11.33 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Academy Hurdle 2m 1f

There were plenty of positives to take from what Ritz Plan showed when second to ready winner Highland Crystal in another race in this series last month at Punchestown, and she ought to take some beating with that experience behind her. The winner has franked the form in no uncertain terms by winning readily at Newbury in a listed mares’ hurdle and Joseph O’Brien’s filly has the pedigree to be useful, as a half-sister to Gordon Elliott’s Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle winner/Galway Hurdle second/Coral Cup third Bayan (and Group 3 Horris Hill Stakes winner Nebo).

The caveat is that it’s obviously impossible to know exactly what to expect in terms of the level of opposition in these races, with five of her nine rivals unraced. I’m All In, trained by Gordon Elliott, was in the process of running into second when unseating at the last in one of these races at Cork 13 days ago (winner Minella Academy sold for £370,000 to Willie Mullins since).

SELECTION: RITZ PLAN

Next best: I’m All In

12.03 Mervyn Gray Construction Maiden Hurdle 2m

With Gordon Elliott, Jack Kennedy and Robcour in rip-roaring form, Lazare De Star gets the vote to open his account under rules at the first attempt, albeit his absence of 223 days since finishing second in a point-to-point at Fairyhouse means he could be entitled to come forward for the run. Even if the winner doesn’t look star material from that point-to-point, he has won for Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore in a maiden hurdle and Lazare De Star shaped with promise in defeat (beaten a length and a half).

Saint Baco has been given plenty of time to acclimatise to life with Willie Mullins since his private sale on the back of finishing third in a French three-year-old hurdle in September 2024. He’s got a smart pedigree as a half-brother to Grade 1 and County Hurdle-winning stablemate Saint Roi. Sense Of Occasion was second in a point-to-point for J.P. McManus and Derek O’Connor and now debuts for Henry de Bromhead, with Mark Walsh favouring him over two others for the same owner. War Rooms brings a smart level of flat form to this discipline, if he shows an aptitude to jump.

SELECTION: LAZARE DE STAR

Next best: Saint Baco

12.35 Timeless Sash Windows Maiden Hurdle 2m

This has the potential to work out quite a smart race, one that was won in the last two years by Albert Bartlett hero Jasmin De Vaux and Grade 1-scorer Caldwell Potter. After finishing second to Koktail Brut in a maiden hurdle at Punchestown (that rival winning the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse last weekend), Colcannon gets the verdict to go one better now. He was a high-class bumper performer, beating Sortudo in Grade 2 company at the Dublin Racing Festival last season, and he still pulled 24 lengths clear of the rest in defeat last time.

The advantage of a run, both in terms of fitness and experience, will give him a boost in comparison to Copacabana, who is a massive threat on the basis of what he showed when winning a bumper on debut here in February. He failed to land a telling blow in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and was a couple of lengths behind Colcannon when the pair finished third and fourth in the Grade 1 bumper at the Punchestown Festival when last seen. In a race with several useful operators, Burrows Drive is worth monitoring on his hurdling bow too.

SELECTION: COLCANNON

Next best: Copacabana

1.10 Tote Guarantee, Never Beaten By SP Navan Novice Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m 4f

Gordon Elliott supplies three of the six runners, and Jack Kennedy’s decision to ride Clonmel maiden hurdle winner Kovanis wasn’t in line with initial market expectations. Stablemates Classical Creek and Port Authority, clearcut winners at Navan and Naas respectively, created highly positive impressions last time out and nobody would have been surprised if the former champion jockey had sided with either ahead of Kovanis, for all that his mount still looks a capable sort for the demands of this test.

Regardless, there might be a bit more substance to the form of Thedeviluno for Paul Nolan at a value price (opened up at 11/1 after declarations). He stayed on well to beat Skylight Hustle in a Gowran maiden hurdle four weeks ago, and the runner-up bolted in by 21 lengths at Fairyhouse last weekend. Third-placed The Passing Wife also ran nicely to be third in the Royal Bond (beaten just a length and a half). Doctor Steinberg ought to have a good crack at this too, having beaten Monksfield Novice Hurdle third Frankie John in a Galway maiden hurdle six weeks ago.

