Horse & Jockey Hotel Rated Novice Hurdle

Off time: 14:41 | Winning time: 6m 35.1s

Mr Fred Rogers^t¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Shane Fitzgerald⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott

1/1

Confirmed hurdling debut promise when winning 21f maiden at Punchestown in November. Not disgraced up in grade when third at Navan 15 days ago and remains open to improvement.

Form: 1-213

Mythical Hero³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Danny Mullins| T: Ms M Mullins

8/1

Showed only a bit in bumpers but made a winning debut over hurdles in 22-runner maiden at Cork (2m) 35 days ago, always holding on. Significantly up in trip and open to further improvement.

Form: 30-1

Nell's Well¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: M M McDonagh⁽⁷⁾| T: S O O'Brien| OR: 118

6/4

Showed improved form when winning 8-runner Grade 3 hurdle at Cork (24f, soft) 14 days ago by 8 lengths from Churchstonewarrior, suited by increase in trip. Has to be strongly respected.

Form: P6-1221

Highland Sting¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: L P Dempsey| T: J P Ryan

50/1

Has gone backwards from an encouraging hurdling debut, pulling up in Grade 3 event at Cork (24f, soft) 14 days ago won by Nell's Well.

Form: 26P

Quaker Island¹²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: K C Sexton| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 115

12/1

Fairly useful hurdler. Winner at Wexford in June but ran no sort of race at Killarney on final outing in August. Needs to bounce back.

Form: 3-31660

Non-Runners

Coastal World³¹

Weight: 11-5| Age: 6

T: Ciaran Murphy J: C J Orr

Forecasts

Mr Fred Rogers (1/1), Nell's Well (6/4), Coastal World (5/1), Mythical Hero (8/1), Quaker Island (12/1), Highland Sting (50/1)

MY FRED ROGERS was far from disgraced in a Grade 2 event at Navan 15 days ago, and with the step up in trip promising to unlock a bigger performance, he looks the way to go. Nell's Well and Coastal World rate the chief threats.