Kevin Blake

LEOPARDSTOWN

FRIDAY

12:15 BEWLEYS HOTELS MAIDEN HURDLE 2M

Surprisingly, Willie Mullins has only won this race once in the last decade but he is likely to improve that record courtesy of Alvisio Ville in this year’s renewal. The son of Visionary finished third in an AQPS flat race in France in October 2013 and has reportedly made a good impression at home since joining the Mullins team. Market support for him would be encouraging and he is likely to take all the beating. The main danger to him may come from another hurdling debutant in the shape of the Tony Martin-trained Beau Et Sublime.

Selection: ALVISIO VILLE

Next Best: Beau Et Sublime

12:50 THORNTON’S RECYCLING MAIDEN HURDLE 2M 2F

This brings together an interesting field and the pick of them looks to be the Tony Martin-trained Velvet Maker. The five-year-old made a promising Irish debut behind Vautour in a maiden hurdle at Navan over a year ago and made an encouraging return to action when second to Rock The World in a maiden hurdle at Down Royal last month. He seems sure to come on from that and is likely to take all the beating. Without doubt the most interesting hurdling debutant is the Eddie Harty-trained Joshua Lane, with the five-year-old having finished third in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Selection: VELVET MAKER

Next Best: Joshua Lane

1:20 KNIGHT FRANK JUVENILE HURDLE (GRADE 2) 2M

Winners of this race have tended to have a mixed record in their future exploits but there is little doubt that the Willie Mullins-trained Kalkir comes into this year’s renewal as the leading juvenile hurdler in Ireland. The son of Montmartre produced a powerful display when making a winning Irish debut in a Grade 3 contest at Fairyhouse last month and, with improvement forthcoming, he will be tough to beat. The most interesting newcomer to hurdling is a rare National Hunt representative for top flat trainer Jim Bolger, Fiscal Focus. The son of Intense Focus is rated 88 on the flat and market support for him would be very interesting.

Selection: KALKIR

Next Best: Fiscal Focus

1:50 CARDINAL CAPITAL HANDICAP HURDLE (80-116) 2M 2F

This is fiercely competitive and it might be worth taking a wild chance on the Gordon Elliott-trained Rocky Wednesday. The seven-year-old has plenty of ability but only consents to show it on a rare occasion. However, this represents a drop in class for him, and with some of his finer hours having come at this track, he might be worth taking a chance on at what should be a huge price. Of the more solid contenders, the Tony Martin-trained Spacious Sky looks very well handicapped over hurdles relative to his form on the flat and is likely to be strongly fancied.

Selection: ROCKY WEDNESDAY

Next Best: Spacious Sky

2:20 RACING POST ALL YOU NEED FOR IRISH RACING HANDICAP CHASE 2M 1F

Another highly-competitive handicap and the Arthur Moore-trained Treat Yourself makes the most appeal. The seven-year-old won over this course and distance off a 5lb lower mark back in January and has been brought along steadily this season. Conditions will suit and it wouldn’t surprise to see him bounce right back to form in this. Of those at the higher end of the weights, the Sandra Hughes-trained Some Tikket shouldn’t be ruled out on his return to handicap company.

Selection: TREAT YOURSELF

Next Best: Some Tikket

3:25 DONOHUE MARQUEES FLAT RACE 2M

Recent winners of this race include Moyle Park and Thomas Edison (beat no less than Champagne Fever on the day) and most of the top yards in the country are represented. The one that immediately catches the eye is the Willie Mullins-trained Easy Street who will carry the colours of Sue Magnier which are a relatively rare sight at Irish National Hunt meetings these days. The son of High Chaparral is a half-brother to the useful bumper performers Pink Hat and Tasitiocht and realised €110,000 as a three-year-old. Of those with racecourse experience, the Christy Roche-trained Falcon Crest has to be considered following his highly-promising debut behind the exciting Bordini at Punchestown.

Selection: EASY STREET

Next Best: Falcon Crest

2:55 RACING POST NOVICE CHASE (GRADE 1) 2M 1F

Chancol: A promising hurdler that has quickly progressed into an even better chaser, winning a maiden and a Grade 2 novice chase at Punchestown. Having tended to jump out to his left in places in both those contests, this left-handed track should suit and he is a contender.

Mr Fiftyone: A smart hurdler that finished second to Chancol on his chasing debut at Punchestown prior to capitalising on the fall of Un De Sceaux to win a maiden chase at Thurles last time. Needs to improve to compete at this level.

Real Steel: A Grade 2-winning novice hurdler, he made a winning chasing debut at Naas in November and ran a stormer to finish third to Valseur Lido in the Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse considering he jumped violently out to his left in places. The return to this left-handed track is sure to suit and he has to be considered.

Ted Veale: A smart hurdler that has belatedly come good over fences this season, winning a maiden at Galway and a Grade 3 novice chase at Roscommon. However, this is much stronger company and he needs to improve to feature.

Vautour: One of last season’s top novice hurdlers, he made a promising start over fences when easily beating Clarcam at Navan. Having raced more freely than ideal and giving some of his fences too much air, he is open to improvement with that run under his belt and is very much the one to beat in this.

Clarcam: A smart hurdler, he proved no match for Vautour on his chasing debut at Navan, but saw off a smart field when winning a novice chase back at that track earlier this month. He needs to improve again to trouble Vautour, but shouldn’t be ruled out.

Verdict: VAUTOUR is one of the most exciting novice chasers in training and while this is far from an easy task, it will be disappointing if he fails to collect. The main danger to him could well be the Mouse Morris-trained Real Steel.