Ronan Groome

1:45 MAURICE POWER SOLICITORS HURDLE 2M 2F

Gordon Elliott has found a good opportunity for Mega Fortune, last year’s Triumph Hurdle third, to get start his season off with a win. The Grade 1 Spring Juvenile winner faces just two other runners, Balakani and Pennys Hun, who both have it all to do on ratings.

The latter can win the battle for second. He won a maiden hurdle at Tramore on his previous run and then wasn’t disgraced in the Lartigue Handicap Hurdle at Listowel on his most recent start.

Selection: MEGA FORTUNE

Next best: Pennys Hun

2:15 DUNRAVEN ARMS HOTEL NOVICE HURDLE (LISTED) 2M 5F

This is an interesting listed contest and should provide a decent sighter to the season ahead. Fabulous Saga, trained by Willie Mullins, will likely start favourite, given he has won his only two hurdles starts by a combined winning margin of 40 lengths and is the choice of Ruby Walsh over stablemate Robin Des Foret, who sets a fair himself.

That said, Burren Life impressed on his hurdles debut accounting for impressive bumper winner Massey’s Wood and he has to be a big player, as a Gordon Elliott-trained Gigginstown horse with scope to improve coming up in trip.

Wonderoftheworld may well have beaten Robin Des Foret but for coming down at the last when the pair met at Killarney and if none the worse for that he can put up a decent show again.

Selection: BURREN LIFE

Next best: Fabulous Saga

2:45 IWP HOME IMPROVEMENT CENTRE MARES HANDICAP HURDLE 2M

This is a competitive mares’ handicap hurdle and the majority of the 11-runner field have a reasonable chance of getting into the money at least. Lakemilan has been in good form, having won a maiden hurdle on her penultimate outing and then performed with credit in a decent handicap hurdle won by Highland Spring at Listowel. Back to two miles and against her own sex, she can put up a big performance.

Dixie Lee is a maiden hurdle winner open to improvement off an opening rating of 123, but Presenting Mahler might be better treated. John Ryan has been going well recently and his seven-year-old mare has been competitive in some decent races over fences. Back over hurdles now, she races off a 12lb lower mark and can go well with the soft ground in her favour.

Selection: LAKEMILAN

Next best: Presenting Mahler

3:20 DAVID FITZGERALD MEMORIAL H’CAP HURDLE 2M 6F 100Y

Hurricane Darwin looks the one to be on. Alan Fleming’s seven-year-old was a comfortable winner over fences at Navan on his previous run. He got a 6lb rise for that races here off a hurdles mark which is 15lbs lower in comparison. He might well be a better chaser but he does have some useful hurdles form, including finishing third over a likely inadequate trip at this course last season.

Rightdownthemiddle competed well in some valuable chases when joining the Gordon Elliott yard last season and he is of interest despite a poor reappearance run at Listowel.

Turbojet impressed when winning his maiden hurdle at the same track and a longer trip should suit Dermot McLoughlin’s lightly-raced six-year-old.

Selection: HURRICANE DARWIN

Next best: Turbojet

3:55 PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPER RATED CHASE 2M 3F 120Y

This conditions race is basically a handicap given the top three runners are rated above the 135 threshold and so basically carry the weight equivalent of their ratings.

Childrens List was last seen beating the very useful Edwulf over fences last December and this will be only his third ever run. He could be well treated off his current mark of 145 but may well need the run fitness-wise.

Some Plan looks a little more solid. Henry de Bromhead won this race with a similar type in Sub Lieutenant last season and the Waterford-based trainer has had this race in mind for Roger Brookhouse’s gelding through the summer.

The seven-year-old disappointed at two of the major festivals last spring but earlier won three times over fences which included a defeat of subsequent Grade 1 Ryanair Gold Cup scorer Road To Respect at Naas.

Selection: SOME PLAN

Next best: Childrens List

4:25 JT MCNAMARA LADBROKES MUNSTER NATIONAL HANDICAP CHASE (GRADE A) 3M

Arkwrisht is a deserving favourite following his second in the Kerry National where he was arguably unlucky not to win given his rider lost his stirrup on the run in. He was decent hurdler and now seems to be hitting his stride over fences.

Total Recall, making his debut for Willie Mullins, has been well backed this week and confidence will harden now that Ruby Walsh has been confirmed to ride.

Further down the weights, Phil’s Magic is interesting. He joined Tony Martin’s yard from Sandra Hughes last season and since then he has progressed on each of his four runs for the Meath trainer. He battled well to win the Midlands National on his penultimate run and his latest effort to finish second to Riviera Sun over two miles and six furlongs at Galway was probably a career best. Back up in trip, he can progress again to go close in this.

Selection: PHIL’S MAGIC

Next best: Arkwrisht

4:55 RACING POST IRISH EBF BEGINNERS CHASE 2M 6F

Jury Duty, a 147-rated hurdler, is the horse of main interest here, making his debut over fences. Gordon Elliott’s six-year-old finished third to Presenting Percy in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham and went on to finish a highly respectable sixth in the Grade 1 Champion Stayers Hurdle won by Unowhatimeanharry at Punchestown.

However, he might just be vulnerable on his seasonal debut and the horse to expose that could be Twiss’s Hill. David Harry Kelly’s eight-year-old mare has won twice at Limerick, has the advantage of race fitness and receives weight from the all of seven of her rivals.

Selection: TWISS’S HILL

Next best: Jury Duty