Returns after nearly a year off, where he was pulled up after the eighth in the John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park, won by Royal Kahala in January.
He has won at this course before, but that was back in February 2018. This will be a tough test for him, coming back after a 335 day break and that is represented by his big price in the market.
Good hurdler but last victory was in a grade three contest at Tipperary in October last year. Has since been disappointing, with a sixth-place finish last time out at Fairyhouse in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle.
Back up in trip here but the eight-year-old is hard to back on recent form.
Well beaten at 66/1 behind Teahupoo when fifth in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse earlier this month. His last win was in April, in the JRL Group Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree, where he won at 16/1, beating Flooring Porter by a length.
This contest he is back up in trip to 3 miles, which was the trip he won at with that victory at Aintree. Capable of upsets but this could be tough.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27/04/23 | PUN | 23.5 | Gd/Y | 11-10 | 3 |
| 15/04/23 | AIN | 24.5 | GS | 11-10 | 1 |
| 16/03/23 | CHL | 24 | Sft | 11-10 | 1 |
| 12/02/23 | NAV | 21 | Gd/Y | 11-12 | 4 |
| 28/12/22 | LEO | 24 | Sft | 11-10 | PU |
The third of Gordon Elliott’s horses in this contest is looking to bounce back following a sixth-place finish in a grade two contest at Navan last month, won by Home By The Lee.
Won the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, where he was priced at 50/1 and caused a huge upset, with favourite and stablemate Saint Felician pulling up before the last.
Needs to find more here but is certainly capable of running a big race.
Beacon Edge is switching back to hurdles from chasing following the switch from hurdles to chasing back in October 2021.
Well beaten at 10/1 in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal in October, where he was 28 lengths behind the winner Envoi Allen.
Is a previous winner of four hurdle races which provides some encouragement, but he will be in strong company here.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19/10/23 | THU | 23 | Sft | 11-0 | 1 |
| 27/04/23 | PUN | 23.5 | Gd/Y | 11-7 | 6 |
| 10/04/23 | FAI | 20 | Y/Sft | 11-3 | 3 |
| 15/03/23 | CHL | 21 | Sft | 11-7 | 12 |
| 12/02/23 | NAV | 21 | Gd/Y | 11-3 | 3 |
This seven-year-old gelding recorded a career-best victory when he was a 28/1 winner of the Railway Bar Lismullen Grade Two hurdle at Navan last month, beating the majority of the field here over 2m 4f.
Home By The Lee is a smart horse who has to be respected following that recent success, but if others are back to their best he could be in the middle of the field again.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15/04/23 | AIN | 24.5 | GS | 11-10 | PU |
| 16/03/23 | CHL | 24 | Sft | 11-10 | 5 |
| 28/12/22 | LEO | 24 | Sft | 11-10 | 1 |
| 13/11/22 | NAV | 20 | Y | 11-3 | 1 |
| 26/08/22 | DRO | 24 | Gd | 11-0 | RO |
High class hurdler who boasts seven wins from 21 career runs, including victory in this race two years ago.
He beat the likes of Fury Road and Sire Du Berlais that day when priced at 11/1 but is the current market favourite at the time of writing for today’s contest.
He was a below-par fourth last time out at Navan in a grade two hurdle contest won by Home By The Lee but is a big player here if back to top form.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28/10/23 | CHL | 24.5 | GS | 11-2 | 1 |
| 20/05/23 | AUT | 25.5 | VSft | 10-10 | 9 |
| 15/04/23 | AIN | 24.5 | GS | 11-10 | 3 |
| 16/03/23 | CHL | 24 | Sft | 11-10 | 4 |
| 28/12/22 | LEO | 24 | Sft | 11-10 | 4 |
Decent hurdler but last hurdle victory was back in April last year. Has since been in good placing form, with five in a row between January and November this year before a below-par fourth in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle won by Teahupoo at Fairyhouse earlier this month.
The seven-year-old gelding is back up in trip here hoping for a better run than that Fairyhouse one if in with a chance here.
A very good horse who has six wins from ten runs, winning three chases and three hurdle races as well as a NHFlat race.
Respectable second last run, where he finished two lengths behind Home By The Lee in that Navan contest. A big player if following that run up, where the front two were a long way clear of the rest of the field.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29/01/23 | NAA | 15.5 | Sft | 11-3 | 3 |
| 28/12/22 | LEO | 24 | Sft | 11-10 | 5 |
| 13/11/22 | NAV | 20 | Y | 11-3 | 2 |
| 26/04/22 | PUN | 24.5 | Gd/Y | 11-10 | PU |
| 17/03/22 | CHL | 20 | Sft | 11-4 | 1 |
Last run was poor, with a fourteenth-place finish in the Brown Lad Handicap Hurdle at Naas last month.
That was disappointing mainly due to finishing third in the Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in April, won by The Nice Guy where the gelding ran a very good race against some top company.
This looks a tough ask, especially going off his last run which was particularly disappointing.
The youngest runner in the race who merits consideration for a yard in decent form. Below-par when seventh of nine in the Navan contest last time out, following a fall in the Betway Aintree Hurdle grade one race won by Epatante in April.
Was showing good form prior to those runs with top three finishes five times in a row and can be considered here for Gordon Elliott.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18/11/23 | NAV | 20 | Sft/Hy | 11-3 | 2 |
| 10/10/23 | PUN | 18 | Y | 11-2 | 1 |
| 28/04/23 | PUN | 16 | Y | 11-12 | 5 |
| 13/04/23 | AIN | 20 | GS | 11-10 | 3 |
| 14/03/23 | CHL | 16.5 | Sft | 11-10 | 3 |
