14:10 Listowel

Leg 1 Selections: Common Practice, Tory Reel 

COMMON PRACTICE was decent on the Flat, in which he was rated the highest of these, and was last seen finishing second at Galway. With Mark Walsh in the saddle, he makes a lot of appeal on paper ahead of his hurdles debut. I wouldn’t rule out TORY REEL though, who won on his hurdles debut despite jumping erratically and should have more to come. This is a good race but hopefully one of these two can hit the frame.   

14:40 Listowel

Leg 2 Selections: Nikini

The Willie Mullins-trained NIKINI looks the way to go in this contest. She’s ran very well since winning a bumper last year, which includes a fourth in a Grade Three, a third in a Listed race and a sixth in a Grade Two. She won with a fair bit in hand when scoring on her hurdles debut last time and, with the step up in trip sure to unlock further improvement, Paul Townend can guide her to a third win in just six career starts. 

15:10 Listowel

Leg 3 Selections: Frontline Worker, Highland Penny 

FRONTLINE WORKER unseated her rider early last time when an error caught her jockey well off-guard and she could only manage fourth on her penultimate start but I don’t think the track suited her that day and she’s worth another chance based on her decisive victory at Punchestown back in May. HIGHLAND PENNY produced a career-best effort from the front to win with any amount in hand under Jack Foley last time and should make a bold bid to follow-up in this race. 

15:40 Listowel

Leg 4 Selections: What Path

This could be another winner for team Mullins and Townend, as WHAT PATH won a very good bumper race at the Galway Festival and appeals as the type to develop into a very decent hurdler this term. That latest success is strong form, as plenty of horses who were beaten in behind have emerged as winners since, so with Run For Pat seen as his only real danger, it’ll be a surprise if he doesn’t go close to making a successful hurdles debut over this longer distance. 

16:10 Listowel

Leg 5 Selections: Chemical Energy

CHEMICAL ENERGY was sent off odds-on favourite to make a winning chase debut back in April and while he could only manage fifth, he’s fully expected to leave that run behind and showcase his class at this venue over this trip which will suit better. The form of his chase debut, however, has worked out well with the second, third and fourth winning since and he additionally gets the services of Davy Russell here. Also, he has form figures of 1121 on good ground, so conditions will be favourable and he was undeniably the best of these over hurdles too, so he should prove hard to beat. 

16:40 Listowel

Leg 6 Selections: Kemboy, Easy Game 

EASY GAME wasn’t disgraced off top-weight in the Galway Plate last time and had won his four previous races. He’s a course-and-distance winner, loves this trip and loves the ground too, while he’s the preferred choice of Paul Townend, which is interesting. He is wrong at the weights with his stablemate but should give a good account of himself here. KEMBOY is rated higher and while this trip is short of his best, he’s a multiple Grade 1 winner, who would win this if anywhere near his best.