BetVictor Mares Hurdle (Listed)

Off time: 14:40 | Winning time: 4m 0.8s

Elimay¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 140| D

8/15

Off the mark for current connections at the third time of asking landing a Punchestown hurdle by 17L earlier this month. Major player once again if repeating that form.

Form: 222/26-1

Pearl Of The West^t¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: R M Power| T: J C McConnell| OR: 138| D

5/2

Fair effort in finishing 17L tenth in a valuable Grade 2 handicap at Ayr before winning a Grade B contest at the Punchestown festival last month. Another bold show looks likely.

Form: 21410-1

Dixie Lee¹⁹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: D F O'Regan| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 127

20/1

Winner of two of her 10 starts over hurdles the Holy Roman Emperor mare was out of form towards the end of the year, including a 67L defeat at Down Royal in November. Others preferred.

Form: 0/313P0-

High School Days¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 128

10/1

Three from 15 over hurdles with the wins coming in the guise of a Gowran Park, Wexford and Thurles hat trick in the fall of 2017. Not much since bar a beginners chase win last month. May need a couple to falter.

Form: U08018-

Kilbarry Way¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Jack Kennedy| T: C O'Keeffe| OR: 110| CD

22/1

Form has been below par since a win in a Clonmel maiden hurdle in November. Sent off at odds of 50/1 on latest start and probably best watched for now.

Form: 41685-0

Touch Of Gold²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: P D Kennedy| T: M Kennedy| OR: 101| CD

66/1

Dual hurdles winner in summer of 2017, in fair form recently on the AW at Dundalk. Return to hurdling offered nothing in the way of encouragement when finishing 12th of 19 beaten 35L last month. Tough ask.

Form: 66/F900-

Forecasts

Elimay (8/15), Pearl Of The West (5/2), High School Days (10/1), Dixie Lee (20/1), Kilbarry Way (22/1), Touch Of Gold (66/1)

Punchestown festival winner ELIMAY won as she liked 11 days ago in a 2m4f hurdle and the five-year-old can confidently take the step in to Listed company in this contest. The Willie Mullins-trained mare may have Pearl Of The West, who won a handicap hurdle at the same meeting last month, as her main danger. Dixie Lee and High School Days can scrimmage for prize money.