13:25 Fairyhouse

Sunday 4 December 2022

All11:5512:2512:5513:2513:5514:3015:0515:35

Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle (Grade 1)

Off time: 13:25 | Winning time: 4m 9.8s

Champ Kiely⁶³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| D

10/11

Promising type. Won 7-runner Joe Mac Novices' Hurdle (4/5) at Tipperary (16f, good) 63 days ago by 4½ lengths from Brazil, impressively. Ought to go close.

Form: U/1-11

Hercule Du Seuil^h,t²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: L P Dempsey| T: W P Mullins| D

12/1

Promising sort. Won 5-runner For Auction Novices' Hurdle at Navan (16f, soft, 11/10) 21 days ago by ¾ length from Imagine, always holding on. Should continue to give a good account.

Form: 2/8-11

Irish Point¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-12| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| D

18/1

Highly promising type. First run since leaving E. D' Andigne when won 23-runner novice hurdle (2/7) at Cork (16f, soft) on IRE NH debut 14 days ago, plenty in hand. Should do much better.

Form: 31-1

Marine Nationale⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: B Connell| D

11/2

Highly promising sort. 3 wins from 3 runs this season. Won 12-runner novice hurdle (4/9) at Punchestown (16f, good) on hurdles bow 53 days ago, impressively. Open to significant progress.

Form: 111

Path D'oroux³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell| D

5/1

Twice-raced winner under NH rules. Tongue strap on for 1st time, won 20-runner novice hurdle at Galway (16.4f, heavy, 15/8) on hurdles bow 36 days ago, comfortably. Likely to improve.

Form: 511-1

Polo Lounge^t⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| D

40/1

Lightly-raced winner under NH rules. 8/13, career best when winning 18-runner novice hurdle at Limerick (16f, soft) on hurdles bow 42 days ago, travelling strongly. Uphill task.

Form: 2-4211

Prairie Dancer^b²²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-12| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 142| D

28/1

Useful hurdler. 11/2, 9½ lengths third of 4 to Brazil in Fishery Lane Hurdle at Naas (16f, soft) 22 days ago.

Form: 117313

Ashroe Diamond²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins| D

13/2

Lightly-raced winner under NH rules. Career best when winning 25-runner novice hurdle (4/9) at Naas (16f, soft) on hurdles bow 22 days ago. More needed.

Form: 1241-1

Forecasts

Champ Kiely (10/11), Path D'oroux (5/1), Marine Nationale (11/2), Ashroe Diamond (13/2), Hercule Du Seuil (12/1), Irish Point (18/1), Prairie Dancer (28/1), Polo Lounge (40/1)

CHAMP KIELY looked something out of the ordinary when maintaining his unbeaten record under Rules in a Grade 3 at Tipperary in October and can take this step up to Grade 1 company in his stride. Marine Nationale and Irish Point are both open to significant progress so rate the main threats.