Annesley Williams Rated Novice Hurdle

Off time: 15:26 | Winning time: 5m 5.60s

Pakens Rock¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Liam Quinlan⁽⁷⁾| T: B J Murphy| OR: 130| C

2/1

Comes here on the back of a couple of well-earned wins in maiden and novice company in the last five weeks. Deserves to take his chance in this company.

Form: 4-25711

Foveros⁸⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| CD

6/4

French import, winner over C&D when last seen in August, beating Little Nugget ½L. Yard have a 38% strike rate at this meeting in the last four years including a win in this contest 12 months ago with Dorrells Piergi.

Form: 121

Quartz Du Rheu¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Mark Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 132

5/2

French import, winner of two of his three starts over hurdles since debut in August and represents yard who landed the spoils in this contest 12 months ago have a 38% strike rate at this meeting since 2015.

Form: 4-121

Take A Turn²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: M A Enright| T: G Elliott| OR: 122

20/1

Well beaten in a couple of starts on the Flat recently and needs to improve on a below-par effort over hurdles at Roscommon in June. Represents a yard who are eight from 36 runners in the last four years.

Form: 0971-1P

Advanced Virgo^p²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-6| J: A W Short⁽³⁾| T: C Byrnes| OR: 123

14/1

62-rated handicapper on the Flat for trainer George Scott. Won a maiden hurdle over 2m at Navan last month on his fourth start over hurdles. Likely to be a big danger and any market move could be significant.

Form: 93-51

Forecasts

Foveros (6/4), Pakens Rock (2/1), Quartz Du Rheu (5/2), Advanced Virgo (14/1), Take A Turn (20/1)

As well as having a 38% strike rate at this meeting in the last four years the Willie Mullins yard landed the spoils in this contest 12 months ago and can add to that tally here with the J P McManus-owned QUARTZ DU RHEU. The four-year-old won as he liked over 2m3f at Downpatrick earlier this month and should have enough in the locker to see off stablemate Foveros the mount of Paul Townend. In a tight contest, course winner, Pakens Rock and the Charles Byrnes-trained Advanced Virgo should not be taken lightly.