Christy O'Connor Memorial Rated Novice Hurdle

Off time: 19:20 | Winning time: 5m 14.00s

Poker D'Ainay¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: D J Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 114| D

7/2

Possesses by far and away the most convincing profile out of these overall, despite being pulled-up at Galway (3m; good) when he was reported to be "clinically abnormal". Can get back to winning ways in this less competitive assignment.

Form: P3-221P

Game Present⁶⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: H Morgan⁽⁷⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 113

9/4

Stepped up on previous exploits when enjoying a bloodless first victory over hurdles to win by nine-length at Downpatrick (2m3f; yielding). Intriguing contender after that, and he does look the chief danger to Poker D'ainay.

Form: 2-F01

Generator City^p1¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: D G Hogan| T: D Hogan| OR: 109

15/8

Holds a similar profile to his stablemate in regards to being incapable of following up a promising first career success when running the Galway Festival (2m5f; good). This is less competitive, but others hold more appealing profiles.

Form: 8-34510

Al Sakb^p¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: T Ryan⁽⁷⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 105

8/1

Notched first career success at the ninth attempt when comfortably scoring over hurdles at Ballinrobe (2m1f; good). Ran nowhere near that level when a major disappointment in a handicap at Galway (2m; good) and so is hard to fancy.

Form: 0-30910

Amor Verdadero³²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 100| BF| D

8/1

Unable to follow up initial first career success which came over this trip when he was a three-length scorer at Bellewstown (2m4f; good). Drop back in trip probably damaged his chances when he was sent off at EVS last time. Now returns to 2m4f.

Form: 422217

Lake Chad¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-6| J: Brian Hayes| T: P Fenton| OR: 99

25/1

Gone backwards after making a debut which did offer some promise moving forward. Never able to land a blow when 11th of 19 in a maiden hurdle at Cork (2m3f; yielding) last time. Others have vastly more pressing claims.

Form: 6-800

Forecasts

Generator City (15/8), Game Present (9/4), Poker D'Ainay (7/2), Amor Verdadero (8/1), Al Sakb (8/1), Lake Chad (25/1)

On what these have shown so far, the selection simply has to be POKER D'AINAY who had excuses when pulled-up at Galway last time out. He looked a progressive sort prior to that and this represents a golden opportunity for him to resume winning ways. Confidence would be higher in Game Present if his yard were in better form, and there should be more to come from him after he produced a vastly improved display to rout his opposition in a maiden hurdle at Downpatrick. The aforementioned pair look streets ahead of their opposition but Amor Verdadero should be able to grab a place returned to a more suitable distance.