Pat Walsh Memorial Irish EBF Mares Hurdle (Listed)

Off time: 16:00 | Winning time: 5m 14.5s

She's A Star^h,t¹⁶⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 127| D

7/1

Came good around this time last year when rattling off a hat-trick of wins up to 2m4f but found out by a jump in class towards the end of last season. Still early days but big ask to conceded weight in this company.

Form: 5/112PP-

Jaime Sommers⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: C A Landers| T: M J Bowe| OR: 132| D

16/1

Just the two wins from 23 attempts over hurdles but capable of very useful form when in the mood, as she proved when winning at Kilbeggan (2m4f, soft). Below par at Navan subsequently but more than capable of getting competitive.

Form: 2221U3

Mystic Theatre²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins| D

2/5

Dual winning pointer over 3m who has taken brilliantly to hurdles since finishing runner-up in a bumper at the Punchestown Festival, routing inferior opposition three times. Bigger questions now but could easily prove a class above.

Form: 22-1111

Polar Present^p⁹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Donagh Meyler| T: S Fahey| OR: 127| C| D

8/1

Form is a bit patchy but looked progressive earlier this year, impressively landing a handicap over 3m here last time out in June on good to firm ground. Testing ground, more so than the drop back in trip, is the concern here.

Form: 343F-21

Tellthemnuttin⁵⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: D N Russell| T: W F Codd| OR: 134| D

8/1

Has taken time to come to hand but showed tremendous improvement during the spring, winning for the third times in four starts when hacking up in a 3m (good) handicap at Down Royal. Respected here but better ground preferred.

Form: 317-11P

Kilganer Queen^t⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: Miss D O'Shea| OR: 105

33/1

A mare with plenty of stamina and a proven ability to handle testing ground, evidenced by successive wins in the mud last month. Second off a higher mark at Ballinrobe last time out but would need others to falter if prospering in this grade.

Form: 4P1102

Non-Runners

Kilbarry Marien²²

Weight: 10-9| Age: 5

T: C O'Keeffe J: D J Mullins

Lesley Dawn¹³⁰

Weight: 10-4| Age: 4

T: Mrs J Harrington J: R M Power

Forecasts

Mystic Theatre (2/5), Lesley Dawn (3/1), She's A Star (7/1), Polar Present (8/1), Tellthemnuttin (8/1), Jaime Sommers (16/1), Kilbarry Marien (25/1), Kilganer Queen (33/1)

Willie Mullins has captured the two previous runnings of this race and saddles another likely candidate in the shape of MYSTIC THEATRE who could barely have been more impressive in winning her three hurdle starts so far. Having handled testing ground when winning point-to-points and bumpers, it's difficult to find a chink in her armour and it would be no surprise if she took this class-jump in her stride, particularly as Polar Present and Tellthemnuttin would prefer better ground. If there is a fly in the ointment, it is likely to be the unexposed four-year-old Lesley Dawn in receipt of weight-for-age allowances.