AES Champion Four Year Old Hurdle (Grade 1)

Off time: 16:25 | Winning time: 3m 53.4s

Bapaume⁴³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 144

2/1

Facing Landofhopeandglory and Mega Fortune for the fifth time this season with honours shared between the three. Split the pair in the Triumph when ridden with more restraint and, with fewer hard races under his belt this term, this could be his day to shine. Yard have taken last four runnings.

Form: 61-2123

Dandy Mag¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins

8/1

Not good enough in the Triumph and found Project Bluebook too good last time. Holds Dinaria Des Obeaux on that form but needs to find more to trouble the principals.

Form: 22102

Landofhopeandglory^t⁴³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Mark Walsh| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 141

4/1

Closely matched with Mega Fortune and Bapaume. Better ground is a reason to expect a swing in his favour but he has had a lot of hard races.

Form: 111235

Mega Fortune^p⁴³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 145

9/4

Triumph runner-up will be having his seventh run of the campaign. Has improved with each run and has shown good battling qualities. Will need to be 100 percent, having endured a busy season, to land this.

Form: F13312

On The Go Again^t¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: M Mulvany

66/1

Winner of his maiden at Navan but looked short of this level when well beaten at Fairyhouse twelve days ago.

Form: 16

Dinaria Des Obeaux^t¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: B J Cooper| T: G Elliott| OR: 133

14/1

French bumper winner routed a big field at Cork over this trip on debut. Had Landfhopeandglory well behind on heavy ground in February when awarded a Grade Three by the stewards. Runs at Cheltenham and Fairyhouse since give her plenty to find now that conditions have turned quicker.

Form: 13104

Meri Devie⁷⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: D J Mullins| T: W P Mullins

7/1

Yard have taken the last four runnings of this with fillies landing the last two. She could hardly have been more impressive when outclassing her rivals over Christmas. Readily beaten behind a few of these at Leopardstown where she was reported to have run too freely. Highly regarded and arrives here fresh having bypassed the major festivals.

Form: /143-

Forecasts

Bapaume (2/1), Mega Fortune (9/4), Landofhopeandglory (4/1), Meri Devie (7/1), Dandy Mag (8/1), Dinaria Des Obeaux (14/1), On The Go Again (66/1)

Willie Mullins has been taking advantage of the fillies allowance in this recently and had two of the fairer sex occupy the first two positions here twelve months ago. With that in mind, Meri Devie, has to earn serious consideration having made short work of some highly regarded novices on her debut. The form of that race has not worked out as well as hoped and she was put in her place in a Grade One won by Mega Fortune next time. She ran too freely that day but is clearly considered good enough by her trainer to take Mega Fortune on again as well as BAPUME and Landofhopeandglory. The trio were second, third and fifth in the Triumph and have been in regular competition with each other this season. The three are closely matched with Mega Fortune coming out on top of late but arriving here on the back of a busy campaign. That tilts things in favour of BAPAUME this time who has little to find on form and who will be having just his fourth run in 12 months.