BARONERACING.COM Hatton's Grace Hurdle (Grade 1)

Off time: 14:37 | Winning time: 5m 24.60s

Bacardys²⁶²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 155| D

14/1

Won Navan Grade 2 before chasing home Honeysuckle in this 12 months ago. Last seen finishing a good third in Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March but Ronald Pump was 3 lengths ahead of him.

Form: 6/21243-

Beacon Edge³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 149

11/2

Useful hurdler who readily notched a first Graded success at Galway last month but he'll need to step up a good bit on that bare form to seriously trouble Honeysuckle.

Form: 3122-11

Cracking Smart^b,t²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 154| C| D

50/1

Smart hurdler but was well held when falling last in Navan Grade 2 on his reappearance 3 weeks ago. Will need to leave that run behind.

Form: P7514-F

Ronald Pump^t²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Keith Donoghue| T: M J Smith| OR: 156| BF| C| D

11/1

Very smart hurdler who was an excellent 2 lengths second (Bacardys third) to Lisnagar Oscar in Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham (3m, soft) in March. In contention when falling last on return.

Form: 12242-F

Supasundae^p,t¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 151| D

28/1

Excellent servant to connections over the years but doubts as to whether he's anything like the force of old as he approaches his 11th birthday having finished well-held fifth on both runs this term.

Form: 1/247-55

Honeysuckle²⁶⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 159| CD

4/11

Beat Barcadys by 9 lengths when winning this last year and extended her unbeaten hurdle record to 8 when accounting for Benie des Dieux in Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March. Can't oppose.

Form: 11/1111-

Non-Runners

Fury Road¹⁴

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: G Elliott J: Jack Kennedy

Forecasts

Honeysuckle (4/11), Beacon Edge (11/2), Fury Road (8/1), Ronald Pump (11/1), Bacardys (14/1), Supasundae (28/1), Cracking Smart (50/1)

It's impossible to get away from HONEYSUCKLE who beat one of the best mares of recent times in Benie des Dieux when making it 8-8 over hurdles at Cheltenham in March and can land this race for the second year in succession on her return to action. Stayers' Hurdle 2-3 Ronald Pump and Barcadys can battle it out for minor honours with recent Punchestown Grade 2 scorer Fury Road.