Five key horses to follow at Tipperary on Sunday plus tips

A high-quality, eight-race card takes centre stage at Tipperary on Sunday, and some star names are among the contenders in action, including Abacadabras who returns following a lengthy absence in the Grade Three Horse & Jockey Hotel Hurdle at 3.35pm.

There’s also a Cheltenham Festival winner in action in the Grade Three Fitzgerald’s Woodlands House hotel Novice Hurdle (3.00pm), and Willie Mullins runs a couple of potentially smart prospects.

Every race on what is set to be an informative card will be shown live on Racing TV, and here are five key names to look out for.

Race:1.15 Tipperary: Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Maiden

This Galileo colt is a brother to five winners, including French Group One winner Johannes Vermeer and Dewhurst runner-up Wembley, and is certainly bred to be much better than he has shown so far.

Aidan O’Brien’s youngster shaped with minor promise when sixth in a mile maiden on debut before benefitting from that experience to finish second over the same trip at Gowran Park where he was under pressure turning for home but kept on to pull clear of the third behind the impressive winner.

An extra furlong can only help here, although it is likely he will stay further in time, based upon his pedigree and the way he has shaped.

His handler has won three of the past ten renewals of this contest, including with Leading Light in 2012 and, given the promise Covent Garden has shown so far, I expect the master of Ballydoyle will be disappointed if his charge cannot get off the mark on Sunday.

Race:2.25 Tipperary: Coolmore U S Navy Flag Concorde Stakes (Group 3)

Markaz Paname, who showed bundles of promise on both starts as a two-year-old, was gelded ahead of this season and a successful campaign looked on the horizon after he landed a useful handicap on his return to action before winning the Group Three Gladness Stakes.

However, he was then absent for five months and shaped as though the outing was needed when sixth in a valuable handicap at Leopardstown in September, where he wasn’t given the hardest time under pressure.

That run will have certainly blown the cobwebs away, and it is wise to think this strong traveller, who has only had five starts, will resume progress returning to Group Three level, despite the fact he has to concede weight all round here under a penalty.

Race:3.00 Tipperary: Fitzgerald's Woodlands House Hotel Novice Hurdle

Developed into a useful hurdler last season and showed a brilliant attitude to win the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

He failed to back that effort up in a Grade One at Aintree on his next start, although that was probably due to it being his seventh run of the season (including one on the Flat) and he endured a gruelling battle at Cheltenham.

Padraig Roche’s son of Galileo has only had six starts over hurdles, and while it is likely he will improve for this outing, he should have more to offer over obstacles.

There are a couple of interesting rivals among his opposition, though, including Champ Kiely who bolted up on his hurdling debut at Galway in July following a 14-month absence, and looks an exciting prospect for the Willie Mullins team.

The serial Irish champion trainer also runs Hubrisko, an easy winner at Galway in September and a youngster who has untapped potential.

Gordon Elliott’s high-class hurdler returns to action here following a 278-day absence and will bid to get back on track after failing to land a blow in two starts last season.

The three-time Grade One winner is expected to improve for this outing, and Elliott has mentioned the prospect of Abacadabras embarking on a chasing campaign this season, so I expect connections are using this as a confidence booster.

Jason The Militant, who is officially rated 2lb higher than Abacadabras but receives 11lb from that rival, has race fitness on his side following a pipe-opener on the flat in September and finished third behind Saldier in this race last year, so looks the one to beat on paper.

Scottish Champion Hurdle winner Anna Bunina and Galway Hurdle runner-up Jesse Evans are also among the six contenders.

Authorized Art failed to build on the initial promise he showed over hurdles when returning from a mammoth absence last year but has quickly developed into a useful performer over fences this season.

The seven-year-old jumped boldly and made all when producing a career best in a decent time at Killarney in August, his second victory from three starts over the larger obstacles, and similar tactics are sure to be deployed again here.

He is developing into a smart chaser for the Willie Mullins team and could take all the beating, given he may have more to offer, although Ash Tree Meadow, who was fourth in the Galway Plate when last seen, and the 144-rated Max Flamingo certainly won’t make his task easy in a fascinating Grade Three contest.

Markaz Paname impressed in the Group Three Gladness Stakes in April and shaped as though the run was needed on his return to action at Leopardstown on Longines Irish Champions Weekend. With only five runs under his belt, further improvement should be expected, and he looks capable of bouncing back to his best here.