SELECTION: THEDEVILUNO

Next best: Classical Creek

1.42 Bective Stud, Tea Rooms and Apartments Handicap Hurdle (Listed) 3m 1f 180yd

The 150-rated Buddy One has forced five of the 14 runners out of the handicap, including some of the more interesting candidates. Despite being 3lb wrong at the weights, Gordon Elliott’s Grimaud might be the liveliest option. He isn’t overly exposed and comes here on the back of a decent second to today’s rival Paddy’s Milestone (now 10lb out of the handicap) at the Navan Racing Festival. The form of his previous Listowel fifth worked out well, he’s only five and could travel very sweetly over this longer trip.

Buachaillbocht is 2lb wrong at the weights, so Shane O’Callaghan’s 5lb claim will be of benefit to him. He signed off in top form when winning at Fairyhouse last April and can show up well, if sharp enough on his return. Ayiko hasn’t been seen since a good third at the same meeting over Easter, but could be ideally suited to the demands of this off 10st 1lb.

SELECTION: GRIMAUD

Next best: Buachaillbocht

2.17 Download The Tote App Foxrock Handicap Chase

(Listed) 2m 4f 150yd

There weren’t any fireworks from his Lismullen Hurdle comeback, but that felt like a race that would blow the cobwebs away for Grandero Bello with a view to preparing for a target like this back over fences. He’s rated 17lb higher over fences and is just 3lb above his last winning mark, so he could be a different proposition now. Given he’s nine rising 10, expecting him to be improving is unfair, but he’s very lightly raced and he hails from a yard in fine fettle.

Tullyhill bumped into Craddockstown runner-up Fleur In The Park at Wexford, with subsequent Fairyhouse winner Flicker Of Hope back in third, so he’s worthy of strong consideration back in a handicap chase (sent off 5/1 for a competitive handicap chase at the Punchestown Festival last spring when running no sort of race). This longer trip could help. Inthepocket is the class act of the race on his old form and can’t be ruled out, but he fell last time and will need to find his feet better over further now.

SELECTION: GRANDERO BELLO

Next best: Tullyhill

2.52 Watch Danny’s Diary @ToteRacing Beginners Chase

2m 4f 150yd

After trying to give top prospect Final Demand a test on his chasing debut, Wingmen is certainly good enough to win a beginners’ chase and sets a solid standard here. His stablemates have typically been improving from their opening starts of the season, so he could easily have progression in him - and that may have contributed to him finishing more slowly than might have been expected last time (also making a mistake at the final fence).

This isn’t a completely handy assignment, however. Not near it. Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner of 2024, Slade Steel, hasn’t been seen in almost a year and bumped into Brown Advisory hero Lecky Watson on his last start over fences. Kopeck De Mee, a massive fancy for the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham when down the field before a near miss at Aintree, is a highly interesting chasing debutant for Willie Mullins and J.P. McManus.

SELECTION: WINGMEN

Next best: Slade Steel

3.27 Tote Always SP Or Better INH Flat Race 2m

Gordon Elliott has won six of the last seven runnings of this (Kilcruit, trained by Willie Mullins, the only exception in that window) and he could well hold the key again now. With Nolimit cost £250,000 after a 10-length point-to-point win for Jonathan Fogarty on debut in March. The fact Josh Williamson is booked looks like he might be the pick of the Cullentra team.

Still, conditions are bound to be testing come the final contest of the day and the year-older Detroit Maverick from the same stable could be a dangerous opponent, with the benefit of three previous point-to-point runs behind him (winner at Ballyknock for Colin Bowe in April). Of the remainder, Gillane has plenty of worthwhile experience to call on and Patrick Mullins coming here for one ride is a positive look. Fixios was third to Classical Creek here last month in a maiden hurdle, so watch how that form shapes up in the Grade 2 earlier on the card. Treasure Memory wasn’t beaten far at Punchestown 13 days ago and clearly has ability.

SELECTION: DETROIT MAVERICK

Next best: With Nolimit