16:50 Naas

Sunday 12 March 2017

All14:1014:4015:1515:4516:2016:5017:20

Download The Ladbrokes Exchange App Leinster National Handicap Chase (Grade A)

Off time: 16:52 | Winning time: 7m 1.11s

Thunder And Roses^p,t¹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Ms L O'Neill⁽⁵⁾| T: M F Morris| OR: 146

16/1

Winner of the Irish National two years ago and signs of a return to form recently when finishing runner-up in a pair 3m1f Fairyhouse chases including a Grade 3 last time out. Races off a mark 10lb higher than for his latest success and remains vulnerable with a decent amateur booked to ride.

Form: 5P-5P02

Ucello Conti^t⁴⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: D A Jacob| T: G Elliott| OR: 146

7/1

Useful performer in France and has developed into a solid handicapper since switching yards in 2015. Finished placed in the Thyestes at Gowran Park for a second time when finishing runner-up last time out and looks likely to put up a bold show once more.

Form: 6236-74

Bonny Kate³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 139

6/1

Winner of the Grand National Trial at Punchestown in 2016 and ran well when finishing third in the same event last month. Placed in a two other valuable handicaps already this season (Troytown and Thyestes) and looks likely to run well in another here.

Form: 111P-63

Sumos Novios^t1³⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: R M Power| T: W J Burke| OR: 139

12/1

Winner of his penultimate outing over 2m4f at Cork in early January. Since finished well beaten when sent off favourite for a rated chase at Fairyhouse and may find a few too good once more here.

Form: 421/1B7-

Texas Jack^b⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 11-3| J: B J Reynolds⁽⁷⁾| T: N Meade| OR: 139

28/1

returned to form when defeating today's rival Thunder And Roses at Fairyhouse last month put disappointingly pulled up when favourite at Navan last week and needs to put that poor effort behind him in this.

Form: 4P6-7P7

Sambremont³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 138

7/1

Finished runner-up (Bonny Kate behind) in the Grand National Trial at Punchestown last month and hadn't experienced the best of luck prior to that having been hampered before pulling up at Punchestown and being brought down in the Troytown the time before. Represents leading connections and looks likely to go well again here.

Form: BP2PPP-

Abolitionist¹⁰⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Rachael Blackmore⁽³⁾| T: Miss Ellmarie Holden| OR: 137

12/1

Finished runner-up on both his starts for the current yard including in the Troytown when last seen in action back in November. Returns from a break here and looks likely to run well once again with his jockey from Navan retaining the ride here.

Form: 1622-22

Rightdownthemiddle²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 133

10/1

Not beaten far on debut for this yard at Leopardstown in January and subsequently finished runner-up reverting to hurdles at Navan last time out. Interesting to see how he fares back over fences here.

Form: 2772P2

Space Cadet¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 133

13/2

Versatile in trip and winner over an extended 2m at Roscommon in October. Finished runner-up over 2m4f here in February and trip holds no worries having fill the same berth over in excess of 3m1f at Punchestown in December and has a top jockey in the saddle here.

Form: 152027

Folsom Blue^p⁸^{(ex 5)}

Age: 10| Weight: 10-10| J: J J Slevin⁽⁵⁾| T: M F Morris| OR: 127

12/1

Tackled a veterans chase when successful at Navan a week ago, his first success in over three years. Races off a 5lb higher mark in this contest and vulnerable to younger rivals here.

Form: 4B-4PP0

Vent De La Cote^t²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Mark Walsh| T: M Brassil| OR: 130

14/1

Winner of a novice chase over 2m1f on his final start of last season and made a satisfactory return when third over the minimum trip on his return to action a month ago. Tackles this trip for the first time here.

Form: 321-3P3

Undressed^t⁵⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-4| J: D Robinson⁽⁵⁾| T: M Hourigan| OR: 126

25/1

Winner of his penultimate outing at Limerick in December. Pulled up at Punchestown since however and vulnerable off a mark 10lb higher than when placed at Cork in November.

Form: 1371PP

Kilford⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 10-3| J: L P Dempsey| T: L Whitmore| OR: 125

25/1

Successful in a valuable novice handicap at Navan in March 2016 but disappointing since and well held behind Folsom Blue at the same track earlier this month. Likely to struggle in this.

Form: P504U9-

Georges Conn¹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Danny Mullins| T: J P Ryan| OR: 122

33/1

Unseated rider the last twice including early on at Fairyhouse last month. Sole career success came in a Ballinrobe maiden hurdle in July 2015 and a bit to prove here.

Form: 2FU533-

Archie Meade^b,t¹⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 9-13| J: Phillip Enright| T: D Howard| OR: 121

50/1

Out of form recently including when third of four in first time tongue tie and blinkers at Clonmel in February. Well beaten over hurdles since and a return to form is needed here.

Form: 132-P00

Futuramic²¹

Age: 10| Weight: 9-13| J: Robbie Colgan| T: A Lynch| OR: 121

16/1

Has been unable to capitalise on low handicap mark over hurdles so far this season including when fourth at Navan last time out. Returns to fences here and likely to need some more help from the handicapper before registering another victory.

Form: 3P-F702

Fair Return^t⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 9-10| J: M A Enright| T: N Meade| OR: 118

12/1

Lightly raced gelding but showed promise when beaten 8L by subsequent Grade 1 winner No More Heroes on chasing (and rules) debut in October 20115. Well beaten in three starts since and this point-to-point winner is upped in trip for his handicap debut here. Interesting contender here.

Form: 1/456-9

After Aspen^p¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-10| J: A Ring⁽³⁾| T: Miss E Doyle| OR: 114

33/1

Wore cheekpieces for the first time when winning a 16 runner event over 2m4f here in November but well beaten in three outings since including when pulled up over this C&D last month. May find a few too good in this.

Form: 324P-71

Non-Runners

Sizing Coal⁷⁵

Weight: 10-11| Age: 9

T: J T R Dreaper J: D J Mullins

Forecasts

Bonny Kate (6/1), Space Cadet (13/2), Ucello Conti (7/1), Sambremont (7/1), Rightdownthemiddle (10/1), Abolitionist (12/1), Folsom Blue (12/1), Sumos Novios (12/1), Fair Return (12/1), Vent De La Cote (14/1), Thunder And Roses (16/1), Futuramic (16/1), Sizing Coal (16/1), Undressed (25/1), Kilford (25/1), Texas Jack (28/1), Georges Conn (33/1), After Aspen (33/1), Archie Meade (50/1)

SAMBREMONT put two luckless efforts behind him when runner-up last time out and looks likely to prove hard to beat in this contest. The selection claimed a Grade 2 novice chase last season and he stayed on well late on with the winner having the run of the race for his second place last month. Bonny Kate can again claim a placing in a valuable chase having finished third behind the selection at Punchestown last time out while Ucello Conti, another regular in valuable staying handicap chases in recent times is taken to see off Abolitionist for third.