Horse & Jockey Rated Novice Hurdle

Off time: 14:45 | Winning time: 5m 2.9s

Anything Will Do²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 135

3/1

Won four times over hurdles in just six starts since September. No match for the likes of Andy Dufresne in a Grade 2 novice hurdle over a similar trip at Punchestown last month. Claims in this company stepping up in trip.

Form: 131113

The Bosses Oscar⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 132| C| D

11/10

Off the mark over hurdles at the second attempt in a Leopardstown 2m4½f maiden over Christmas. Plenty of fancy entries in the offing and more than capable of having his say in this contest.

Form: 3-2121

Belfast Banter⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: K C Sexton| T: Peter Fahey| BF

7/1

Failed to build on a promising debut over hurdles at Navan in December with a couple of dismal efforts in maidens last month. Bit more needed but capable of bouncing back.

Form: 2-312F5

French Dynamite^p1³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: R M Power| T: M F Morris| C

5/1

Winner on hurdling debut at this venue in November but well behind Envoi Allen in a Grade 1 novice hurdle at Naas early last month. Likely to improve in first-time cheekpieces.

Form: 115

Shanwalla¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: J G Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Gilligan| OR: 122| D

7/1

Eight-race maiden over hurdles, struggling in a couple of dismal efforts last month. Not out of it but may need a couple to falter.

Form: 33U046

Forecasts

The Bosses Oscar (11/10), Anything Will Do (3/1), French Dynamite (5/1), Belfast Banter (7/1), Shanwalla (7/1)

It's hard to get away from the chances of the Gordon Elliott-trained THE BOSSES OSCAR following a facile win in a Leopardstown maiden hurdle when last seen in December. Anything Will Do is the obvious danger after a hat-trick of wins in novice company before running well in defeat in the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer novices' at Punchestown last month. The Paul Gilligan-trained Shanwalla suggests we may not have seen the best of him yet and shouldn't be taken lightly receiving weight all round.