AES Champion Four Year Old Hurdle (Grade 1)

Off time: 16:27 | Winning time: 3m 51.90s

Coko Beach⁵²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 135

12/1

Won well on his sole start in France and improved from yard debut finishing behind Band Of Outlaws at Naas and in the Grade 3 Fred Winter at the Cheltenham festival. More needed in this company.

Form: 1932

Fakir D'Oudairies³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Mr D O'Connor| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 149| D

7/4

Easy winner of a Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham in January, ducked that race in favour of the Supreme in March and finished an honourable fourth before finding Pentland Hills a little too strong in a Grade 1 Aintree contest last month.

Form: 4F1142

Fusil Raffles⁷⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: D A Jacob| T: N J Henderson| OR: 145| D

13/8

Two starts for Guillame Macaire saw a debut win and close second. Won on stable debut in a Grade 2 contest at Kempton in February over 2m. Appears an improving sort and a leading player.

Form: 121

Way Back Home^p,t¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: R M Power| T: P Roche| OR: 131| D

16/1

Off the mark for connections at the fifth time of asking over hurdles before landing a Grade 3 contest at Fairyhouse in February, before being well held at the same venue stepping up in class last month. Plenty to prove at present.

Form: 353114

French Made¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 136| D

10/3

Took her chance in the Triumph hurdle at the Cheltenham festival when a not disgraced eighth of 14 before getting off the mark for connections in the Grade 2 Juvenile hurdle at Fairyhouse last month, beating Gardens Of Babylon ½L. Form solid.

Form: 2181

Non-Runners

Surin⁹⁰

Weight: 10-7| Age: 4

T: G Elliott J: Jack Kennedy

Forecasts

Fusil Raffles (13/8), Fakir D'Oudairies (7/4), French Made (10/3), Surin (8/1), Coko Beach (12/1), Way Back Home (16/1)

The run of FAKIR D'OUDAIRIES when fourth of 16 to Klassical Dream at the age of four was solid form in the Supreme novices at the Cheltenham festival before running the well thought of Pentland Hills to a neck at Aintree in the Grade 1 Juvenile hurdle last month. A repeat of those runs can see the J P McManus-owned gelding can land the spoils here. The Nicky Henderson-trained Fusil Raffles looked impressive when sustaining an injury winning the Grade 2 Juvenile hurdle at Kempton in February and can emerge as the biggest danger, while French Made for the Willie Mullins yard can claim prize money.