1.10 Navan Ford & Opel Maiden Hurdle (Div I) 2m

Horantzau D’airy can continue the red-hot run of form for Willie Mullins and get off the mark. He hasn’t run since his sole track start last season, when he finished second to Howyabud in a Leopardstown Christmas Festival maiden hurdle. That was a fine effort in the context of this race and though he has a long absence to defy, he had a longer lay-off before that previous effort and still ran creditably.

Firm Footings has the standout piece of recent form, a two-and-a-half-length third to Deep Cave and Lot Of Joy at Leopardstown, but he was disappointing at Fairyhouse recently. This is his fourth start so he qualifies to run in a Cheltenham handicap hurdle which could be his main target.

Gordon Elliott might have a better chance with the debutant Zefiro Dodville, who won a Portrush point-to-point last October and now carries the colours of Robcour. Noel Meade’s Faulty also makes his hurdles debut after a couple of good placed efforts in maiden hurdles.

SELECTION: HORANTZAU D’AIRY

Next best: Zefiro Dodville

1.40 Navan Ford & Opel Maiden Hurdle (Div II) 2m

Ho My Lord was the subject of a significant gamble in a Leopardstown maiden hurdle over Christmas, and though he fell early, the market move clearly signifies a strong belief in J.P. McManus’s gelding. With the Mullins stable in such hot form, he is hard to oppose.

Gordon Elliott’s Zettabyte was second in a couple of point-to-points last year and looks a threat now making his track debut while Pat Fahy has an interesting contender in Kingofthemidlands, a Kingman gelding out of a Galileo mare and who once cost €600,000. He makes his hurdles debut. Valsorspresa is noted, as a full-brother to Presenting Percy and in training with Gordon Elliott.

SELECTION: HO MY LORD

Next best: Zettabyte

2.10 INH Stallion Owners EBF Novice Hurdle (Listed) 2m

This is a smart novice hurdle that could throw up more than one Cheltenham contender, be it for a Grade 1 or handicap hurdle. American Mike is an intriguing runner back over two miles but his stablemate Deeply Superficial makes plenty of appeal at the foot of the weights.

Her rating of 123 probably isn’t good enough to win this, even with a 7lb mares’ allowance, but there is a good chance she is better than that assessment, given how well the form is working out from her Grade 2 Navan Novice Hurdle fourth.

On that occasion she finished close in behind Inthepocket, Three Card Brag and Absolute Notions, who have all franked the form since and it was just her second start over hurdles, so she has loads of scope to progress.

Imagine and Inothewayurthinkin are closely matched on their last meeting at Gowran, the latter just getting on top late on, but you’d fancy a reverse here given a 4lb weight swing. The Mullins pair are clearly respected with Paul Townend opting for impressive Naas winner Hunters Yarn. There probably wasn’t much in the decision though and Tactical Move did very well to defy a long lay off when winning at Punchestown last month.

SELECTION: DEEPLY SUPERFICIAL

Next best: Imagine

2.40 William Hill Boyne Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m 5f

Saint Sam is a potential classy staying hurdler and he looks the right favourite for this but 8/1 quotes about Delta Work at the time of writing make more appeal. Gordon Elliott’s 10-year-old is more known as a cross-country horse these days but he’s still a classy operator, as he showed when finishing third in the Grand National last April and when filling the same position behind Back On The Lash (conceding 16lbs in weight) over the banks at Cheltenham last month.

He was also a smart novice hurdler, winning the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham and finishing second in a Punchestown Grade 1. He seems versatile enough to deal with this sort of test and should run well.

If you like Saint Sam here, backing him at 16/1 or so for the Stayers Hurdle might make more appeal. He ran a very nice time when accounting for Any Second Now over just short of two and a half miles at Punchestown and Willie Mullins is really keen to get him up to this trip and further. He’s only a six-year-old so has lots of scope to improve.

Blazing Khal has a lot of supporters off the back of his win over subseuqent Grade 1 scorer Gelino Bello at Cheltenham last year but he has to concede weight to a number of rivals here on his first start in 428 days.

SELECTION: DELTA WORK

Next best: Saint Sam

3.10 Meath Farm Machinery Handicap Hurdle 2m 6f 100y

Arctic Ambition needs to put a poor run behind him but if he does, he is too well handicapped to ignore back over hurdles. Gordon Elliott’s eight-year-old was well beaten when fancied for a handicap chase at Leopardstown over Christmas but he had been in good form before that, finishing third to Final Orders in Down Royal and then scoring in Thurles. Both those runs came over fences, prompting a mark of 105 in that sphere, but he can run off 86 over hurdles here.

Dragon’s Pass gets the second vote. She did very well to dead-heat with Pana To Milan on her previous run at Fairyhouse, considering it was her first run in 293 days. The third in that race has won well since and she might be a better proposition again with race fitness behind her.

Indie Belle ran well in a handicap hurdle here on her previous run and should do so again with the step up in trip a possible aid to her cause.

SELECTION: ARCTIC AMBITION

Next best: Dragon’s Pass

3.40 William Hill Ten Up Novice Chase (Grade 2) 3m

Mahler Mission can book his Cheltenham ticket with a win in this Grade 2. John McConnell’s seven-year-old has looked good on his last two starts, finishing a close third to Must Be Obeyed at Punchestown but then improving significantly when winning over this course and distance on his latest start.

He was a smart novice hurdler last season, most notably beating The Real Whacker at Doncaster, and this quicker ground he’s likely to face is a positive for him.

Churchstonewarrior has the form to win this, having finished second on all three starts this term, including at Grade 1 level in the Neville Hotels Novice Chase. He was well ahead of Frontal Assault there but Gordon Elliott’s horse has since bounced back with a good run to be sixth in the Thyestes. The mare Must Be Obeyed is also noted having won her last two starts for Tom Gibney.

SELECTION: MAHLER MISSION

Next best: Churchstonewarrior

4.10 William Hill Pick Your Places Handicap Chase 3m

Sweet Will can continue the fine form of Gavin Cromwell. The six-year-old gelding has had a fine year, winning twice over hurdles before a narrow defeat to The Tack Room in a Fairyhouse handicap chase.

That was just his second chase start, so he has clear scope to improve past a mark of 110, which is 5lbs lower than his hurdles assessment. Krabat has been running well in defeat, most notably when third to Maskada and Rebel Gold in the Tim Duggan at Limerick.

He comes up to three miles for the first time so he has to prove himself at the distance. Temptationinmilan has also had a good season, winning at Listowel before three creditable efforts in defeat. He unseated his rider last time but should be involved with a clear round.

SELECTION: SWEET WILL

Next best: Temptationinmilan

4.40 William Hill Play Responsibly INH Flat Race 2m

Willie Mullins indicated earlier this week that he had a few smart bumper horses still to unleash and The Gunner Yeats may well be one of them. The Susannah Ricci-owned six-year-old won his four-year-old point-to-point in November ‘21 and was sourched for £310,000 afterwards.

Rule The Wind is an interesting debutant for the same trainer and an intriguing owner in John Magnier. The son of Walk In The Park cost €100,000 as a store and may well be smart enough to win first time up.

Of those with track experience, Ballystone might shape best as he was third to Champion Bumper contender It’s For Me over this course and distance last month.

SELECTION: THE GUNNER YEATS

Next best: Run The Wind