Despite an unaccountably poor run in the County Hurdle, LARK IN THE MORNIN (nap), last year's Fred Winter winner, remains of major interest based on a promising run at Leopardstown in December. In a renewal of last week's Fairyhouse rivalry Serienmond, who made late progress, is preferred to Helvic Dream and American Money. Ascending Lark, unbeaten in five hurdle starts, faces her stiffest task so far. In contrast, her stablemate Brentford Hope, second in this last year, is dropped in class. [Alan Sweetman]
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Two wins on the Flat in France; 3-10 over hurdles, including when favourite for a four-runner Grade 3 novice hurdle at Tipperary in October; creditable fourth in a 19-runner 2m handicap at Leopardstown in December; sprang a 20-1 surprise in a Grade 2 event at Navan in March; ran respectably under a penalty at Faiyhouse on latest.
Useful on Flat at up to 1m4f; five wins and seven seconds (including this race last year) from 16 starts over hurdles; has been set unenviable tasks on his last two starts; chased home Constitution Hill in the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham; last of four behind Golden Ace in the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton; sights lowered.
Useful hurdler two seasons ago; no sign of his best form in a three-race campaign over fences this term; in rear in the Red Rum at Aintree on latest; hard to fancy.
Won a four-runner 2m2f chase at Kempton last November; failed to get home over 2m4f when returned to hurdles at Windsor in January; down the field in Newbury's William Hill Hurdle, a race he won under its Betfair banner last year.
Group 1 winner in the Tattersalls Gold Cup in 2021; no comparable form over hurdles but has shown enough to suggest a definite chance here; second in a decent handicap hurdle at Down Royal in November and beat all bar the veteran Lord Erskine in a valuable Fairyhouse handicap last Tuesday.
Useful Flat stayer last year on good/good to firm; returned to hurdling with a 1m7f win at Thurles (good) in January but failed to fire in a Pertemps qualifier at Musselburgh (3m, good to soft) two weeks later; jumped indifferently when down the field in the 2m5f Coral Cup.
Convincing winner of last year's Fred Winter on heavy ground; fifth in the Swinton last May; fair run at Leopardstown in December after a break; needs to bounce back from a poor run when well fancied for the County Hurdle; feasible that he may do so.
Placed in two bumpers in 2023 for Liz Lalor; 5-5 over hurdles in Britain, shrewdly placed in small-field races, never facing more than seven opponents, and having only two to beat in handicaps at Exeter and Ludlow; this will be much more challenging, but she merits respect.
Prospered for new yard last October/November with consecutive wins in Downpatrick maiden, handicap at Cheltenham (2m, good) and novice at Musselburgh (2m4f, good to soft); well held however in much better-class Ascot handicap in December; back in winning form at Ballinrobe recently and now 6lb higher.
Still a maiden but is lightly raced and ran well when third in big fields at Leopardstown (2m, yielding/soft) this winter on his first two handicap starts; tenth of 16 in the County Hurdle; tongue-tie used then is discarded.
AW winner in Britain; won a 2m1f Limerick maiden hurdle at the beginning of the month on good ground; no impact over a longer trip on soft ground at Cork on handicap debut.
All three handicap hurdle wins have been on soft; has shown solid form in three starts since returning from an unsuccessful spell over fences; backed up two Naas runs with fourth at Fairyhouse a week ago, not far behind Helvic Dream and Serienmond.
Back-to-back handicap winner at Gowran (2m) and C&D in November off 105 and 113 respectively; unplaced when upped to 2m4f at Leopardstown in December; beaten when falling at the last in a novice event at Navan last time; tough task here.
German Flat winner; opened hurdles account on first start for Gavin Cromwell in 2m Leopardstown handicap last month in a first-time hood; ran on well from off the pace when third at Fairyhouse last week, splitting Helvic Dream and American Money; not discounted despite being 3lb wrong here.
1/5 Odds Place 1,2,3,4,5
( Pool guide displayed could change before the race starts & should be used as a guide only )
