2.35 Dooley Insurance Group Cross Country Chase 3m 1f

Thursday’s La Touche Cup is likely to provide the best guide to this race and Shady Operator is taken to improve his record in this discipline.

He also won over this course and distance in November and he was also a neck second to Midnight Maestro here in February. He is a highly proficient performer in this sphere and he gets the nod over Singing Banjo.

The latter enjoyed a tremendous time at Punchestown last year when defeating Vital Island to win the Ladies Cup before following up in the La Touche three days later. He also ran very well to be beaten by a neck in a cross-country chase at Cheltenham in November.

SELECTION: SHADY OPERATOR

Next Best: Singing Banjo

3.10 Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase (0-145) 3m 7f

Peaches And Cream has shown enough on his last couple of runs to suggest a race like this could be within his reach.

He ran a very creditable fourth in the Troytown in November and then returned from a mid-season break to finish third to stablemate Spades Are Trumps in the Ulster National at Downpatrick last month.

He is entitled to improve off that run and gets the vote ahead of Champagne Platinum. The latter won a beginners’ chase at Navan in the winter and chased home Death Duty in the Grand National Trial at this track two months ago, while his latest outing yielded a very respectable eighth in the Irish Grand National where he was beaten less than 10l by Lord Lariat.

SELECTION: PEACHES AND CREAM

Next Best: Champagne Platinum

4.25 Palmerstown House Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase (0-150) (Grade B) 3m

A chance is taken on Wa Wa who appeals as a horse who can land a decent handicap over fences. His victory in a 2m 4f handicap chase at Naas in November marked him out as a progressive type and he faced what has turned out to be an impossible task at Navan the following month when he was fourth to Conflated in a Grade B chase.

He actually ran better than his final position at Navan and his most recent effort back at that track is easily forgiven as he was never able to get into the race. If he returns to his best he has the capacity to win a race like this, and he can deal with West Cork Wildway.

The latter won quite a reasonable beginners’ chase over 2m 6f at Thurles in November and he will find this much easier than the quality Grade 3 here in January in which he finished fourth to Bob Olinger. He was well held that day but it should be noted that he finished just 3l behind the subsequent Irish Grand National third and dual Grade 1-placed Gaillard Du Mesnil.

SELECTION: WA WA

Next Best: West Cork Wildway

5.30 Tote Always SP Or Better Handicap Hurdle (Grade B) 2m 3f 30yds

Camprond makes plenty of appeal. A Grade 2 novice hurdle winner at Chepstow and successful at Cheltenham earlier in the season, he warmed up for this assignment with a fine fourth in a remarkably exacting edition of the Coral Cup at Cheltenham.

He was beaten just over 10l by Commander Of Fleet that day but posted a fine effort in a race where just a handful of horses ever got involved. Paul Townend’s decision to side with Adamantly Chosen could be significant.

This gelding won the Land Rover Bumper here last season and he is entitled to have sharpened up for his initial handicap experience which yielded a midfield finish in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham. His stablemate La Prima Donna warrants attention on her second to Glan in a decent handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse over Easter while Get My Drift is another interesting contestant. He appeals as being good enough to land a good handicap over hurdles.

SELECTION: CAMPROND

Next Best: Adamantly Chosen

6.05 Buggyman (Pro/Am) Flat Race 2m

The last race of the National Hunt season could fall to Willie Mullins with Ballybay making notable appeal on pedigree. This five-year-old is a son of Walk In The Park and he is a half-brother to the classy hurdler Eskylane.

Built By Ballymore is an interesting runner for Pat Doyle. This Flemensfirth four-year-old is a half-brother to two smart sorts in You Raised Me Up and Dancing On My Own.

Halibut is another to keep in mind as this son of Balko represents Emmet Mullins who won this race 12 months ago.

SELECTION: BALLYBAY

Next Best: Built By Ballymore