Kevin Blake

5.30 LIKE KILBEGGAN RACES ON FACEBOOK (C & G) MAIDEN HURDLE 2M 3F 110YDS

An interesting opener and it could well see the Denis Hogan-trained The Welsh Wizard make it fourth time lucky over hurdles. The son of Dylan Thomas has improved with each of his three starts over hurdles, most recently finishing a solid third to Thomas Hobson in a much stronger race than this at the Galway Festival. This is a notable drop in class and he should go very close. Of his opposition, Icantsay is another that is going the right way over hurdles and should run well.

Selection: THE WELSH WIZARD

Next best: Icantsay

6.00 KILBEGGAN IRISH WHISKEY MARES NOVICE HURDLE 2M 3F 110YDS

The Jessica Harrington-trained Tri Na Ceile looks to be the one to side with. Rated 74 on the flat, she has made steady progress over hurdles, culminating in a first victory over obstacles in a maiden over this course and distance last month. There should be more to come from her and she will take all the beating. Of her opposition, the Mark McNiff-trained Feel The Air is making steady progress in handicaps and won’t need to improve too much to make an impact in this contest.

Selection: TRI NA CEILE

Next best: Feel The Air

6.30 JOE COONEY MEMORIAL HANDICAP HURDLE (80-95) 2M 3F 110YDS

A competitive contest and marginal preference is given to the Mark Fagan-trained Lake Chapala. The penny has started to drop with the six-year-old in recent starts, with his last two efforts in handicap hurdles at Cork and Limerick reading well in the context of this race. He won’t need to improve much to succeed. The best of the rest could well be the Denis Hogan-trained Emmy Lou, with the seven-year-old having gone close in a maiden hurdle at this track last time.

Selection: LAKE CHAPALA

Next best: Emmy Lou

7:00 PIG ‘N’ WHISTLE PUBS & RESTAURANTS NEW YORK MAIDEN HURDLE 2M

Denis Hogan has his team in good form and his Troubled Soul looks to have solid prospects in this maiden hurdle. The six-year-old has had four outings over hurdles and showed improvement to go close in a maiden at Killarney last time, finishing second to Kris Kindle. If she can improve on that, she is sure to run very well. A solid alternative to the selection is the Tom Mullins-trained Hes Our Robin, with the five-year-old having earned an official rating of 105 after six starts over hurdles.

Selection: TROUBLED SOUL

Next best: Hes Our Robin

7:30 KIERAN KELLY MEMORIAL BEGINNERS CHASE 2M 4F

The best horse on this card is unquestionably the Sandra Hughes-trained Guitar Pete and he will be heavily favoured for this contest. The five-year-old was a two-time Grade 1-winning juvenile hurdler in 2013/14 and while he has been lightly raced since, he made a promising start to his chasing career when finishing second to Empressario in a maiden at the Galway Festival. He seems sure to improve from that and will be very tough to beat. His main danger is perhaps the Gordon Elliott-trained Officer Cadet who has established a solid level of form over fences in recent weeks.

Selection: GUITAR PETE

Next best: Officer Cadet

8:00 FOLLOW @KILBEGGANRACES ON TWITTER HANDICAP CHASE 2M 4F

The Gavin Cromwell-trained As De Pique has proved to be a revelation since returning from an absence of over a year back in May, winning three of his six starts since. The style of his latest victory at Wexford suggests that he hasn’t finishing improving yet and a 10lb rise may not be enough to stop him following up in this. The Shark Hanlon-trained It’s All An Act may give the selection the most to do, with the seven-year-old having run very well when fourth in a handicap chase at Downpatrick in June.

Selection: AS DE PIQUE

Next best: It’s All An Act

8:30 TOM BIRMINGHAM MENSWEAR FLAT RACE 2M

Not the strongest of bumpers and the market will prove informative, but without the benefit of seeing that a chance is taken on the Sandra Hughes-trained Eshayko. The four-year-old made an encouraging start to his career in a maiden hurdle at Ballinrobe last month and could well make a serious impact on his first start in a bumper here. The most obvious starting point amongst his opposition is the Willie Mullins-trained Bobarlee, and while she didn’t make much of an impact on her debut at the Punchestown Festival she could well show significant improvement in this weaker company.

Selection: ESHAYKO

Next best: Bobarlee