Kevin Blake

12.15 KELLS MAIDEN HURDLE 2M

The last three winners of this were Vautour, Un Atout and Monksland, so it is worth watching closely. The one that makes the most appeal is the Christy Roche-trained The Big Apple. The son of Presenting hinted at promise on his hurdling debut in a listed novice hurdle at Naas in March and showed significant improvement to make an impressive winning return to action in a bumper at Naas last month, bolting up by 12 lengths. He is likely to go very close. The obvious alternative in the Willie Mullins-trained Argentino, a son of Sinndar who showed fair form on the flat in France and makes his hurdling debut here.

Selection: THE BIG APPLE

Next best: Argentino

12.45 IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF NOVICE CHASE 2M 1F

Past winners of this race include Felix Yonger and Oscars Well and the selection in this year’s renewal is the Henry de Bromhead-trained Sizing Codelco. The five-year-old showed plenty of ability over hurdles last season, but was always a chaser in the making and was sent off at 7/2 in the maiden chase won by Valseur Lido at Punchestown last month only to fall at the fifth last fence. He can be expected to make a bold bid for compensation in this. Of those with winning chasing form in the book, the Willie Mullins-trained Un Beau Roman sets a solid standard.

Selection: SIZING CODELCO

Next best: Un Beau Roman

1.15 DUNMOE MARES MAIDEN HURDLE 2M 4F

Supporting nine-year-old mares in maiden hurdles wouldn’t normally be considered a path to prosperity, but it is easy to make an exception for the Robert Tyner-trained Killeena House. The nine-year-old has been very lightly raced, but returned from the better part of three years off the track to win a point-to-point at Kilfeacle in January. Even more significant was her second run over hurdles at this track in March, with her finishing an excellent second to Whisper Rock. She can expected to be ready to go on her return to action and is a leading contender. Of the newcomers to hurdling, the Noel Meade-trained Josephine Marcus is of interest based on her win in a bumper at Wexford in April.

Selection: KILLEENA HOUSE

Next best: Josephine Marcus

1.45 YELLOW FURZE HANDICAP HURDLE (80-109) 2M 7F

Successful chasers may not always capitalise on seemingly lenient marks back over hurdles as the market expects them too but the Patrick Smyth-trained Tammys Hill looks to have good prospects of doing so for the second time this season. A leading hunter chaser last season, the nine-year-old returned to hurdling to grind out a short-head success in a handicap at Cork in October. He scoped poorly after a disappointing run in the JNWine.com Champion Chase and it wouldn’t surprise to see him bounce back to winning ways in this. Of the rest, the Shane Ryder-trained Western Promise is a rock-solid alternative.

Selection: TAMMYS HILL

Next best: Western Promise

2.20 DROGHEDA BEGINNERS CHASE 2M 4F

Yet another race on this card that has consistently produced high-class winners, with the likes of Boston Bob, Roberto Goldback and Snowy Morning having won it in recent years. Willie Mullins may have the answer in the shape of Blood Cotil. The five-year-old was set to make a winning chasing debut over this trip at Cork back in January only to fall at the second last fence. He finishing a fine second to Gilgamboa on his return to action at Navan last month and that form sets the standard in this contest. The pick of his rivals could well be the Gordon Elliott-trained Moonshine Lad. The six-year-old has established himself as a smart hurdler and could well prove even better over fences.

Selection: BLOOD COTIL

Next best: Moonshine Lad

2.55 DEAN HILL HANDICAP CHASE (0-116) 2M 4F

An interesting handicap chase and a chance is taken on the Francis Flood-trained Miss Xian. The seven-year-old shaped with definite promise in her three starts over fences last season and is likely to have needed the run on her seasonal and handicap chase debut at Thurles last month. She is rated 16lb lower over fences than hurdles and could well capitalise on that fact in this. While he is becoming very expensive to follow over fences, the Robert Tyner-trained Its The Ice I Like will remain on many people’s radars with his rating over fences being no less than 33lb lower than his rating over hurdles.

Selection: MISS XIAN

Next best: Its The Ice I Like

3.30 2015 NAVAN RACE MEMBERSHIP CLUB ON SALE FLAT RACE 2M

Willie Mullins had a formidable-looking set of entries for this context and he relies on Turcagua to get the job done for him. The son of Turgeon was sent off at odds-on to win the Tattersalls Ireland George Mernagh Memorial Sale Bumper and while he could only finish third, the form of the race has been working out quite well. Perhaps his most interesting rival is the Gordon Elliott-trained Dallas Cowboy, with the son of Beneficial having finished second in the only start in a point-to-point at Largy back in May.

Selection: TURCAGUA

Next best: Dallas Cowboy