Keelings Irish Strawberry Hurdle (Grade 2)

Off time: 16:26 | Winning time: 5m 10.0s

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Selected odds by:

Tombstone³³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: B J Cooper| T: G Elliott| OR: 148

3/1

Accounted for Jezki on heavy going at Gowran Park in February over 2m and went to Cheltenham as the great white handicap hope. Very disappointing in the Coral Cup and looks inferior to Sutton Place in this field.

Form: 24-3103

De Plotting Shed⁵⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 152

2/1

Runner-up to Sutton Place last time out at Navan, the winner was well on top at the finish there and this slight drop in trip isn't likely to bring about a turnaround in fortunes for a horse that routinely looks just short at this level.

Form: 126422

Lieutenant Colonel^t¹³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 148

10/1

Pulled up the last twice over fences and this will be first time over hurdles since joining current trainer. Has to be respected on some of previous efforts over timber, especially if supported in the betting.

Form: P-61PP5

Renneti^b³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 149

5/2

Around 6L behind Sutton Place at Navan in February on these same terms, since run credible race in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham (8th, 4¼L behind Arctic Fire) but his old foe looks the more progressive right now.

Form: 43/2381-

Whiteout⁵⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 147

7/1

Won a Mares' Grade One at Punchestown this time last year though unable to reproduce in four runs since, mostly disappointing. Comes here off a fall in February and hard to build confidence on season's work to date.

Form: 1P74F4

Non-Runners

Sutton Place⁵⁷

Weight: 11-8| Age: 6

T: G Elliott J: B J Geraghty

Taglietelle³¹

Weight: 11-3| Age: 8

T: G Elliott J: D F O'Regan

Forecasts

Sutton Place (4/5), De Plotting Shed (2/1), Renneti (5/2), Tombstone (3/1), Whiteout (7/1), Lieutenant Colonel (10/1), Taglietelle (25/1)

SUTTON PLACE eventually won going away at Navan in February over a slightly longer trip but Barry Geraghty seemed to feel he was being lazy as much as anything and there is good reason to suggest he's got more in him. A replication of that run will in all probability take away this prize for him. He faces three of the rivals that finished behind him again now, and it's hard to see them reversing the form. De Plotting Shed may again do best of that trio. Tombstone needs to bounce back off a poor show at Cheltenham while Lieutenant Colonel is intriguing on first start over hurdles for Gordon Elliott in a race where he and trainers' title rival Willie Mullins account for all seven runners.