Castlerea Novice Chase

Off time: 16:38 | Winning time: 4m 7.60s

Lieutenant Highway¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Danny Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott

11/8

Useful hurdler. 22¾ lengths fourth of 8 to Hercule Du Seuil in novice chase (33/1) at Ballinrobe (17f, good) on debut over fences 14 days ago. Open to progress.

Form: 113P-54

Hope Des Blins⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Liam Quinlan⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 112| D

9/1

Fair hurdler. Fifteen runs since last win in 2022. 14/1, fourth of 5 in novice chase at Tramore (15.4f, good) 9 days ago. Looks vulnerable.

Form: 8FF5-44

Roseys Hollow²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-9| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: Jonathan Sweeney| OR: 128| D

5/6

Useful hurdler. Creditable third of 10 in novice chase at Killarney (20f, good to soft, 5/2) 29 days ago. Should give a good account.

Form: 53/23-F3

Non-Runners

Hercule Du Seuil¹⁴

Weight: 11-7| Age: 6

T: W P Mullins J: J S McGarvey

Forecasts

Hercule Du Seuil (1/2), Roseys Hollow (5/6), Lieutenant Highway (11/8), Hope Des Blins (9/1)

It's hard to look beyond HERCULE DU SEUIL, who went one better than on his chase debut when scoring in good style at Ballinrobe a fortnight ago. A dual winner of graded race over hurdles, he remains open to improvement in this sphere. Roseys Hollow gets the nod for forecast purposes ahead of Lieutenant Highway, who didn't shape badly when fourth in the Ballinrobe maiden chase won by Hercule Du Seuil on his first start over the larger obstacles.