Fishery Lane Hurdle (Grade 3)

Off time: 13:06 | Winning time: 3m 54.80s

Mr Adjudicator¹⁹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 149| D

5/2

Was 2-4 over timber last season, including Grade 1 Spring Hurdle at Leopardstown (2m, soft) and runner-up in Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham. 3L second to Saldier at Punchestown in April on final start.

Form: 1122-

Saldier¹⁹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 152| D

13/8

2-4 over hurdles last season. Faded late in the Triumph at Cheltenham (2m1f, soft) in March but turned that form right around when defeating the winner and runner-up Mr Adjudicator in Punchestown's Champion 4-Y-O contest in April. Leading claims.

Form: 1531-

Espoir D'allen²⁷⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: Mark Walsh| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 147| BF| D

3/1

Appeared to have juvenile class at his mercy when recording four quick successes last winter, including impressive dismissal of subsequent Triumph Hurdle winner Farclas at Leopardstown in December. Raced too keenly back there in February, off since.

Form: 1/11114-

Mastermind¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: D N Russell| T: C O'Brien| OR: 122| CD

10/1

2-7 over hurdles, though well-held in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham when last spotted over timber. Fit from couple of recent Flat spins but a shock if he betters all of the likely market-leading trio above him on the racecard.

Form: 163120-

Conron²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 121| D

10/1

Punchestown maiden hurdle winner, doubled tally in a 2m handicap back there last month. All sorts to find with best of these on ratings however.

Form: 135941

Grey Waters²⁷⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 120| D

25/1

Couple of early wins over hurdles towards the end of last summer but come up well short Graded/Listed novice company behind likes of Mr Adjudicator and Espoir D'Allen thereafter. She must improve significantly on that form back from a break.

Form: 211543-

Forecasts

Saldier (13/8), Mr Adjudicator (5/2), Espoir D'allen (3/1), Mastermind (10/1), Conron (10/1), Grey Waters (25/1)

The top-three on the card appear the ones to focus on. Mr Adjudicator was second in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March while stablemate Saldier was only fifth. Ruby Walsh is on the latter here and he comfortably turned the Festival form around at Punchestown in April (with both the first and second in his wake). A chance is taken with ESPOIR D'ALLEN to down the Mullins pair, on the strength of his Grade 2 Leopardstown win last Christmas. He was unbeaten in four over timber then and going places. Surely he'll prove his Dublin Racing Festival run in February to be all wrong. The remaining trio have a big task ahead of them.