For Auction Novice Hurdle (Grade 3)

Off time: 13:11 | Winning time: 4m 14.70s

Morgan^h⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 141| D

3/1

Reversed Galway placings with Housesofparliament when failing to give 11lb to a useful looking Mullins runner in a Tipperary Grade 3. Sets a high standard for last year's winning stable and clearly at home on testing ground.

Form: 4-21212

Jimmy Breekie²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: P E Corbett| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 123| CD

50/1

Has won on heavy ground but considered better on a sounder surface. Overall form gives him plenty to find and latest effort was his worst for some time.

Form: 15-5126

Mengli Khan⁵⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| CD

5/4

Former useful juvenile on the Flat who ran Triumph Hurdle fourth Ex Patriot to a length on hurdling debut. Wisely put away with a novice campaign in mind for this season and effortlessly landed his maiden over C&D. Potentially smart.

Form: 24-1

Stratum⁵⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| D

7/4

Fair Flat performer who was an impressive winner of his maiden at Galway. Showed a good turn of foot that day and worthy of his place in this lineup. Stable took this with another four-year-old, McKinley, in 2014.

Form: 1

Take Five²⁸⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Mr J P Berry| T: J A Berry

150/1

Arakan gelding who cost €3,000 as a yearling and was fifth of seven on his only start in a point-to-point. Highly tried on rules debut.

Form: 5-

Classic Theatre⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: A E Lynch| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 114| D

25/1

Well behind Morgan at Tipperary and again outclassed in this grade last week. Stable took this in 2012 and 2015 but hard to see this one adding to their tally.

Form: 241-145

Forecasts

Mengli Khan (5/4), Stratum (7/4), Morgan (3/1), Classic Theatre (25/1), Jimmy Breekie (50/1), Take Five (150/1)

Gordon Elliott had the first two in this last year and is well represented this time. Morgan sets a high standard but he faces a potentially hard task in trying to concede weight to two talented younger rivals. Stable companion Mengli Khan ran in the Racing Post Trophy and his second to Ex Patriot reads particularly well. He was beaten in this grade on heavy ground and it is possible he will prove better on less testing conditions. STRATUM impressed at Galway on soft ground when quickening up nicely between the final two flights to assert his superiority. He looks another smart recruit for the Mullins team out of John Gosden's yard and he is taken to add another string to his bow.