All but three are winners, and the presence of four British-trained runners, including the Cheltenham fifth El Cairos, adds interest. However, Willie Mullins appears to have the solution with KSAR FATAL, who looked smart in winning a point and took a Gowran bumper in great style on racecourse debut. Patrick Mullins has chosen him over Dani Donadoni. There is not much to choose between Koktail Brut and Kilwaughter on the Aintree running. [Alan Sweetman]
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First bumper run in Ireland was better than the second; won at Plumpton on British debut, beating a mare who won her next two races and finished third to the Irish-trained Seo Linn at Aintree; coped well with the step up in class when third to the still-unbeaten Sober Glory in a Listed bumper at Newbury.
Odds-on winner on debut at Limerick, beating today's rival Powerful Paddy handsomely; raced keenly and has potential for improvement with the experience under her belt; however, no surprise that Patrick Mullins has rejected her in favour of the exciting Ksar Fatal.
Ridden by David Dunsdon in all his races and a shade of odds-on when comfortably accounting for his four rivals over 1m5f at Fontwell; missed an Aintree Grade 2 engagement, as did stablemate El Cairos.
Recruited for E200,000 after winning a point for the influential Sean Doyle last April; won easily at Newbury (good) and held his own in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, finishing a 5l fifth but unlucky not to be closer (met with late interference); missed an engagement at Aintree; renews Cheltenham rivalry with He Can't Dance.
Leopardstown winner at Christmas fixture in 2023; remote fifth in this race last year; 8-1, fell three out on hurdling debut in a strong maiden at Leopardstown last Christmas.
Point winner for Rob James last season; long odds-on when winning readily at Navan on bumper debut; held his own when third in a Grade 2 at Leopardstown's Dublin Racing Festival, a neck in front of stablemate Koktail Brut; not far behind El Cairos when finishing in mid-division at Cheltenham.
Pulled clear with subsequent winner Theflyingking when making a winning debut at Down Royal in December and changed hands for £120,000 the following month; did well to finish sixth at Aintree (not far off third-placed Koktail Brut) after meeting trouble.
Point winner last season; 7l bumper winner at Fairyhouse on stable debut; Leopardstown run at Christmas was a shade disappointing; more like it when fourth at DRF, only a neck behind stablemate He Can't Dance; confirmed a good standard of form with third placing at Aintree, in front of Kilwaughter (sixth) who met trouble.
Beat the very useful Cardcounter by 5l in a Curraghmore point-to-point last October; hacked up at Gowran, beating another point winner by 9l, with subsequent Limerick runner-up Powerful Paddy beaten 27l in fourth; Patrick Mullins prefers to Limerick winner Dani Donadoni.
Point winner last season; promoted winner on the second of two Limerick bumper runs, after suffering interference from the Henry de Bromhead-trained favourite who was first-past-the-post; faces a tough task here.
