Connolly's RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 13:41 | Winning time: 4m 0.4s

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Selected odds by:

Castlebellingham⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: D G Hogan| T: D Hogan

8/1

By Stowaway out of an Indian Danehill mare. Cost €23,000 as a three-year-old. Promising third of 17 beaten 3L behind Rakhine State on hurdling debut and improved performance would not surprise.

Form: 7-363

Big Tree

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: S G McDermott| T: T Mullins

16/1

Gelding by Scorpion out of a Luso who cost €12,000 as a three-year-old. Dam unraced sister to dual Thyestes chase winner Preist's Leap and to dam of staying hurdle favourite Paisley Park. Best watched on debut unless the market suggests otherwise.

Form:

Chavi Artist¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: D J Mullins| T: T Mullins

11/4

Eight race maiden without a win in four starts over hurdles. Not disgraced in most recent starts hitting the frame at Gowran Park and earlier this month at Naas. Big run expected to confirm a Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices' hurdle entry.

Form: 509533

Farranreigh⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: J J Slevin| T: J P Ryan

33/1

By Morozov closely related to bumper/2m5f hurdle winner Hot Whiskey N Ice. Well beaten and no impression in a couple of starts this month and is hard to enthuse over in this company.

Form: 78

Jeremys Dream⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott

5/1

Daughter of Jeremy bought for €21,000 as a three-year-old. Five race maiden hurdler but has to be treat with respect from a yard who have a 50% win and place strike rate at this meeting since 2015.

Form: 7643P6

Tens Or Better²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Paul Townend| T: P A Fahy

4/5

Off the mark at the seventh time of asking in a Punchestown bumper over 2m2f in December and bounced back from a disappointing run last month when finishing fourth of 24 at Naas over 2m3f at Naas. One of the more likely types.

Form: 935104

Dubaimolly¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Darragh O'Keeffe⁽⁷⁾| T: F J Flood

100/1

Nothing of note in three career maiden hurdle starts to date and looks out of his depth in this company.

Form: 0P0

Fou Diligence

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: L P Dempsey| T: J P Dempsey

50/1

Gelding by Le Fou out of an Oscar mare. Half-brother to three winners, including useful sort Marinero and hurdler Tellthemnuttin. Market likely to reveal expectations on debut.

Form:

Forecasts

Tens Or Better (4/5), Chavi Artist (11/4), Jeremys Dream (5/1), Castlebellingham (8/1), Big Tree (16/1), Farranreigh (33/1), Fou Diligence (50/1), Dubaimolly (100/1)

Presenting gelding CHAVI ARTIST holds an entry in the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices' hurdle and can confidently approach the race on the back of a big run here following a number of solid efforts at Gowran Park and Naas since the turn of the year. Tens Or Better, winner of a Punchestown bumper in December looks to be an improving sort and along with Gordon Elliott's Jeremys Dream can hit the frame in the opener.