1st - €35,400.00 2nd - €12,000.00 3rd - €6,000.00 4th - €3,000.00 5th - €1,800.00 6th - €1,200.00 Windy and raining

FormscanBy Tom Weekes - CILAOS EMERY can return to winning ways over hurdles here and possibly stake a claim for a weak Champion Hurdle. A high class but fragile performer, he raced just once between December 2017 and November 2019 but apart from a fall at Leopardstown this month, has been in excellent form over fences in recent times. Connections have reverted to hurdles today and his best hurdles form was high class, beating subsequent dual-Champion Hurdle runner-up Melon to win a Grade 1 novice hurdle in April 2017, with his final hurdles' outing being a smart runner-up effort to that same horse in the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown in December 2017. Darasso is his only real danger today but he represents a threat, having won this race last year but for which he now carries a 7lbs penalty. He was disappointing on his seasonal reappearance at Haydock last month but should strip fitter for that run and while he might find CILAOS EMERY too strong, should at least make the selection work. Mengli Khan is a capable Grade 1 winning novice hurdler at his best but has his own ideas about the game and would be a surprising winner while Scheu Time is capable at a lower level and should struggle. Chateau Conti has no chance on recent form but connections will nonetheless pick up a nice cheque with a clear round.%0A

A hurdle for four years old and upwards
Weights - 4-y-o 10st 3lb 5-y-o 10st 13lbs; 6-y-o and up 11st Mares allowed 7lbs; HRI Directive 6 (ii) (b) is suspended for the purpose of this race
Penalties - to count from 1st August, 2018 Winner of two hurdle races 4lb extra Of three hurdle races or of a Grade 3 hurdle race 7lb extra Of two Grade 3 hurdle races or of a Grade 2 hurdle race 9lb extra Of a Grade 1 hurdle race 11Handicapper.