1st - €26,550.00 2nd - €9,000.00 3rd - €4,500.00 4th - €2,250.00 5th - €1,350.00 6th - €900.00 Fine

FormscanBy Gary Carson - NOT MANY LEFT justified strong support when winning in good style at Navan last time and looks open to plenty of further improvement. He ran a promising race when fifth on his hurdling debut at Leopardstown and stepped forward considerably on that when disposing of a decent field by ten lengths last month. Robbie Power was impressed then and he looks like he is capable of stepping up to this level now. Gordon Elliott obviously has a strong hand with half the six-runner field and Roaring Bull may prove the pick of his trio. He won his maiden in good style at Tipperary back in October and probably wasn't suited by a very slow pace at Gowran subsequently. It wasn't a bad run to finish third to Us And Them at Punchestown on his last outing and he looks like he can do better up in trip now. Gun Digger won in good style at Down Royal last time but was probably entitled to beat that field and this looks tougher while Blow By Blow has been slightly disappointing given that he was a Grade 1 bumper winner. Articulum clearly didn't give his showing here last month and it's interesting that they try a tongue-tie on him now. He's talented and back on the form that he showed when destroying his field in Cork he'd be a big player.

A novice hurdle race for five yrs old and upwards
Weights - 5-y-o 10st 12lb; 6-y-o and up 11st; Mares allowed 7lb
Penalties - (handicaps excluded) Winner of two hurdle races 3lb extra; Of three hurdle races or a Grade 3 hurdle race 6lb extra; Of two Grade 3 hurdle races or a Grade 2 hurdle race 8lb extra; Of a Grade 1 hurdle race 10lb extra;