Mongey Communications Beginners Chase

Off time: 15:15 | Winning time: 4m 59.20s

Big Stage³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny Gilligan| T: G Elliott

18/1

Fairly useful hurdler. Successful at Downpatrick in May. 8/1, eleventh of 14 in handicap hurdle at Listowel (20f, soft) 36 days ago. Makes chase debut.

Form: 322-210

Firefox¹⁸⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Sam Ewing| T: G Elliott| C

2/7

Smart hurdler. Good 1¾ lengths second of 9 to Mystical Power in Champion Novices' Hurdle at Punchestown (16.7f, good to soft, 9/2), clear of rest. Off 6 months ahead of this chase debut. Could take high rank in the novice chasers' division this season.

Form: 114322-

Gringo D'aubrelle¹⁰²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Jordan Gainford| T: G Elliott

33/1

Useful hurdler. Latest win in hurdle at Fairyhouse in November 2021. Placed in Graded novice events on final 2 starts of 2021/22 campaign. Subsequent absence an obvious concern ahead of this chase debut.

Form: 321132/

Mossy Fen Park²¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| CD

4/1

Thrice-raced winner over hurdles. Runner-up in a Grade 2 novice hurdle at Fairyhouse (2½m, heavy, 14/1) when last seen in March. This former point winner is an interesting recruit to the chasing ranks.

Form: 41/212-

No Time To Wait¹¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Alex Harvey⁽⁵⁾| T: J C McConnell| C

33/1

First run since leaving Gordon Elliott when pulled up in novice chase at Kilbeggan (25.4f, good to soft, 8/1) on debut over fences 112 days ago, eased between last 2. Likely to leave that form well behind in time.

Form: 87/314-P

One Night Standard³⁰

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

40/1

Promising sort. 2 wins from 5 runs this season. 11/8, fifth of 8 in novice chase at Sligo (21.1f, good) on debut over fences 30 days ago. Open to improvement in this sphere.

Form: 5-13715

Forecasts

Firefox (2/7), Mossy Fen Park (4/1), Big Stage (18/1), No Time To Wait (33/1), Gringo D'aubrelle (33/1), One Night Standard (40/1)

This maiden chase has been won by some smart types over the years and FIREFOX is taken to add his name to that list. He performed with great credit in Grade 1 novice hurdles at the three big festivals on both sides of the Irish Sea during the spring, and he has the potential to develop into a top-notch novice chaser. Mossy Fen Park showed plenty over hurdles last season, too, and he gets the nod for forecast purposes ahead of the long-absent Gringo d'Aubrelle.