14:10 Naas

Pont Audemer was an impressive winner of a Limerick handicap last time but a 16lb higher mark could make things tricky and preference instead goes to LIBBY (best priced at 9/1). The Joseph O’Brien trained four-year-old finished 3rd on his final start on the flat in October where she is rated 71. 

Libby has finished 4th on all three of her starts over hurdles so far including in a listed race at Doncaster last time and she looks to have been given a lenient opening mark of 111 over hurdles. Connections now fit her with first time cheekpieces and she looks worth taking a chance on off top weight. 

Libby - 1pt @ 9/1

16:40 Naas

Many of the horses in this handicap hurdle are struggling for recent form but that is not the case for HEY JOHNNY (best priced at 10/3) who ran well at the Dublin Racing Festival last time. The Thomas Mullins trained six-year-old found Grade 2 company too strong in the Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle but won a handicap at Thurles off a mark of 110 on his penultimate start. 

The handicapper raised Hey Johnny 9lbs for that success up to a mark of 119 where he ran well to finish 5th at the Dublin Racing Festival by the impressive Gaelic Warrior. He runs here off only 1lb higher and he should prove hard to beat if replicating that form. 

Hey Johnny - 1pt @ 10/3