1st - €9,240.00 2nd - €3,000.00 3rd - €1,500.00 4th - €750.00 5th - €375.00 Overcast

FormscanBy Gary Carson - BRELADE sets a good standard here that the less experienced horses have to surpass. He switches back to the smaller obstacles having been beaten when a short enough favourite for a beginners chase at Fairyhouse last month. That wasn't a bad performance by any means though in a strong enough contest and he had previously chased home both Footpad and Petit Mouchoir over fences. A hurdles mark of 141 sets a good mark here. Draconien was very impressive on his Irish debut when cruising home in a Clonmel maiden hurdle. It might be a bit dangerous to take his 12-length win over the 121-rated Mighty Stowaway too literally though as that rival stayed on again after looking well beaten and probably didn't run to that kind of mark. He's undoubtedly a nice sort and getting 5lb off the selection is a big danger. Beyond The Law was also a wide margin winner last time out, in Limerick, but this looks a tougher ask now and similar remarks apply to former pointer Ministerforsport who comes here off a five-race winning streak and also took his maiden hurdle at Limerick over Christmas.

A hurdle race for five yrs old and upwards which have not won a hurdle race other than one hurdle race value not more than E10,000
Weights - 5-y-o 11st 4lb; 6-y-o and up 11st 6lb; Mares allowed 7lb
Allowances - Horses that have not won a hurdle race before 30th April, 2017 allowed 3lb
Penalties - Winner of a hurdle race 6lb extra;