'Paul Nolan holds strong claims' - William Hill Each-Way Extra Challenge Series Maiden Hurdle Tips The first of two William Hill Each-way Extra Challenge Series races on Wexford’s Tuesday card is due off at 14:12, with a field of 14 runners going to post for the 2m contest. Paul Nolan, who was on target in this corresponding race last year, holds strong claims once again, while Willie Mullins has one on a retrieval mission having suffered odds-on defeats in his two previous hurdles outings. Our expert has previewed the race in depth and has provided his selection and best alternative. By Enda McElhinney Selection: Mart Lane @ SP with Boylesports Next Best: Blazing Duke @ SP with Boylesports Eliodam has plenty to prove Anything that Willie Mullins runs is deserving of the utmost respect, but Eliodam has serious questions to answer at present. The five-year-old has suffered heavy defeats in all three starts under rules, including two non-completions over hurdles. From the family of dual Grade 1-winner and Gold Cup runner-up Djakadam, the €125,000 purchase certainly looks the part on breeding, but he faded quickly when just 4/1 for a valuable 17-runner Fairyhouse bumper on his debut last April. He has failed to take to hurdles, falling at halfway when favourite at Thurles in December and was bitterly disappointing when pulled up at odds of 4/9f over the same course-and-distance in January. This is likely the easiest task he has faced and he could outclass these rivals if things suddenly click for him, but there are simply too many doubts surrounding him to make him a serious betting proposition. Lane should be thereabouts The Barry Connell-trained Mart Lane has improved with each of his three starts so far and was an eye-catcher on his return to hurdles at Thurles last month when keeping on nicely from an unpromising position to finish fifth of 17. The five-year-old was beaten a total of 30 lengths by Mullins’ Laurets d’Estruval (ran creditably in a Grade 1 at Cheltenham last week) on that occasion, but he hit the line strongly and is entitled to improve again, having received a considerate ride from Finian Maguire, who is in the saddle once again. He ran to a Racing Post Rating of 99 last time and that is right up with the best that any of his 13 rivals have achieved. Duke has claims back in trip Paul Nolan’s Blazing Duke looks sure to appreciate a return to this trip, having faded quickly from the last when finishing mid-division over 2m3f at Naas last time. The five-year-old represents last year’s winning stable and a reproduction of the form he showed when fifth of 16 at Gowran in November would put him firmly in the mix.
