1.25 Bet XS Maiden Hurdle 2m

Gordon Elliott and the Easyfix colours have enjoyed considerable success over hurdles with a purchase from the Andrew Balding yard in the shape of Ndaawi and, while it would be ambitious to think Royal Approval could scale those heights from the same yard, he looks a decent recruit to flights after changing hands for 48,000gns in July. He stayed on well to win over 10 furlongs in a Newcastle handicap off 83 when last seen and gets a tentative nod to open his account on hurdling debut.

Minella Hollow won back-to-back bumpers in Ireland before a listed fourth at the Cheltenham November Meeting last year. His absence of 307 days since that run isn’t ideal, but he did look promising last term and is worth keeping an eye on in the market. Friary Road is another dual bumper winner, though won’t be found wanting for fitness after a flat campaign this summer and is entitled to be on the shortlist.

Powerful was an eye-catching second at Kilbeggan last time and Touch The Moon looks a smart recruit from the flat for Bill Durkan (rated 90 on the level and bought for 55,000gns in July). Stepdance is in rude health on the flat and now debuts over hurdles, while Hillhead Runner was just denied last time and has plenty of jumping experience to call on.

SELECTION: ROYAL APPROVAL

Next best: Minella Hollow

2.00 SIS, Supporting Irish

Racing Handicap Hurdle 2m

There was a flicker of promise in the last flat appearance of Quint Major in the qualified riders’ maiden won by A Dream To Share at Leopardstown in June, and he now reverts to hurdles for his third run in handicap company. He mixed it with smart sorts in bumpers, and early on in maiden hurdles, and he should have enough experience now to make his presence felt off a mark of 106. He’s one of the bottom-weights here and Danny Gilligan looks a positive jockey booking.

Ragmans Corner has been in the form of his life this year and rarely runs a bad race. That means he probably needs to be high on the shortlist again, albeit he’s creeping up the weights on the flat and over hurdles. His most recent run over hurdles, when second at the Galway Festival, was rock-solid. In a competitive enough handicap, the unexposed Lady Doyanne is worth a second look after winning a Wexford maiden hurdle last time.

SELECTION: QUINT MAJOR

Next best: Ragmans Corner

2.35 Bar One Racing Maiden Hurdle 2m 3f

A maiden hurdle for horses who have run at least twice and not finished in the first four, which makes this a weak enough contest on paper. A tentative vote goes to the Gordon Elliott-trained Garnetot, who would have been ineligible for this race if finishing half a length closer last time at Down Royal when fifth and not beaten all that far by a better-fancied stablemate. He’s got four hurdles runs under his belt and has a little pull at the weights with some as a four-year-old.

County Final shaped well enough when fifth in a 21-runner maiden hurdle at Punchestown in June to suggest he can be in the mix in a race like this, while the locally-trained Shing Shang Lily is open to further improvement as a four-year-old. The form of her latest bumper run was boosted since by the second winning.

SELECTION: GARNETOT

Next best: County Final

3.10 Balreask Bar, Restaurant & Guest Accommodation

Handicap Hurdle (Div I) 2m 3f

Truckers Cruising needs to improve on the bare form of what he’s shown so far but Gordon Elliott often does well with just this type of recruit to his yard, and he didn’t run badly at all on his penultimate outing when fourth in a Tramore maiden hurdle. He was off for 264 days before pulling up on his recent comeback over fences and now reverts to hurdles. It’s interesting to note that he beat Coffeys Forge by 12 lengths in a point-to-point in April 2024 - that rival since switched to Elliott and winning a Downpatrick beginners’ chase when last seen (rated 105 in that sphere). Truckers Cruising starts life off 94 for this new stable, and in a first-time tongue-tie.

There’s obvious potential, however, for Brandt to be a handicap blot off 92 here, given he found massive improvement over fences last season for Cian Collins - up to 118 in that sphere now (from joining him with a mark of 90). He might be entitled to need this run, though, after 140 days off since pulling up at the Punchestown Festival.

SELECTION: TRUCKERS CRUISING

Next best: Brandt

3.45 Balreask Bar, Restaurant & Guest Accommodation

Handicap Hurdle (Div II) 2m 3f

Fremantle Doctor, runner-up on two of his last five starts, can keep John McConnell among the winners, having gone up 1lb for his latest effort at Bellewstown in April but crucially kept within the 0-100 bracket. He has a 161-day absence to overcome, but should be bang there if sharp enough under the in-form Alex Harvey.

Navy Waves comes here on the back of her first win in nearly three years, obliging in good style over further at Galway. On the face of it, a 5lb rise for winning by two and a quarter lengths looks fair. The four-year-old Gerrys Wish is less exposed than most and fired a warning shot when third at 25/1 at Wexford last time. She could have another bit of progression in her.

SELECTION: FREMANTLE DOCTOR

Next best: Gerrys Wish

4.20 Meath Farm Machinery Maiden Hurdle 2m 5f

Given he’d been off for 238 days beforehand and was making his stable debut, Cut The Rope’s near-miss at Downpatrick last time was an encouraging showing. He’s rated 113, which puts him in the mix of those with established hurdles form, and is entitled to improve from that run. The Harty team has also been among the winners of late too.

Jacovec Cavern (rated 114) can blow a little hot and cold, but his final-flight fall when set to win at Cork in March shows that he’s got the ability to win a race like this. Coumeenoole will appreciate coming down in trip on the basis of how he was possibly tiring when falling at the last on his most recent outing at Ballinrobe.

SELECTION: CUT THE ROPE

Next best: Jacovec Cavern

4.55 Start Your Racing TV Free Trial Now Ladies Handicap Hurdle 2m 5f

It’s not an easy task shouldering top weight over four and a half furlongs further than last time, but Aurea Fortuna had only seven runs over hurdles prior to his breakthrough win at the Galway Festival and a 9lb rise may not be enough to halt his progress. Maxine O’Sullivan is one of the best bookings possible for a ladies’ race like this and a near seven-week gap since Ballybrit will have given a nice window for the six-year-old to fill up again.

If Big Debates had the benefit of a run, he might even have got the nod as the selection here, ridden by promising conditional Anna McGuinness. The 12-year-old stalwart is rated just 100 over hurdles, compared to 120 over fences. There are form cases that could be made for several others here too, including four-year-old Sprinkles, who won over hurdles on her last appearance in this sphere and has the assistance of Aine O’Connor.

SELECTION: AUREA FORTUNA

Next best: Big Debates

5.30 Bar One Racing INH Flat Race 2m

The experience of Apples Jane should stand her in good stead for an assignment like this against her own age group. She’s threatened to win one of these previously, while probably not quite improving as much as might have been expected from her debut second at Naas in February.

Given how Andy Slattery’s young bumper horses have been flying along in recent months, it would be unwise not to properly respect his Bullet Train newcomer Ade Boy, who is out of an unraced half-sister to Accordion Etoile and French Accordion. Malikanna shaped with a level of promise when third on her Bellewstown introduction last month and can step forward from that.

SELECTION: APPLES JANE

Next best: Ade Boy