Bar One Racing Fortria Chase (Grade 2)

5YO plus | Class 1 | 2m | 7 Runners | Turf

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Sean Flanagan| T: B Connell| OR: 170| D

Unbeaten in bumpers/over hurdles and quickly developed into a top-class chaser last season, gaining an emotional success in Queen Mother Champion Chase in March. Followed up in Grade 1 at Punchestown in April and he's a lead player in this company on return to action.

Form: 5/23211-

Solness^t²⁰⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 161

Much-improved when making all in back-to-back Leopardstown Grade 1s during the winter, beating Marine Nationale on both occasions. However, had to settle for minor honours behind his old rival in each of the Grade 1 Spring Festivals and work to do if he's to turn the tables on him here.

Form: 241143-

Found A Fifty¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 164| BF| CD

Triple Grade 2 winner last season (including this race), bouncing right back to his best for the latest of them at Fairyhouse (19.7f) in April. Couldn't enhance good record fresh when fourth of 5 in Down Royal Grade 1 2 weeks ago but he could sharpen up for that ahead of repeat bid to land this.

Form: 11P51-4

Hercule Du Seuil^h,t¹⁸⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 151| CD

Smart hurdler/chaser who landed 4 of his 7 starts over fences as a novice. Disappointed in pair of starts last winter but back on track faced with a test of speed when landing 7-runner Killarney Grade 3 in May but this more demanding on these terms under forecast conditions.

Form: 143/3P-1

Touch Me Not²²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Danny Gilligan| T: G Elliott| OR: 150| D

Much improved over fences last season and landed a Punchestown Grade 2 12 months ago prior to consecutive seconds in Grade 1's. Didn't run his race in the Arkle at Cheltenham but fared much better despite a serious error when fourth in Aintree Grade 1 final start. Could do better again this term.

Form: 212254-

Captain Guinness²⁰⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: Mike O'Connor| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 162| CD

Champion Chase winner at the Cheltenham Festival in 2024. Didn't give his running first 3 starts back last winter (pulled up in this race) but much more like it when placed behind Marine Nationale on final 2 starts. However, he may have to settle for minor honours again on return to action.

Form: 2/P5632-

Dinoblue^t¹⁹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Mark Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 160| D

Very smart chaser who ended last season firmly at the top of her game, successful in Mares' Chase at the Festival prior to readily bringing up the hat-trick in Grade 2 at Punchestown in May. Record fresh is a positive and she may provide chief resistance to Marine Nationale.

Form: 3/24111-

Forecasts

Marine Nationale (13/8), Dinoblue (3/1), Captain Guinness (5/1), Found A Fifty (7/1), Hercule Du Seuil (8/1), Solness (10/1), Touch Me Not (25/1)

MARINE NATIONALE quickly cemented himself as top class in this division last season, with Grade 1 victories at both Cheltenham and Punchestown in the spring and he's fancied to make a bold bid on this return from 6 months off. Fellow dual Festival winner Dinoblue has a very good record fresh and may pose chief resistance, ahead of last year's winner Found A Fifty who has the benefit of a recent run under his belt.