Timeform provide an overview of three things to note on Sunday.
Bartholomew value against Mullins hotpot
Love Me Tender is a warm order for the Overlander Fishery Lane Novice Hurdle (13:00) following his 20-length romp at Listowel in September, and subsequent winners have come out of that race.
However, in form terms, he’s not achieved as much as Bartholomew, who opened his account in a juvenile event at Cork last season by 10 lengths, and finished runner-up to Saratoga in a Grade 1 at the Punchestown Festival afterwards.
That was a much improved display, confirming himself a smart hurdler, and there was no fluke about that performance, clearly just a much better hurdler than he was on the Flat.
Bartholomew was well supported on his return in that sphere at Gowran in September, but he shaped as though he’d come on a bundle for the run, and may have found a mile and three quarters stretching him. That run will have blown away some of the cobwebs and he remains one to be positive about back hurdling.
Henry de Bromhead has a good record in Naas maiden hurdle
Henry de Bromhead has won three of the last four renewals of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle (13:30) and he has another great chance of further success with Minella Machine.
He cost a hefty €350,000 after winning his sole outing in points and showed plenty to work on when hitting the frame in a bumper on his Rules debut at Leopardstown last Christmas.
That race produced subsequent Champion Bumper winner The Mourne Rambler and he had no problem landing the odds on his next start at Wexford in March, becoming the third next-time-out winner of his debut race.
It was impressive how quickly he asserted away when asked, looking an above-average sort, and given he also won his point in style, he’s a good prospect for hurdling this season and his bumper form is on par with other interesting newcomer Adaboy Mushy.
Corner Forward can improve for step up in trip
Corner Forward finished never better than midfield in four starts in maiden hurdles at around two miles last season, and was also easy to back on his handicap debut over the same trip at this course on his final start.
He shaped with plenty of promise, however, easily running his best race to date despite finding the test barely enough, outpaced from three out but sticking to his task well all the way to the line.
Corner Forward should relish this step up to two and a half miles on his return to action in the Golwg Gwendraeth Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (14:27) and he can prove himself on a fair mark for a yard who have started the season really well.
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