Race Displays Rated Novice Hurdle

Point winner; scored easily on hurdle debut at Galway in October (2m, yielding) and might have follow up there (2m4f, good to yielding) later that month but for falling at the final flight; needs to bounce back after that and a poor Cheltenham run, stable out of form.

Bought for E190,000 after a second in a point-to-point for Rob James; shaped with promise when 3 3/4l second to a Willie Mullins-trained favourite in a C&D maiden hurdle, drawing well clear of the third; won in good style over a longer trip at Leopardstown; may be sufficiently trip-versatile to follow up; holds Grade 1 entries.

Placed on both bumper starts; beaten 1 1/4l by a subsequent maiden hurdle winner at Galway on the first occasion; no match for a short-priced Gordon Elliott inmate on hurdling debut over 2m4f at Thurles; recovered from a bad error two out when a runaway winner over 2m at Thurles four weeks ago; promising sort.

Form in maidens was nothing special as shown by an opening mark of 109; has gone up 14lb after three handicap runs, featuring a 2m Fairyhouse win and a second over a longer trip at Leopardstown; has progressed to a level that gives him a fair chance in a race of this type.

Faded into a remote third in bumper at this venue last March; had a tongue-tie on when making a winning seasonal/hurdles debut at Tramore; a lot more on his plate now; merits respect all the same with the stable having hit top form.