Thorn Plant Hire Beginners Chase

4YO plus | 2m 7f 100y | Good (Good to Yielding in places) | 6 Runners | Turf

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Josh Williamson⁽³⁾| T: J C McConnell

Landed 3m handicap hurdle at Galway last August. Shaped encouragingly on belated chasing debut with fourth of 9 in novice chase at Galway (23f, good to soft) 20 days ago. Needs considering.

Form: 84/410-4

Fort Dino^t¹¹²

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

11/4

Ex-French recruit who won juvenile hurdle at Auteuil (17f, soft) last May for Hugo Merienne. Tongue tied and went with little promise when eighth of 11 in 2m novice at Punchestown in April. Could still do better now going over fences for top yard.

Form: 418-

Happy Me^p1⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Michael Kenneally⁽⁵⁾| T: W J Burke

50/1

Fair hurdler but remains a maiden. 20/1, well-held eighth of 9 in novice chase at Tramore (2¾m, good) on debut over fences 7 days ago. Cheekpieces go on for the first time now.

Form: 30-6P58

Lemmy Caution^p³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Kevin Healy⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott

11/4

£250,000 point winner who made a winning hurdles debut at Punchestown (3m) in May. Cheekpieces on for first time when a good second of 6 in novice hurdle at Downpatrick (2¾m, good) last month. Interesting chasing debutant.

Form: 336-132

Themanintheanorak²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Phillip Enright| T: E M O'Sullivan

11/1

Fairly useful hurdler who scored at Fairyhouse in February. 12/1, hinted at promise with sixth of 9 in novice chase at Galway (23f, good to soft) on debut over fences 20 days ago. Open to improvement.

Form: 1066-66

Affinity Rock⁹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Danny Gilligan| T: C Collins| OR: 124| C

13/8

A 22f winner over hurdles who has started well in this sphere with second placings (around (2½m) here and at Limerick in May. Holds good form claims.

Form: 62/10-22

Non-Runners

Heroes Rise⁵⁰⁸

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: G Elliott J: Joshua Halford

Where's My Jet²⁰

Weight: 11-12| Age: 7

T: W P Mullins J: Brian Hayes

Forecasts

Affinity Rock (5/2), Where's My Jet (11/4), Lemmy Caution (3/1), Ballystone (5/1), Heroes Rise (8/1), Fort Dino (10/1), Themanintheanorak (25/1), Happy Me (50/1)

Not the easiest race to assess but it could be worth siding with Gordon Elliott's point/hurdles winner LEMMY CAUTION to prove the ace of the pack here and make a successful start over fences. Affinity Rock rates a big threat but could have to settle for runner-up spot once more, while Ballystone also needs considering if, as expected, building on his recent Galway fourth.