1.00 RACE THAT STOPS A COUNTY MAIDEN HURDLE 2M

This is a cracker of a contest that will showcase at least three potentially high-class novice hurdlers. While the minimum trip may well prove to be short of his best trip, a chance is taken on the Willie Mullins-trained Invitation Only. The five-year-old has created a very good impression in winning a point-to-point and both his starts in bumpers and he rates as one of Mullins’ most exciting novice hurdle prospects. The main danger to him could well be the Jessica Harrington-trained New To This Town. The son of Milan looked a high-class prospect when winning his first two starts in bumpers last season and shaped like one that would be well suited to hurdling.

Selection: INVITATION ONLY

Next best: New To This Town

1.35 JOIN GOWRAN PARK GOLF CLUB NOVICE HURDLE 2M

This is another really interesting contest and while plenty of these have shown promise over hurdles, a chance is taken on the Liz Doyle-trained Without Limites on his hurdling debut. The four-year-old was one of the most impressive bumper performers of last season, winning at Punchestown and Limerick by an aggregate of 61 lengths. He promises to make up into a high-class novice hurdler and could make a winning start here despite his lack of experience. The biggest danger to him could come from another maiden over hurdles, the Gordon Elliott-trained Canelie, who shaped with plenty of promise behind the subsequent winner Presenting Percy at Galway last time.

Selection: WITHOUT LIMITES

Next best: Canelie

2.10 GOWRAN PARK RACING CLUB (M) HANDICAP HURDLE (80-102) 2M

The Tom Mullins-trained Catcheragain stands out in terms of recent form and is given the nod. The seven-year-old made her belated breakthrough over hurdles when making it 12th time lucky in a novices’ handicap hurdle at Thurles on Thursday.

The switch to more forceful riding tactics seemed to be the key to that success and now that her connections have seemingly found the key to her, a 6lb penalty may not be enough to stop her following up. Of the rest, the Gerard Keane-trained Howaya Hurricane shaped with some promise on her handicap hurdle debut last time and is worth a chance to improve.

Selection: CATCHERAGAIN

Next best: Howaya Hurricane

2.45 THANKS TO ALL OUR CUSTOMERS IN 2016 CHASE 2M 4F

An intriguing contest and the Andrew Lynch-trained Zabana is selected. The seven-year-old looked a potentially top-class staying chaser when winning in Grade 1 company at the Punchestown Festival in April and although he was a bit disappointing on his return at Down Royal, the hope is that he will come on enough from that to go very close here, for all that he would be suited by a longer trip. His most interesting rival is Champagne West, an eight-year-old who was rated as high as 154 over fences last season for Philip Hobbs and now makes his debut for Henry de Bromhead.

Selection: ZABANA

Next best: Champagne West

3.15 IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF BEGINNERS CHASE 2M 4F

This is yet another really interesting contest and features a clash between two Grade 1 novice hurdle winners: the Willie Mullins-trained Bellshill and the Jessica Harrington-trained Don’t Touch It. They finished last season with identical official ratings over hurdles of 148, but marginal preference is given to Bellshill, with the six-year-old having always appealed as being an exciting chaser in the making. Both horses showed their best form on a sounder surface in the spring of last season, but this early season clash promises to be a treat.

Selection: BELLSHILL

Next best: Don’t Touch It

3.50 IRISH RACING YEARBOOK HANDICAP CHASE 2M 2F

Competitive fare and a chance is taken on the Tom Taaffe-trained I Knew Well. The seven-year-old has taken time to get the hang of chasing but showed his best form yet over the larger obstacles when third in a handicap chase at Naas last time. Given that he is rated 11lb lower over fences than hurdles, he appeals as a winner waiting to happen now that the penny seems to be dropping with him. Of the remainder, the Henry de Bromhead-trained Show And Go makes plenty of appeal based on his most recent run at Galway.

Selection: I KNEW WELL

Next best: Show And Go