Always an eagerly awaited field but again dominated by Elliott and Mullins who provide around 60% of the field. There are a few too many in here out of form or running a bit off colour to dive in too deeply so I'm going to focus on a short list of 5 but firstly lets cover off the field.

 

Elliott runs Escaria Ten off a break of 297 days and they seem quite bullish about one specific piece of form through the highly rated Galvin. The price reflects that confidence and they must be happy that the horse is fit enough. Coko Beach won this race in 2021 off a mark of 138 and won its following race off a mark of 150 and has plateaued since. The mark looks high based on recent form but a return here may revive the horse. Braeside should improve for its recent seasonal debut and I think that run can be marked up a bit as it was hampered during the race and it brings proven stamina always handy here. Death Duty ran well on seasonal debut and is lightly raced so a live danger but yet to show it really likes this Course on previous runs here. Smoking Gun has proven stamina, a low weight and the type who can always run a place at big odds but you'd have to question if its quite good enough to win this.

 

Mullins is represented by Brahma Bull who has some consistent place form including a 3rd place in the Paddy Power at Newbury, Franco De Port is all about potential and has been highly tried and now dropped to handicap company with form that's quite hard to fully quantify. Ontheropes went up 10lbs for winning The Munster National and has been highly tried since then, Class Conti has an excellent record in this race, it will come on from seasonal debut for sure and was runner up in 2020 off a mark of 147, and last year off 145, it runs off 146 here and has excellent race credentials. The only thing to note is that in previous tries it had had 2 prior runs that season, so come here fresher or less prepared, you take your choice on that question?. Augusta Gold is possibly better over shorter is out of form and jumped poorly last time.

 

If we leave out the reserves, we then have Chris Dream who carries top weight and who has Course winning form and has twice unseated recently when running well and Eklat De rire for Henry De Bromhead, Rachel Blackmore picks the latter who has shown promise until an inexplicably poor run last time but who would hold a good chance if you can forgive that run.

 

Longhouse Poet for Martin Brassil is the big gamble of the race and ran OK on seasonal debut but I'm not sure it's on a greta handicap mark and may be better on heavier Going, Mister Fogpatches has had a series of very good and consistent runs and looks very solid place material at least again here, Foxy Jacks has an outside enhanced place chance for Mouse Morris off a low weight and Scarlet and Dave for Joseph O'Brien who steps up in trip and Class and Diol Ker for Noel Meade who is very strong in the market but lacks experience at the trip and indeed over fences are others to note.

 

In terms of financial investment in the race I'm absolutely clear in my mind that the most likely winner on my analysis is BRAESIDE, he ticks every box and I will be very disappointed if he's not bang in contention and in the first 3 home with luck in running. I can't ignore the Course and race credentials of CLASS CONTI, the only niggle is whether he's fresher than past 2 years or will need the run, it's interesting they have decided to miss a run that they have had in last 2 years, so lets see and I am happy that it'll again put up a big run

 

I'll have a TIP and a TRACKER bet on those two.

 

With plenty of enhancements and in order of preference I think the next 3 home will be ONTHEROPES who has done nothing wrong and may find this a perfect opportunity, MISTER FOGPATCHES who I think is uber consistent and the most likely to deny Mullins or Elliott and if you wanted a few pennies on Coko Beach to recapture form of last year, I wouldn't put anyone off.

 

Let's hope they all come home safe and sound.