Brand New Racing Post App Novice Chase (Grade 1)

Off time: 14:20 | Winning time: 4m 17.7s

Hollow Games^t⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: D F O'Regan| T: G Elliott| C| D

9/2

Smart chaser. 7/4, career best when winning 11-runner novice chase at Navan (17f, soft) on debut over fences 43 days ago, well on top finish. Fil Dor is presumably the stable No 1 and he has to concede 6 lb to that rival.

Form: 13335-1

Midnight Run³⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr T Hamilton| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 143| D

14/1

Smart chaser. 7/4, career best when winning 6-runner Craddockstown Novices' Chase at Punchestown (16.8f, good to soft) 37 days ago by 9 lengths from Mars Harper, easily. This is tougher.

Form: 4F-2231

Saint Roi^t²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Mark Walsh| T: W P Mullins| D

3/1

Very smart hurdler. 7/4, 4 lengths second of 15 to Fil Dor in novice chase at Navan (17f, heavy) on debut over fences 29 days ago. 2 lb pull with that rival now and yard has a tremendous recent record in this race.

Form: 3444-32

Visionarian⁷⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Keith Donoghue| T: Peter Fahey

25/1

Useful chaser. 2 wins from 3 runs this season. Creditable 3¾ lengths second of 6 to Adamantly Chosen in Buck House Novices' Chase at Punchestown (18.6f, good, 9/2) 75 days ago, no match for winner.

Form: 270-112

Fil Dor²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| C| D

8/11

Promising individual. 10/11, career best when winning 15-runner novice chase at Navan (17f, heavy) on debut over fences 29 days ago by 4 lengths from Saint Roi, easily. High-class chaser in the making.

Form: 1222-21

Forecasts

Fil Dor (8/11), Saint Roi (3/1), Hollow Games (9/2), Midnight Run (14/1), Visionarian (25/1)

On the face of it, SAINT ROI has plenty on his plate given that he was comprehensively outpointed by Fil Dor on his chase debut at Navan and meets that rival on just 2 lb better terms here. Conversely, he's entitled to come on for that run given that it was his first for 5 months, and the Willie Mullins yard has landed this prize 7 times since 2011. That said, Fil Dor is greatly respected and won't go down without a fight, while his stablemate Hollow Games is also a strong candidate.