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11.55 BetVictor Loyalty Club Rated Novice Hurdle 1m 7f 190yds

Crowns Major is taken to shade an intriguing clash with Top Bandit. The former won his bumper at the festival here in April and landed a premier handicap over a mile and a half at Galway in the summer before making a bright start over hurdles when running out an easy winner of a Cork maiden a month ago. He appeals as a horse with the potential to hold his own at a higher level than this.

Top Bandit followed his maiden hurdle success at Cheltenham with a victory in a similar event to this over this course and distance last month. That form looks solid with the runner-up, Sit Down Lucy, running well in a high-class handicap hurdle last week. Top Bandit has an edge in terms of experience and should give Crowns Major a stern examination.

SELECTION: CROWNS MAJOR

Next best: Top Bandit

12.25 Old House Kill Handicap Hurdle (Div I) 2m 3f 80yds

A chance is taken on Explosive Boy who wouldn’t have the same experience as most of his rivals. However, he has shaped up nicely in his maiden hurdle runs this season and returns to a trip which saw him post a fine effort at Galway two months ago when he was beaten just over 12 lengths into third by the subsequent Grade 2 scorer Blazing Khal and Gringo D’Aubrelle, who has won his next two starts. A handicap success off a mark of 109 should be within his reach.

Benkei has gone a long time without winning but has come down the ratings and showed that he could still be placed to advantage when finishing a very respectable sixth to Broomfields Jeremy at Fairyhouse last week. Sefton Warrior has been running well in defeat lately and could easily reach the frame again.

SELECTION: EXPLOSIVE BOY

Next best: Benkei

12.55 Old House Kill Handicap Hurdle (Div II) 2m 3f 80yds

Tullyveery Lad won a handicap over a similar trip to this at Gowran two months ago – for which he is now 9lbs higher – and has run with credit on his last two handicap outings. The more recent of those was at Fairyhouse last week when he was beaten less than two lengths by Broomfields Jeremy, and a repeat of that effort could well suffice.

Auckland tried fences last time but his previous effort yielded a second to Christmas Jumper in an extended two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle at this track. That run makes him a lively contender. Boro Tari’s return from 13 months off at Navan last month was encouraging and she is also worth keeping in mind.

SELECTION: TULLYVEERY LAD

Next best: Auckland

1.25 BetVictor Proud To Support Irish Racing Mares Novice Hurdle (Listed) 2m 3f 80yds

After an impressive maiden hurdle win at Galway in October, Choice Of Words is put forward to strike. She was second to Grangee in a Grade 3 bumper at this track in April and confirmed the merit of that effort with a seven-and-a-half-length success over Derrylinda in an auction maiden hurdle at Galway. That run was her first of the season so she is entitled to improve.

Party Central was also a very smart type in bumpers last term when she won at listed level and was just touched off in a Grade 2 at Leopardstown. She made a winning start over hurdles at Listowel but was somewhat disappointing when fourth to Impervious in a Grade 3 at Down Royal in late October. A return to this trip could work in her favour though.

The Getaway Star is an experienced sort and also warrants respect.

SELECTION: CHOICE OF WORDS

Next best: Party Central

2.35 BetVictor Beginners Chase 2m 190yds

Ferny Hollow has an absence of just over a year to overcome but that isn’t a concern for a horse hailing from his yard and he can make a winning start over fences. The 2020 Champion Bumper winner has only made one appearance since that success and that came in a maiden hurdle at Gowran last November when he defeated star novice hurdler Bob Olinger. That run alone would suggest that a bright future over fences awaits.

Coeur Sublime is a threat. He was a high-class hurdler at his best and also has a good record fresh so if taking to fences he has the capacity to push the selection hard. These look the two to focus on.

SELECTION: FERNY HOLLOW

Next best: Coeur Sublime

3.05 Hanlon Concrete Handicap Chase 3m 1f 150yds

It is hard to look past Glenquin Castle as he bids to make it an incredible seven wins on the spin. His wins to date have been split evenly between hurdles and fences and he began his sequence with three handicap chase victories which have earned him a 23lbs rise in the weights. Interestingly, the biggest winning margin that he has recorded has been a length and a half, so it could be wrong to assume that he was reaching his limit as a chaser when getting home by half a length from Avec Espoir at Wexford in September.

He is stepping up in grade today but still looks equal to the task at hand and he is preferred to Hoke Colburn who posted a creditable effort at Down Royal last time having previously lost out by a neck to Father Jed at Listowel.

SELECTION: GLENQUIN CASTLE

Next best: Hoke Colburn

3.35 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Auction (Pro/Am) Flat Race 1m 7f 190yds

Glengouly isn’t an original choice but makes plenty of appeal on the second of his two outings last season which came when he was third to Glen Wyllin in a strong Ballinrobe bumper. The form of that race has worked out especially well and four of those that finished behind the selection have won since which would indicate that a race like this is within his reach.

He is preferred to The Flier Begley who runs for the first time since finishing third to Ginto in a useful Navan bumper last February. That form looks solid and both the runner-up and the fourth have won since, which bodes well for this gelding’s prospects. Even though he hasn’t run for 287 days, he might be a bigger danger than Keepthefaithinme who has been placed on his three bumper runs to date.

SELECTION: GLENGOULY

Next best: The Flier Begley