16:40 Fairyhouse

Tuesday 23 April 2019

All14:1014:4015:1015:4016:1016:4017:1517:45

RYBO Handicap Hurdle (Grade A)

Off time: 16:42 | Winning time: 3m 54.50s

Mr Adjudicator³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 149| D

4/1

Winner of two of his six starts over hurdles and has hit the frame on a further three occasions. Never any threat in the County hurdle at the Cheltenham festival last month, but looks a leading player in this contest.

Form: 1122-28

Jezki^p⁸⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-9| J: C J Orr⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 148| CD

11/1

Popular former champion hurdle winning veteran. Ran well in defeat in a Leopardstown handicap hurdle in February but is generally finding it a bit of a struggle in graded company of late. Not taken lightly but plenty on his plate in this.

Form: P0-2042

Forge Meadow⁶⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 144| CD

16/1

Course winner who has also won over this trip. Has tasted victory in four of her 18 starts over hurdles and has not been disgraced in defeat in a couple of starts since the turn of the year. May need handicap debut.

Form: 324442

Countister³⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Mark Walsh| T: N J Henderson| OR: 138| D

11/2

Multiple Grade 2 winner in French bumpers and she made a promising start for this yard last season. Ran a cracker on her first start for 12 months finishing third of 254 beaten 1¾L in the County hurdle at the Cheltenham festival last month.

Form: 1/2115-3

Ivanovich Gorbatov^b,t⁸⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 137| D

11/1

The 2016 Triumph Hurdle winner has been back to the track 24 times since without winning and that impressive success seems a lifetime ago. Needs to bounce back in a big way to have a say here.

Form: 200003

Hearts Are Trumps⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: J S McGarvey| T: D McDonogh| OR: 136| BF| D

12/1

Three-time hurdles winner, including handicaps at Galway and Punchestown before the turn of the year. Beaten in three starts since and is hard to enthuse over in this company.

Form: 121403

Mitchouka^p1³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: K Brogan⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 134| CD

25/1

Won four hurdle starts last season including a Grade 3 over C&D. Has lost his way a little this term, out of sorts at Cheltenham last month. First time blinkers unlikely to bring about the required amount of improvement needed to play a role here.

Form: 54450P

Tudor City^t⁸⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: E O'Connell⁽⁵⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 133| CD

8/1

Sole win in 17 hurdle starts came in a maiden hurdle over C&D at this meeting two years ago. Appears to have been nicely warming to the task ahead in a couple of liveners at Leopardstown since December. One for the shortlist.

Form: 005-258

Cut The Mustard^h²³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 132| BF

9/1

Only has a maiden hurdle success to her name but she's been running well in defeat on recent starts. 11th of 24 never in the Grade 3 County hurdle at the Cheltenham festival before a 1¼L defeat at Limerick last month. Capable of hitting the frame.

Form: 0-72202

Denmead^t²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 131| D

6/1

A decent staying handicapper on the flat (rated 87 at his best) and has adapted well to hurdling. British raiding yard are in terrific form over the Bank Holiday weekend and cannot be underestimated.

Form: 1331

Avenir D'Une Vie^t1³³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-4| J: D P Holden⁽⁷⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 129| CD

33/1

Returned to hurdling for the first time in two years when finishing third of five at Cork last month. Only win of four over hurdles came over C&D in November 2016. Looks opposable on handicap debut with first time tongue tie.

Form: U2-9403

High School Days¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: B J Cooper| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 129| D

25/1

Won three times on spin in 2017 and she had been struggling in a number of starts before winning a Wexford beginners chase over 2m earlier this month on yielding ground. Out of form over hurdles but not completely ruled out.

Form: 3U0801

High Expectations²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: D F O'Regan| T: G Elliott| OR: 128| D

33/1

Four-time winning hurdler who finished down the field in the Grade 3 County hurdle at the Cheltenham festival when always towards the rear in the 2m1f contest. Well held on the Flat latest and needs to bounce back in a big way to have any say.

Form: 521030

Ask Susan²¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 9-10| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 121| D

7/1

Winner of two of her 11 starts over hurdles, last seen pulling up for the second race running at Navan in September on final start for trainer John Nicholson. Market likely to reveal expectations on debut for Champion trainer.

Form: 12F1PP

Scheu Time¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-10| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: J Nash| OR: 121| D

20/1

Two from 12 over hurdles but not won since landing an Ayr novice hurdle in October. Capable of going well but may find one or two better suited to today's conditions.

Form: 14F796

Tara Dylan¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 9-10| J: C D Maxwell| T: T Mullins| OR: 121

50/1

Hasn't won under either code since 2016 and only 1lb below her last winning mark. Finished last of 14 on latest start on the Flat at Naas earlier this month and is unlikely to figure in the finish.

Form: 304392

Non-Runners

Farclas⁴¹

Weight: 11-10| Age: 5

T: G Elliott J: P J Vaughan

Forecasts

Mr Adjudicator (4/1), Countister (11/2), Denmead (6/1), Ask Susan (7/1), Tudor City (8/1), Cut The Mustard (9/1), Ivanovich Gorbatov (11/1), Jezki (11/1), Hearts Are Trumps (12/1), Farclas (12/1), Forge Meadow (16/1), Scheu Time (20/1), High School Days (25/1), Mitchouka (25/1), High Expectations (33/1), Avenir D'Une Vie (33/1), Tara Dylan (50/1)

Champion trainer Willie Mullins has won this race in five of the last seven renewals with the likes of Vast Consumption, Daneking, Clondaw Warrior, Thomas Hobson and Low Sun taking the honours 12 months ago. The Ruby Walsh ridden MR ADJUDICATOR can lead the field home here following a respectable run in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival last month. The yards other runners Cut The Mustard and the interesting Ask Susan, on stable debut can go well be may be run out of the places by Countister and Tudor City.