Pick 6: aim for the summit with Mr Everest

Mr Everest is the most appealing of a maximum field of 25 runners in the opening maiden hurdle (1.50). The Tony Martin-trained gelding was placed on both starts over hurdles last year, and stands out on the basis of subsequent Flat form, a Listowel handicap win, third in the Irish Cesarewitch and a big payday in the November Handicap at Naas. Allowing for a slight concern he may find 2m too sharp, the Gordon Elliott-trained Batts Rock is suggested as insurance.

JP McManus has three runners in the 2m4f novice handicap hurdle, with Mark Walsh on Roxboro Road, who looks attractively weighted in the light of a chase win at Leopardstown last time. Tony Martin's runner Upgraded is a possible dark horse off a light weight, and locally-trained mare Avellino is another speculative hope.

The Grade 1 mares' novice hurdle (2.50) involves a fascinating clash between Henry de Bromhead's unbeaten Honeysuckle, and a seven-strong Willie Mullins team headed by Cheltenham winner Eglantine Du Seuil.

Noel Meade's Aint Dunne Yet looks best at the weights in the rated chase (3.20) and is also the one with the most potential for improvement having raced only twice since his return from a long absence. Riders Onthe Storm, who fell in a Cheltenham festival handicap, and the improving Snugsborough Hall are suggested as the two against the field in the novice handicap chase (3.50).

Four of the five runners in the Ryanair Gold Cup Chase (4.25) look quite evenly matched. There is a risk attached to omitting two Mullins-trained runners, but slight preference is for Cheltenham and Aintree third Mengli Khan and Winter Escape, who had an excuse for a poor Leopardstown run last time.

SELECTIONS

1.50 Batts Rock, Mr Everest
2.20 Avellino, Roxboro Road, Upgraded
2.50 Eglantine Du Seuil, Honeysuckle
3.20 Aint Dunne Yet
3.50 Riders Onthe Storm, Snugsborough Hall
4.25 Mengli Khan, Winter Escape

48 bets at €1 total cost €48

Get exclusive insight from the track and live tipping with our up-to-the-minute service on the Racing Post mobile app - go to the Today tab in cards, click on a race and then click live, or click on the Raceday Live tab in news