D. Ivo O'Sullivan Memorial Irish EBF Mares Hurdle

Off time: 17:05 | Winning time: 5m 1.90s

Grainne A Chroi⁴⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Alan O'Sullivan⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss M Harding| OR: 129| D

11/1

Resumed progress to land Grade 3 Quevega Mares Hurdle at Punchestown (2½m) on return. Back on track when 6¼ lengths third behind Murcia in similar event at Listowel (2m) last time. Return to further in her favour, though hard to be confident form will be reversed off same terms.

Form: 142/1P-3

Murcia^t⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 138

5/6

Grade 1 winner at Aintree as a juvenile. Plenty of useful form in defeat last season. Handled test of speed when comfortable winner of mares conditions hurdle at Listowel (2m) in late May. First try over 2½m unlikely to be a stiff test and expected to go well again with Paul Townend returning.

Form: 34050-1

Diamond Du Berlais^t⁷⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 132

10/3

Useful ex-French hurdler. Made a winning start for current yard at Ludlow in February before career-best sixth in Grade 2 Dawn Run at Cheltenham. Unsuited by emphasis on speed in 2m Punchestown listed event subsequently. Has been freshened up and should be seen to better effect back up in trip.

Form: P38164-

Run For Mahler^t⁴⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Phillip Enright| T: C Byrnes| OR: 124

12/1

Stoutly-bred type who narrowly won a bumper at the fourth attempt. Split a fairly useful pair on hurdling debut before landing the odds at Thurles last October. Looked in need of a run/step up in trip when well held behind Murcia on reappearance. Unexposed but has plenty to find with principals.

Form: 21219-6

Birdie Or Bust^t⁴⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: H Cobden| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 140| C

4/1

Useful hurdler in 2023/24 (third in Dawn Run). Not same force in this sphere but did land first of her 2 chase successes at this track last year. Latest Punchestown run was step back in right direction, and she's well treated by the conditions of the race on return to hurdles.

Form: 7129P-3

Taketwotoone¹⁸⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Mr T O'Connor⁽⁷⁾| T: T O'Connor| OR: 88

200/1

Maiden who ran a bit better than for a while when midfield in low-grade handicap at Clonmel in January. Out of her depth in this company.

Form: 308/008-

Non-Runners

Ardeen Joy¹²

Weight: 10-11| Age: 5

T: G Elliott J: Sam Ewing

Forecasts

Murcia (5/6), Diamond Du Berlais (10/3), Birdie Or Bust (4/1), Ardeen Joy (10/1), Grainne A Chroi (11/1), Run For Mahler (12/1), Taketwotoone (200/1)

BIRDIE OR BUST hasn't run over hurdles since finishing third in the 2024 Dawn Run, but she's entitled to run a big race on these terms. Murcia looks interesting stepping up to 2½m and could be the main danger, with stablemate Diamond Du Berlais completing the shortlist.