The one race you do not want to miss on Thursday

7.20 TipperaryKevin McManus Bookmaker Grimes Hurdle (Grade 3) | 2m | 4yo+ | RTV

Why is it interesting?

As the only Irish Graded hurdle between the Punchestown festival at the start of May and October, the €75,000 Group 3 Grimes Hurdle is a valuable reward for summer jumpers, but also acts as a potential preparation for the Guinness Galway Hurdle next month.

Last year's Ballybrit hero Sharjah was third in this race 12 months ago before returning a 12-1 winner of Galway's Thursday feature, while in 2012 Rebel Fitz did the Grimes and Galway Hurdle double.

This year's line-up is low on quantity but Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle winner Band Of Outlaws brings plenty of quality, although he needs to bounce back from defeat as 9-4 favourite for an Aintree Grade 1 when last seen in April.

Irish Grand National-winning jockey JJ Slevin will have his first ride since an injury at the Punchestown festival when getting the leg-up on Joseph O'Brien's charge.

Thomas Hobson must bounce back from a disappointing run in the Gold Cup at Royal AscotCredit: Edward Whitaker

Willie Mullins's talented dual-purpose performer Thomas Hobson, who disappointed in the Ascot Gold Cup last month, will bid to win for the fifth time over hurdles from 13 starts, while Gordon Elliott's Tombstone is a capable operator when on song.

What do the stats say?

Although certain to be one of the outsiders of the party, Plinth loves it around Tipperary and is a regular in this race, winning the 2017 edition as a 16-1 shot. He arrives here on the back of a novice chase success at Kilbeggan but his rating of 126 leaves him with a bit to find.

Willie Mullins won the race three years in a row from 2014 to 2016 thanks to Simenon, Diakali and Ivan Grozny, but has saddled the beaten favourite of the past two renewals.

What do the trainers say?

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Band Of Outlaws and Plinth
Band Of Outlaws is in good shape and has had a break since Aintree. He has plenty of options down the line and Galway is one of the more obvious ones, but this race has been the plan more than anything else at the moment. Plinth has been a great servant to us and owes us nothing. He likes this course and distance, so hopefully he can run well and collect some more prize-money.

Patrick Mullins, assistant to Willie Mullins, trainer of Thomas Hobson
He was disappointing in the Ascot Gold Cup but ran far too free. He's come out of that fine and Andrea [Atzeni] wasn't hard on him when his chance had gone, so we've decided to let him take his chance. He has no penalty and would look well-treated at the weights. We're hoping for a good run.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Tombstone
These sort of races with a small field suit him well. Some of his form last season, like his Leopardstown third over Christmas and when behind Espoir D'Allen and Wicklow Brave at Naas, would give him a chance. He goes well fresh and we're hoping he can put up a good show.

John Burke, trainer of Like An Open Book
The aim is for her to pick up some black type, anything after that would be bonus territory. She was a little slow to come into herself at the start of the year but I think she's better at this time of year and she seems in good form now. She has options at Galway if she doesn't pick up black type.

What do our tipsters say?

With Thomas Hobson returning to hurdling after some underwhelming efforts on the Flat, this is best left to Band Of Outlaws, whose novice season over hurdles just got better and better until looking over the top at Aintree.
Alistair Jones

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