Easter Festival Early Bird Ends March 1st Rated Novice Hurdle

4YO plus | 2m | 5 Runners | Turf

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 113

Fair hurdler. 7/1, only fifth of 7 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (19.1f, heavy) 12 days ago. Stable in good form so he could bounce back.

Form: 208/45

Kentucky Beach^t⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Tiernan Power Roche⁽³⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 112| BF

Fairly useful hurdler. In good form until a below-par sixth of 10 in handicap hurdle at Tramore (16.8f, soft) 46 days ago when not fitted with his usual tongue strap. Headgear goes back on now so he's well worth another chance off a handy-looking mark.

Form: 325/226

Piccolo Player²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Michael Kenneally⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 109| D

Lightly-raced over hurdles and a winner at Limerick in November. 20/1, good third of 13 in handicap hurdle at Thurles (15.8f, good to soft) 29 days ago, better placed than most. In the mix once more.

Form: 61693

Lynches Knock²²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott

2m2f Leopardstown hurdles winner in December before an excellent second of 12 in juvenile hurdle (7/2) at Naas (15.9f, heavy) 22 days ago. Stable having good spell so he's a likely player.

Form: 312

Mode Avion^t¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: Josh Williamson⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 117

Fair hurdler who got back on track when third of 12 in juvenile hurdle at Thurles (15.8f, heavy, 7/1) 18 days ago. Can make his presence felt.

Form: 1/343

Forecasts

Lynches Knock (7/4), Mode Avion (11/4), Kentucky Beach (4/1), Lumiere Du Large (4/1), Piccolo Player (6/1)

KENTUCKY BEACH saw his run of good efforts come to an end when sixth at Tramore last time but with his usual headgear quickly refitted here he is worth siding with to capitalise on a lenient mark. Piccolo Player is next on the list on the back of a good Thurles third ahead of the Gordon Elliott-trained duo Lynches Knock and Mode Avion.