Buy Your 2018 Annual Membership Rated Novice Hurdle

Off time: 12:31 | Winning time: 4m 13.6s

Suitor^p⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G Elliott| D

3/1

Fair Flat maiden who won over hurdles at the second attempt at Limerick last time. Still needs to improve on that effort and looks the stable's second string based on jockey bookings.

Form: 31

Roaring Bull¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| CD

5/1

Still held every chance up against two nice prospects at Gowran Park last time when making a mess of the last and losing all chance. May well be able to bounce back from that if improving his jumping in the closing stages.

Form: 1-13

Trainwreck³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: D Robinson⁽⁵⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 123

7/2

Off the mark at Clonmel last time having run well in three previous starts under rules. Beat a well-regarded horse comprehensively there and not impossible he could build on that to score again here.

Form: 1/42-61

Us And Them²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: J J Slevin⁽³⁾| T: J P O'Brien| D

9/2

Ran okay in bumpers before winning over hurdles at the first attempt at Cork last time. This represents a tougher task but he showed he handles this type of ground on that occasion.

Form: 24-31

Low Sun¹⁰¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins

5/2

Just came out on top at odds-on on debut for these top connections at Bellewstown in August. Off since and this is tougher, but very common for novice hurdlers from this yard to progress well.

Form: 1

Forecasts

Low Sun (5/2), Suitor (3/1), Trainwreck (7/2), Us And Them (9/2), Roaring Bull (5/1)

A small but open field for this opening contest, and ROARING BULL may be able to get back to winning ways. Gordon Elliott's charge still held every chance when coming to the last in a hot novice hurdle at Gowran last time before losing all momentum on landing over the last and never picking back up again. Provided he avoids a similar mishap he represents a progressive option who should have a future at a higher level than this. Meanwhile Low Sun won, albeit narrowly, on debut at Bellewstown last time and has to be respected for the Willie Mullins and Rich Ricci, while Trainwreck impressed when breaking his maiden at Clonmel last time.