14:32 Naas

Sunday 12 March 2023

All13:5714:3215:0715:4216:1716:5217:27

Bar One Racing 'Guaranteed Overnight Prices' Kingsfurze Novice Hurdle (Grade 3)

Off time: 14:33 | Winning time: 4m 4.07s

No Looking Back⁷³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Phillip Enright| T: O McKiernan

8/1

Lightly-raced winner under Rules. 3/1, won 2-runner Grade 2 hurdle at Limerick (16f, heavy) 73 days ago by 2¾ lengths from Brazil, well on top finish. This is more demanding under a penalty but he remains open to improvement.

Form: 14-11

Irish Point³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 142

1/4

Smart hurdler. 15/2, 16¼ lengths fourth of 6 to Il Etait Temps in Brave Inca Novices' Hurdle at Leopardstown (16f, good to soft) 35 days ago. Big player down in grade here.

Form: 31-1224

Monty's Way^t¹³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: P J O'Hanlon| T: G Stanley

250/1

Useful Flat winner. Twice-raced maiden over hurdles. 100/1 and tongue strap on for 1st time, twelfth of 14 in novice hurdle at Wexford (16.4f, heavy) 132 days ago.

Form: 70

Rumi^h¹⁵⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: E J O'Grady

33/1

Once-raced winner over hurdles. Tenth of 14 in handicap at Thurles (16f, soft, 10/3). Switches from Flat to hurdles and he's open to improvement in this sphere.

Form: 1

Lily Du Berlais^h,t¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: D A Jacob| T: S R B Crawford

6/1

Lightly-raced winner under Rules. 11/1, 19¼ lengths fourth of 6 to Corbetts Cross in Johnstown Novices' Hurdle at this course (15.5f, good to soft) on hurdles bow 14 days ago. Likely to improve.

Form: 11-224

Good Heavens^t¹¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Mark Walsh| T: J P O'Brien| BF

14/1

Useful Flat winner. Once-raced maiden over hurdles, tenth of 16 in a Punchestown juvenile event (16.5f, good to soft, 11/5) in November. Likely to leave that form well behind in time.

Form: 0

Non-Runners

Nucky Johnson¹⁰³

Weight: 11-1| Age: 5

T: N Meade J: B J Cooper

Walhaan⁶

Weight: 11-1| Age: 7

T: Ciaran Murphy J: E Walsh

Forecasts

Irish Point (1/4), Lily Du Berlais (6/1), Nucky Johnson (15/2), No Looking Back (8/1), Good Heavens (14/1), Walhaan (14/1), Rumi (33/1), Monty's Way (250/1)

IRISH POINT was rather disappointing at Leopardstown last month but he's hard to knock otherwise and should prove hard to beat at this level. Several of his rivals are open to improvement, not least Nucky Johnson, who represents last year's winning yard and he rates the main danger. However, No Looking Back is also accorded respect, for all that he will need to step up a notch under a penalty here, while Lily Du Berlais is another who could have a part to play.