Guinness Rated Novice Chase

Off time: 16:11 | Winning time: 5m 38.8s

Crosshue Boy^t²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr H D Dunne⁽⁵⁾| T: S Doyle| OR: 118| D

5/2

A winner last time in fair style, but is penalised here and is up against tougher opposition. Needs to improve but not necessarily likely to.

Form: 450611

Kopookris³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: D F O'Regan| T: L P Cusack| OR: 122

7/4

A winner two starts back at Thurles and not too far away at Naas last time under a bigger weight (both handicaps), but has questions to answer back in novice company.

Form: 5-88513

Mr Boss Man⁷⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Robbie Colgan| T: N Slevin| OR: 119

28/1

Versatile type in terms of the variety of races he has tackled in his career, but all his best form on a sounder surface and is likely to be found out by the ground here.

Form: 20F485

Barna Gallery¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: S A Mulcahy⁽⁷⁾| T: D Hogan

66/1

Point-to-point placed mare who only slightly outran her 100/1 odds at Thurles last time and difficult to see her getting involved in this.

Form: U-53555

Fire In His Eyes^p,t⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 123| D

6/4

Second in his last three chases and can be considered somewhat unlucky not to have yet gotten off the mark. Beaten only by a long odds-on shot last time in an otherwise similar race and should go very close here.

Form: 347222

Forecasts

Fire In His Eyes (6/4), Kopookris (7/4), Crosshue Boy (5/2), Mr Boss Man (28/1), Barna Gallery (66/1)

After a string of seconds FIRE IN HIS EYES should have enough about him to finally win a race here. Perhaps unlucky to remain a maiden over fences at this stage he has shown plenty of ability in chases so far and represents top connections. Hat-trick seeker Crosshue Boy could be second best under a penalty, ahead of Koopookris, who beat the selection at Thurles two starts back.