Belvedere House, Gardens & Park Novice Hurdle

Off time: 17:21 | Winning time: 6m 25.80s

Friary Rock^b²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Phillip Enright| T: M F Morris| OR: 118

9/2

Fair hurdler. Blinkered for 1st time, career best when winning 11-runner novice hurdle at Sligo (20.8f, good, 4/1) 23 days ago, forging clear. Up in trip. Likely to come up short for ability.

Form: 5537-71

Oscar Montel²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: C P McNamara⁽⁵⁾| T: E McNamara| OR: 122

4/1

Fair hurdler. 1 win from 2 runs this season. Winner in hurdle at Limerick in July. 6/1, third of 5 in novice hurdle at Killarney (22.8f, soft) 22 days ago. Difficult ask.

Form: 2053-13

Metal Man^b¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 117

9/2

Fairly useful hurdler. Winner in hurdle at Navan in March. Excellent second of 10 in handicap hurdle at Bellewstown (24f, heavy, 33/1) 17 days ago. Leading claims.

Form: 5817-72

Royal Aide^t¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Donagh Meyler| T: D Hogan| OR: 112

15/2

Fairly useful hurdler. 4/1, respectable fourth of 10 in handicap hurdle at Bellewstown (24f, heavy) 17 days ago. Still in good order and could get competitive.

Form: 5-52314

Flemings Dream²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: R P Cody| CD

6/4

Won 14-runner novice hurdle (5/2) at this C&D (soft) 21 days ago, staying on well. This looks much tougher, though.

Form: 0-21

Non-Runners

Soldiers Hill¹¹

Weight: 11-10| Age: 5

T: G Elliott J: Keith Donoghue

Forecasts

Flemings Dream (6/4), Oscar Montel (4/1), Metal Man (9/2), Friary Rock (9/2), Soldiers Hill (6/1), Royal Aide (15/2)

METAL MAN posted a career best when second in Bellewstown handicap 17 days ago and a reproduction would probably be enough for him to land this at the likely expense of his stablemate Soldiers Hill, who also seems to be in top form. Royal Aide is the pick of the remainder.