Red Mills Trial Hurdle (Grade 3)

Off time: 13:50 | Winning time: 3m 50.9s

Farclas^b1,t¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 152

7/2

Won last year's Triumph Hurdle, but has not found it easy since stepping into open company. Well held behind Apple's Jade in two Grade 1s this season. This is easier, but he does now have a bit to prove. Blinkers fitted for the first time.

Form: 215-6F5

Darasso²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: B J Geraghty| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 149

2/1

Has shown his best form over further than this, including when producing a career-best to be second at Punchestown (2m4f) two starts ago. Held by Presenting Percy (3m) here last time, but interesting if he has sufficient speed for this.

Form: 1116-25

Forge Meadow²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: P D Kennedy| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 144| CD

13/2

Won this last year on heavy, but was in better form going into that. Step back in the right direction last time. Can't rule out a repeat, but will need to better anything she has produced this season.

Form: P-32444

Glamorgan Duke²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Mr L P Gilligan| T: P J Gilligan

66/1

Showed some ability when placed in a maiden hurdle at Naas on last month's debut, but this is much tougher.

Form: 3

Rashaan⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Sean Flanagan| T: C Kidd| OR: 147| C| D

14/1

Successful over both fences and hurdles and over a range of trips, but even if he ran a career-best over hurdles here, it is not easy to envisage him winning.

Form: 22124R

Cristal Icon^t¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: C D Maxwell| T: T Mullins| OR: 116| D

100/1

Wide margin Cork maiden hurdle winner last year, but on an 11-race losing run under both codes since and looks out of her depth here.

Form: 90984P

Coeur Sublime⁵²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-3| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 132| BF| D

2/1

Has made a very promising start over hurdles and looked booked to go very close to winning a Leopardstown Grade 2 at Christmas, but fell at the last. Inexperienced, but receives plenty of weight and should go very well.

Form: 12F

Forecasts

Darasso (2/1), Coeur Sublime (2/1), Farclas (7/2), Forge Meadow (13/2), Rashaan (14/1), Glamorgan Duke (66/1), Cristal Icon (100/1)

Farclas will find this easier than when taking on stablemate Apple's Jade in two of his recent runs, but he will do well to concede lumps of weight to another Gordon Elliott inmate, COEUR SUBLIME, who could be destined for better things and is unfortunate not to have a Grade 2 win under his belt already. Forge Meadow is not written off from repeating last year's win, while Darasso is another obvious potential danger.