Irish Weekend Preview: Cossack to enhance Festival claims

Traditionally one of the strongest novice hurdles of the season, the latter Grade 1 contest may have only attracted the six runners, but it promises to be a highly-informative affair, especially with Don Cossack being fast-tracked to the top level.

Gordon Elliott's charge looked a potential star in bumpers last season, unbeaten in his three outings for this yard, and he recorded the highest Timeform rating of any bumper horse last term when thrashing Elsie by 17 lengths at Fairyhouse. He arrives here fit from an impressive debut over hurdles in a maiden at this course last month, jumping soundly in the main as he easily disposed of useful bumper winner Sizing Gold, and he looks set to prove out of the top drawer over jumps.

Busty Brown sets the standard on all known hurdles form, with his success over Seafood in a Grade 2 over this C&D last month the best form on offer so far, and his attitude should stand him in good stead for this stiffer assignment. That said, he's more exposed than the majority in this and doesn't look open to anything like as much improvement as some.

Mouse Morris's Rule the World got back to winning ways with a comfortable win over Joncol in a novice just a week ago, looking to have a bit in hand as he beat that rival by just over four lengths. He's still open to improvement after just the three runs and deserves to take his place at this level.

Willie Mullins has two of the six runners and it's hard to know for sure which would be the pick of that pair. Reine Angevine has created a good impression since being turned over at short odds on her hurdling debut, easily winning a maiden and novice at Gowran since, but this represents a big step up in class. Pont Alexandre is the unknown quantity in the field having just had the one start for Laurent Viel in France, winning a hurdle at Cholet back in May. Willie Mullins isn't one to think his geese are swans, so it's significant he's allowed to take his chance at this level, and it will be interesting to see how he fares in the market on his Irish debut.

Don Cossack looks sure to be a warm favourite, and for those brave enough to get involved in ante-post markets at this early stage, the better value could lie with backing him for the Neptune Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham in anticipation of him winning this easily. 

The Tara Hurdle looks a trappy affair with very little between Whatuthink, Sailors Warn or Simenon on Timeform ratings, whilst Un Beau Matin is still unexposed for Gordon Elliott and could be capable of better. 

Likely favourite Simenon is yet to prove fully effective on testing going, so that has to be of great concern, for all he's still entitled to do better over hurdles on account of the improved form he showed on the Flat this year. 

Sailors Warn has proved to be a model of consistency over timber in recent seasons, though his hold-up style is unlikely to be a positive in this small field, and it could well prove best to side with the Lismullen Hurdle winner Whatuthink.

Oliver McKiernan's yard are in good form and, though Whatuthink had the run of things from the front when beating Voler La Vedette for that latest success, he's undoubtedly capable of very smart form on his day, and Maller Tree appears to be the only competition up front.

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