2.00 William Hill Ireland Bet10 Get5 Maiden Hurdle 1m 7f 110yd

Academy hurdle winner Lynches Knock found a useful flat recruit from France too good in a four-year-old maiden hurdle here four weeks ago, and he might be able to go one better now. He’s got the experience of three runs behind him and the 12lb allowance for horses his age is a valuable asset here. It’s a race in which only a small few probably really count.

Dschingis Desire disappointed at Leopardstown over Christmas on her debut for Willie Mullins. However, she wasn’t the only below-par showing from the stable during that period and could be capable of a whole lot better now. Star Of The Week has started his career with two fine showings and ought to be involved again.

SELECTION: LYNCHES KNOCK

Next best: Dschingis Desire

2.30 Download The William Hill App Juvenile Hurdle (Listed)

1m 7f 110yd

This drop in class from finishing a 14-length fifth in Grade 1 company behind Narciso Has at the Dublin Racing Festival will be ideal for Immediate Effect, and he looks capable of notching a second win over hurdles for Gordon Elliott. His victory on stable debut at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve was pleasing and his official rating of 129 is solid enough in the context of those with previous hurdles form here.

Adrienne is a useful filly in her own right and she was creeping into contention when making a mistake at the third last in the competitive Paddy and Maureen Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle at the DRF last time. It’s impossible to know how she’d have fared without the blunder, and she was soundly beaten, but that would have been a tough test for her on such demanding ground. She could be seen to better effect here. It will be interesting to see how the market interprets the chances of Willie Mullins’ French import Majolique, who was a big price when winning a ParisLongchamp fillies’ maiden over 10 furlongs last May. She’s joined top connections privately since and is one of 15 from the stable entered in the Triumph Hurdle.

SELECTION: IMMEDIATE EFFECT

Next best: Majolique

3.00 William Hill Each Way Extra Handicap Hurdle 1m 7f 110yd

Peaceinthevalley had been entered to sell in an online GoffsGo sale this week, but was withdrawn and could be able to repay that decision to hold onto him here. He’s largely unexposed, handles testing ground and was probably unlucky to bump into a well-handicapped Matt Connor here over slightly further four weeks ago. He’s been nudged up 3lb to 108, though that’s probably reasonable given he pulled 13 lengths clear of the third. A weight of 10st 4lb in this is attractive too (J.J. Slevin has only done this or lighter three times in Ireland this season).

Moudan equally ran into a handicap blot here 15 days ago, and finished nine lengths ahead of the third. A 1lb nudge leaves him on 115 now, and still 7lb lower than his chasing mark. He’s at his best on proper heavy ground, so any rain will help. Fierce Handay was disappointing last time, but had been on the improve before that and remains a danger, while it’s no negative that Paul Townend has been booked for the same owner’s Joueur Masque for the first time. Whimsy was a cracking third at the DRF and, if that wasn’t a big exertion for her just three weeks ago, she’ll be bang there again. All in all, this is a race where decent cases can be made for several, including Be Fierce, Give Him A Chance, Cut The Rope, Collaborative and Raydamann.

SELECTION: PEACEINTHEVALLEY

Next best: Moudan

3.30 Pertemps Network Group Handicap Hurdle (Qualifier)

2m 7f

While needing to improve on his maiden hurdle efforts to get off the mark here, Melbourne Shamrock is one of the more unexposed candidates in this and the application of cheekpieces for the first time on his handicap bow could help eke out that bit more from him. Some of his maiden hurdle form has taken knocks, though there have also been some boosts (I Am Lorenzo, 13 lengths behind him when the pair were second and third at Fairyhouse in December, landing a beginners’ chase next time out, and Court Compliance, who he finished a couple of lengths behind last time at Navan, winning at Punchestown this week). He’s consistent too, which can’t be said about all his rivals by any means.

Top-weight D Art D Art, a solid eighth in last year’s Pertemps Final, pulled up on his comeback 20 days ago and is entitled to step forward from that. Down the bottom of the handicap, Jeriko De Baune never fired in extremely deep ground on Thyestes day last time, but this type of contest ought to suit him nicely. Well Del turns out under a 7lb penalty for his win at Punchestown this week (due to only go up 5lb, so technically 2lb wrong here).

SELECTION: MELBOURNE

SHAMROCK

Next best: Jeriko De Baune

4.00 William Hill Inside Track Ireland (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race 1m 7f 110yd

A bumper won by talented sorts like I’ll Sort That, William Munny, Stellar Story, Gerri Colombe, Farouk d’Alene and Carefully Selected in recent years. Newcomer It’s Good To Talk has the potential to be quite smart indeed, being a half-brother to Champion Bumper winner A Dream To Share, Group 3 scorer Raise You and blacktype mare Lady G. His sire, Caravaggio, wouldn’t be renowned for National Hunt runners, but he did sire last year’s Fred Winter winner, Puturhandstogether.

Low Kick chased home an exciting prospect in The Irish Avatar at Navan five weeks ago and the experience of one point-to-point/two bumpers will stand him in good stead relative to the selection. State Pension won a Tipperary bumper in October and hasn’t been seen since. Much more testing ground will be a different question for him, and he has to give away a 4lb penalty. Ludus Magnus ran well on his only start at the Punchestown Festival and is worth a market check on his return from 295 days off.

SELECTION: IT’S GOOD TO TALK

Next best: Low Kick

4.30 William Hill Racing Bet Builder Chase (Grade 3) 2m

Strictly on ratings, it’s tough to make a standout case for Touch Me Not, given he has a 9lb penalty to carry for winning the Grade 2 Craddockstown Novice Chase from last season and is rated 2lb behind Blood Destiny/7lb inferior to Captain Guinness. That said, he looks the more dependable candidate in this and he has been running better lately than those two rivals. This is his optimum trip too. It’s been tough going for him off big weights in valuable handicap chases at Fairyhouse the last twice, while still running well, and this different test might be a nice switch for him, having been second in a couple of small-field Grade 1 novice chases last season.

Blood Destiny disappointed when pulling up in the Dan and Joan Moore Handicap Chase last time and was reported to have made a noise. Slightly further than two miles probably suits him better too, although this type of small-field event is where we tend to see the best of him. Captain Guinness makes sense on ratings, but he showed nothing on either of his starts this season and it’s hard to be bullish about him here, as he gears up for a return to the Cheltenham Festival, which brings out the best in him.

SELECTION: TOUCH ME NOT

Next best: Blood Destiny

5.00 William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Nas Na Riogh

Novice Handicap Chase (Listed)

2m 4f

A cracking handicap to end proceedings. Although he has to give weight to the field, there’s a likeable look to He’s Gorgeous, who has made into a better chaser than hurdler this season. He wasn’t disgraced when beaten 17 lengths by Romeo Coolio in Grade 1 company at Christmas, albeit he was never dangerous, and then made a mistake at a key time staying on into second over two miles and a furlong at Down Royal since. Whether he’ll be just as good at this longer trip is something we’ll learn here, but he does look a consistent and ground-versatile seven-year-old representing last year’s winning trainer, Pat Fahy.

Kobalt St Georges has been on a real roll and this looks his toughest test yet as he seeks a four-timer. The fact he sneaks in here off 10st 1lb, as a six-year-old who enjoys these conditions, means he must be factored in to calculations. Goraibhmaithagat has long appealed as one who ought to pop up in a decent pot like this sooner rather than later, Mark Walsh rides him in a race where J.P. McManus fields five of the 12 runners. If Kish Bank can be as effective on this deeper ground as last time, when winning at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival, he’ll be staying on strongly too.

SELECTION: HE’S GORGEOUS

Next best: Kobalt St Georges