15:15 Down Royal

Surely O’TOOLE (best price 7/4) should be odds-on for this? He hacked up on debut under Rules winning a bumper impressively at Fairyhouse and then chased home Kilcruit at Punchestown. He made the perfect start over hurdles bolting up at Down Royal and while he could only manage fourth at Naas that was a good race won by Journey With Me and he should find this much easier. An opening mark of 123 surely underestimates him? Womalko is the only conceivable danger for me. He sports the silks of JP McManus and did win with a bit in hand at Limerick back in December. He can improve but a 12lb rise looks harsh and that very much sways the vote back towards the favourite. Of the rest Wild Hunt also arrives in winning form having won a competitive race at Clonmel but he has been put up 10lb so will also need to find more to stop the selection dotting up.

18:15 Southwell

It was good to see TOMMYTWOHOOTS (best price 9/4) finally put it altogether at Wolverhampton last week. He has got better with every run since joining this yard and ran on well to get on top last time. He is bred to be better than what he has been showing so I think he might be able to kick on now. He does have to concede 5lb for that win last time but this obviously isn’t a very good race and he could easily be progressive now so gets a confident vote to follow up under 5lb claimer Jonathan Fisher. The danger is probably the relatively consistent Camacho Man but he is still a maiden after 18 starts which has to make him vulnerable from a win point of view. Edessann certainly has a squeak as well but he is drawn wide and that makes it no easy task. Extracuricular is another one that has to be considered given the lack of strength in depth here but does need more.