1.50 2m. 100yds. 6 Declared. WKD H'dle (Grade 2) of €60,000.00 4-y-o plus
1st - €36,000.00 2nd - €12,000.00 3rd - €6,000.00 4th - €3,000.00 5th - €1,800.00 6th - €1,200.00
FormscanBy Michael Graham - ABACADABRAS starts out on the Champion Hurdle route and should take all the beating with a mark of 158. It's very hard to pick holes in his last campaign which saw him motor through the ranks. From a victory in a maiden hurdle at Gowran Park, he progressed to score in a Grade 3 at Navan before finishing an honourable second to Envoi Allen in the Royal Bond. He secured his own Grade One at Leopardstown over Christmas and was agonisingly pipped by a head in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham. In addition, he has won off a break before. Aspire Tower has almost a stone to find on official ratings but is reportedly working very well. He has strong form in the book including when second in the Grade One Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham and is a worthy adversary. Jason The Militant could be the one to expose any fitness issues in 'the big two'. He's a Grade 2 winner over hurdles who comfortably landed a Flat maiden at the start of the month. Noel Meade enjoys this festival and his Sixshooter shouldn't be underestimated.
A hurdle for four years old and upwards that have not won a hurdle race before 5th May, 2019Weights - 4-y-o 11st 5-y-o and up 11st 4lbs Mares allowed 7lbsPenalties - Penalties (handicaps excluded) - Winner of three hurdle races or a Grade 3 hurdle race 3lb extra Of two Grade 3 hurdle races or a Grade 2 hurdle race 6lb extra Of a Grade 1 hurdle race 8lb extra