Thurles Racecourse© Photo Healy Racing
Monksland warmed up for the season ahead when giving old partner Paul Carberry a good spin in a charity race last week and now bids to return to winning ways over hurdles at Thurles on Thursday.
Plenty of familiar names line up in the He'llberemembered Hurdle and Noel Meade's charge should be wound up after his third-placed effort behind Pallasator at Punchestown in the John Shortt Legends Race.
The Beneficial gelding switched back to hurdles last season after suffering some jumping issues over fences and showed he's no back number with a cracking run to finish fourth in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham.
Like all bar one of his rivals, he carries no penalties in this two-mile-six-furlong conditions hurdle as his last win over timber came before May 1, 2016. Cantlow looks an interesting rival as he presumably warms up for another campaign in cross-country events.
Enda Bolger 's charge was well held over timber at Galway last season when using a similar tactic before his attentions switched to his main job.
Gordon Elliott saddles two runners in the race and both deserve respect. Lieutenant Colonel tries his hand over hurdles again after finishing well beaten on his return to action in a chase at Limerick earlier this month.
The Kayf Tara gelding is a dual Grade One winner over timber and has a current rating just 2lb below Monksland over hurdles.
The other Elliott runner Charmix is an interesting contender on his first start for the yard. He showed some smart form as a novice chaser for Harry Fry in England last term.
Earlier on the card, smart bumper performer Glens Harmony makes her debut over jumps in the Thurles Mares Maiden Hurdle.
The daughter of King's Theatre has been placed in three Listed bumpers, the latest of which was on her return to action at Gowran Park last month.
Willie Mullins' charge stayed on well to chase home stablemate Ainsi Va La Vie then and will be well schooled as she embarks on her hurdling career.
Elliott saddles her chief rival in Canelie and we may not have seen the best yet of the French import.
She was sent off odds-on on her Irish debut at Galway last October and wasn't disgraced when chasing home a very smart sort in Presenting Percy.
On three subsequent runs, she kept good company and a mark of 121 gives her every chance back in a maiden Fairymount Boy bids for a hat-trick in the Leugh Handicap Hurdle following his course-and-distance success a fortnight ago.
Michael Hourigan junior has really found the key to the Beneficial gelding and will be hoping he can stay one step ahead of the handicapper as the eight-year-old tends to just do enough.
