| No. |
|
Selection |
Form |
|
Guide |
|
|
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- Ballyburn
- P Townend / W P Mullins
|
|
164
|
13/8 |
Ballyburn
Top novice hurdler last season, signing off at this meeting with a third Grade 1 win; 2-4 over fences, no match for Sir Gino at Kempton after course 2m3f beginners' win; won Grade 1 at the DRF quite readily despite having raced keenly; flopped in the Brown Advisory won by stablemate Lecky Waston, pulled hard, and jumping technique deserted him.
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|
|
|
- Champ Kiely
- D E Mullins / W P Mullins
|
|
159
|
28/1 |
Champ Kiely
Smart novice hurdler two seasons ago; off for 21 months before jumping well to win a beginners' chase at Fairyhouse on New Year's Day; led to two out when outsider of stable's three in DRF Grade 1 won by Ballyburn; not seriously challenged in landing the odds in a 2m Grade 3 event at Navan; jumped left and faded at Fairyhouse last week.
|
|
|
|
- Gorgeous Tom
- D J O'Keeffe / H De Bromhead
|
|
154
|
12/1 |
Gorgeous Tom
Won a 2m4f Grade 3 event on good ground at Cork in November; close fourth of five in 2m4f Grade 1 Drinmore Chase at Fairyhouse in early December; outpaced from two out in the Brown Advisory, well held by Lecky Watson and Stellar Story.
|
|
|
|
- Ile Atlantique
- Mr P W Mullins / W P Mullins
|
|
158
|
16/1 |
Ile Atlantique
Limitations exposed at Grade 1 level during last season's novice hurdling campaign; much more like it on his first two starts over fences; backed up Navan beginners' win when landing 2m Grade 2 at Naas in January; very disappointing in Arkle at Leopardstown, labouring by halfway; unseated at third at Fairyhouse nine days ago.
|
|
|
|
- Impaire Et Passe
- J J Slevin / W P Mullins
|
|
163
|
10/3 |
Impaire Et Passe
Top-class hurdler and now 3-4 over fences; won 2m3f Grade 1 at Limerick in yielding to soft in December; jumping let him down when well held in third behind Ballyburn at the DRF; restored to form when landing 2m4f Aintree Grade 1 in first-time cheekpieces; unbeaten in two 2023 hurdle starts at this venue, a Grade 1 and a Grade 2.
|
|
|
|
- Lecky Watson
- S F O'Keeffe / W P Mullins
|
|
164
|
10/3 |
Lecky Watson
Just short of top class in novice hurdles last season; has matured into a leading novice chaser, unbeaten in three races; beat Slade Steel in a 2m4f beginners' event at Naas in December; dominated in a weak Grade 3 here in January; took advantage of Ballyburn's failure when beating Stellar Story convincingly at Cheltenham; stays and jumps well.
|
|
|
|
- Slade Steel
- Rachael Blackmore / H De Bromhead
|
|
139
|
10/1 |
Slade Steel
Top novice hurdler last season; beat Lecky Watson in 2m4f Grade 2 at Navan; second to Ballyburn at DRF; beat Mystical Power in the Supreme Novices', failed to uphold form with the second on much better ground at this venue; has run only twice over fences, beaten 4l by Better Days Ahead at Navan, outpointed by Lecky Watson at Naas in December.
|
|
|
|
- Stellar Story
- D J Gilligan / G Elliott
|
|
158
|
11/1 |
Stellar Story
Won last season's Albert Bartlett; has shown a similarly high standard level of form over fences, apart from when tailed off at Leopardstown in December; beaten a neck by a short-priced stablemate in a Grade 2 at Navan and chased home Lecky Watson in a steadily run Brown Advisory at Cheltenham.
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|
|
|
- Don't Rightly Know
- H Cobden / P Gundry
|
|
160
|
66/1 |
Don't Rightly Know
Fair hurdler; a latecomer to chasing this season and prospered in winning her first three races, notably Listed events for mares at Newbury and Exeter; slowly away and unable to get into contention in 3m1f Grade 1 at Aintree, rider called it a day after the eighth.
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