Growise Champion Novice Chase (Grade 1)

Off time: 18:40 | Winning time: 6m 27.60s

A Genie In Abottle^p1⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 145

8/1

Has good form in the book over this trip so far this season, winning a beginners' event at Fairyhouse in December before close second to Anibale Fly at Naas in February. Fair effort over 4m at Cheltenham latest and should go well in first-time cheekpieces now.

Form: 632125

A Toi Phil⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 150

12/1

Has been running well this season, pocketing a valuable handicap at Leopardstown in January and Grade Two prize at Navan in March. Runner-up at Cork earlier this month and potentially looks as if this 3m trip is beyond the optimum on that evidence.

Form: 515124

Acapella Bourgeois^h,t1⁴¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: R Loughran| T: M S Sandra Hughes| OR: 153

9/2

Has proved himself a more than capable frontrunner this season, and rivals will do well to be wary of allowing him a dominant lead now. Ultimately paid the price for trying to go with RSA winner Might Bite at Cheltenham from the off last month and needs to avoid doing similar here if lead is contested.

Form: F34116

Alpha Des Obeaux^h⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: D J Mullins| T: M F Morris| OR: 146

8/1

Has run respectably in both the RSA and the Irish National of late, likely to run his race again here but seems destined to be boxing on for place money at best on recent evidence.

Form: 113P48

Anibale Fly^t⁶⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Mark Walsh| T: A J Martin| OR: 148

3/1

Beat A Genie In A Bottle narrowly at Naas in January over this trip and hasn't been spotted since finishing remote fourth in farcical Navan contest won by Acapella Bourgeois the following month. Unlikely that rival will be permitted quite as much rope this time around.

Form: 112P14

Disko^h⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: B J Cooper| T: N Meade| OR: 155

13/8

Has been progressing nicely through this season, landing a 2m5f Grade One at Leopardstown in February from the talented Our Duke. Little to quibble about in third behind Yorkhill at Cheltenham in the JLT over 2m4f and brings leading claims to this contest.

Form: 613313

Velocity Boy⁵⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: B M Cash| T: William P Murphy| OR: 134

40/1

Won a beginners' chase over 2m6f at this track in February in good style, unable to see out front running tactics at Naas later the same month over shorter journey. Up in trip now and will have to unlock a career-best performance to score in this field.

Form: 72F13U-

Forecasts

Disko (13/8), Anibale Fly (3/1), Acapella Bourgeois (9/2), A Genie In Abottle (8/1), Alpha Des Obeaux (8/1), A Toi Phil (12/1), Velocity Boy (40/1)

This promises to be an intriguing race tactically, with Acapella Bourgeois set to employ his usual front running tactics. They worked at Navan in February as he slipped a sleeping field but his enthusiasm surely undermined his hopes last time in the RSA as he fought with Might Bite. It would prove folly should he be given too much rope by his rivals here. The form horse is surely Grade One winner DISKO, who followed up his Leopardstown success with an acceptable run behind Yorkhill last month in the Cotswolds. Going back is distance, he is the one to beat. Anibale Fly and A Genie In Abottle, closely matched on their previous meeting, may be the best of the remainder.