REST OF THE CARD

2.35 CME AUCTIONEERS CROSS COUNTRY CHASE 3M

Quantitativeeasing makes a quick return following his well deserved victory in Thursday’s La Touche. There was lots to like about the 11-year-old’s effort earlier in the week and he has repeatedly shown himself to be a quality performer in this sphere. Admittedly he is 5lb worse off with the La Touche runner-up Cantlow but he did finish with 3l to spare on Thursday and these revised terms may not be enough to prevent him from following up. Cantlow again commands the utmost respect and he is still something of a relative newcomer to this discipline. His two previous outings over this cross-country course have yielded a pair of runner-up finishes.

Selection: QUANTITATIVEEASING

Next best: Cantlow

3.10 MADRA IRISH DOG FOODS HANDICAP CHASE (0-145) 3M 6F

A hopeful vote goes to Embracing Change who finished third in this race in 2015 and is now 15lb better off last year’s winner Heathfield. Admittedly the selection was beaten 27l into second in a veterans’ chase at Navan last time out but the switch to this longer trip on better ground could see him stage a revival and his yard is in fine form at present. Heathfield is 13lb higher than winning this race in 2015. He never got involved in the Scottish National last time but this race will suit him a lot better and he previously showed that he had returned to form when bolting up in a Navan handicap hurdle. Folsom Blue would have gone close in the Scottish National but for being brought down and he warrants consideration as do Barely Legal and Tulsa Jack.

Selection: EMBRACING CHANGE

Next best: Heathfield

5.00 PALMERSTOWN HOUSE PAT TAAFFE HANDICAP CHASE (GRADE B) (0-150) 3M 1F

Pleasant Company pulled up in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltneham last time but there is still a case to be made for him. The return to a shorter trip should suit and he performed to quite a reasonable standard on his first two runs over fences. The form of his beginners’ chase win over this course and distance is solid and he followed that with a respectable third in a Navan Grade 2 won by Measureofmydreams. He is certainly open to further progress as a chaser and a switch to better ground will suit. On The Shannon has gone up 17lb in the weights for a decent season which has yielded two wins. There might yet be more to come from him and a light weight is attractive. Irish National hero Rogue Angel has to be considered although he has now moved up to a career high rating of 145.

Selection: PLEASANT COMPANY

Next best: On The Shannon

5.35 CORAL HANDICAP HURDLE (GRADE B) 2M 4F

This ultra competitive handicap might fall to Anibale Fly who can improve on what he has shown over hurdles so far. A very good bumper horse, he has just a Navan maiden hurdle win to his name but he finished strongly to take fourth behind Solita in a useful 2m event at Leopardstown on his penultimate start. He didn’t make much impact over 2m at Fairyhouse next time but has long looked like he could come into his own over this trip. Last Goodbye is a thoroughly likeable type who is bidding for a fifth win in succession. He won quite a reasonable 2m 3f handicap at Cork last time and that race has already produced a couple of subsequent winners while he had more to spare than the 1l winning margin would suggest. Last year’s winner Sort It Out and Desoto County are among a host of others that could challenge strongly.

Selection: ANIBALE FLY

Next best: Last Goodbye

6.10 K CLUB HOTEL, SPA & RYDER CUP VENUE (PRO/AM) FLAT RACE 2M

Rathnure Rebel is a very speculative choice to make a winning debut. He hasn’t been seen since scoring on his point-to-point debut at Dromahane two years ago and thus has a major absence to overcome.

However, his point-to-point win was achieved in good style and it came at the expense of the now 152-rated chaser Three Musketeers. Tikken Away is a half-brother to his yard’s capable hurdler Sir Scorpion and could easily mount a telling challenge on his debut. St Martin’s Lane comes from a yard whose bumper runners command the utmost respect and this son of Milan is another to take note of. A similar comment applies to the selection’s stablemate and fellow point-to-point winner Stretchingthetruth.

Selection: RATHNURE REBEL

Next best: Timken Away