Thurles opens its gates for the first time this season, and He'llberemembered will bid to repeat his victory of last year as he lines up in the Premier County Hurdle.

Paul Fahey 's charge fought out a thrilling finish to the two-mile-six-furlong heat last October, eventually edging out Drive Time by just a nose at the line.

His three other starts at the County Tipperary venue have yielded second places and while He'llberemembered is now an 11-year-old, he showed there is still plenty of life left in him with a cracking effort in the Cesarewitch at the Curragh last time.

As a 50-1 shot, the Blue Ocean gelding finished off strongly for sixth place and he boasts the highest mark in the four-runner field. Moonshine Lad who represents the in-form Gordon Elliott yard, is next best on the official ratings but he is on a perch some 10lb lower and they race off level terms here. Keep On Track and Ordinary Man complete the line-up.

Moonshine Lad's rider Paul Carberry has a potentially nice mount in the opening Holycross Mares Chase as he teams up with Down Ace

A winner of five successive races last year when with Fergal O'Brien in Britain, the seven-year-old now makes her debut over fences having joined the Noel Meade team.

She was a point-to-point winner earlier in her career and after a fair run over hurdles on her debut for Meade, she can perhaps make the most of the weight she receives from Our Ned and the course winner Dazzling Susie

Carberry has a chance on his other assignment too, aboard Prima Vista in the www.thurlesraces.ie Beginners Chase, but another chasing newcomer could come to the fore here.

Gigginstown House Stud and Mouse Morris' Allied Victory boasts good credentials for this game as he's a half-brother to Hear The Echo, who won the 2008 Irish Grand National for the same connections.