Goldcrop Rated Novice Hurdle

2m2f (good) Sligo maiden hurdle winner is rated 119; below best on return from a 200-day break at Fairyhouse on latest in November; may improve for that but might prefer quicker ground than this.

Dual-purpose; 1-9 over hurdles and rated 115; had been in decent form on the Flat before an okay effort when beaten 6.5l behind Spinola Bay on return to hurdling at Leopardstown eight days ago; better off at weights now and could close the gap.

Upwardly mobile hurdler has returned from a long layoff with back-to-back 2m handicap wins at Navan (sft-hvy) and Leopardstown (yielding); now rated 113 and there could still be more to come from this 6yo; big chance if this doesn't come too soon.

First sign of ability when a 23l second of 17 in a Thurles maiden hurdle in November; official rating of 110 may flatter him, however, and he needs more to be competitive in this company.

Modest form in point-to-points in 2023; soundly beaten in a Fairyhouse bumper in October and Navan maiden hurdle in December; hard to fancy on the evidence of those two efforts.