16:55 Clonmel

Thursday 7 September 2017

All16:2516:5517:2517:5518:2518:5519:25

Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Hurdle (80-116)

Off time: 16:55 | Winning time: 3m 51.30s

Mr Champers⁵⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Kevin Sexton| T: A Keatley| OR: 110| D

4/1

Much-improved effort at Cork in July over 2m (good) facilitated winning start in handicaps, up 8lb for narrow success but will have strong chance if jumping is just a bit more fluent.

Form: 5550-81

Gentleman Duke³²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: B M Cash| T: A L T Moore| OR: 109| D

14/1

Has struggled in four runs this year, three of them over fences. Was beaten 6¾L in seventh of 10 at Kilbeggan in June only hurdles run but that was over longer trip and this might prove sharper than ideal.

Form: P/9-4675

Coolfighter^v1¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: N Dooly| OR: 108| C| D

9/1

Four wins from 22 starts over timber, efforts this year haven't hinted another one is looming up, but mark is sliding and first-time visor tried now.

Form: 0-55985

You Can't Catch Me^t²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: C A Landers⁽⁷⁾| T: K Purcell| OR: 106| CD

11/2

All four career successes have come at this track, three over hurdles and a Flat success in May over 2m1f on firm going. Yet to win over a trip this short jumping, but formidable track record is noted.

Form: 45P-877

Sea's Aria^t⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: S A Mulcahy⁽⁷⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 103| CD

20/1

Failed to complete in two chases this year and beaten a long way in 3m hurdle at Limerick in July on good ground when last out. Did run well here on the Flat in May but plenty to prove nonetheless.

Form: 360-FP0

Pursecco^h²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: S A Shortall⁽³⁾| T: Mrs P Dobbs| OR: 102| D

7/1

Winner over this sort of trip last August at Ballinrobe, the mare ran a pleasing race over 2m at Tramore last month on soft ground to be third, chance in here off the same mark.

Form: 160-003

Like An Open Book²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: M P Burke⁽⁷⁾| T: J M Burke| OR: 99| CD

10/1

Won a bumper over the trip here in June but has yet to convince in four starts over timber, two of them last month, and others hold more allure for now.

Form: 031445

Carrigready⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: M J Bolger| T: V Halley| OR: 98

16/1

0/7 to date and despite showing some promise in bumpers he has yet to make the transition to hurdles in four attempts and others hold much more convincing claims.

Form: 45-5900

Drakaina^t²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: C D Maxwell| T: Paul Power| OR: 95| D

8/1

Won a 2m good ground handicap at Wexford in May off a mark of 88, goods second of 12 last month at Tramore over same trip and must enter calculations here.

Form: P-19452

Seaboard⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: D J McInerney⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 93| BF

14/1

Still a maiden and has been regressing recently, including six days ago when beaten 39L in a 2m handicap hurdle at Down Royal.

Form: 60-4000

Sackfullofdreams^t,v²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-6| J: S J Gray⁽³⁾| T: E J O'Grady| OR: 94

25/1

Rock Of Gibraltar gelding yet to get off the mark in six runs over timber and nothing in four outings this calendar year to suggest that run is about to end.

Form: 95-0068

Turasoir⁵⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-5| J: Mr L P Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: J W Nicholson| OR: 93

10/1

Beaten 14L in a 2m½f handicap hurdle at Roscommon in July, will need to improve on form of four hurdles run so far, but that isn't ruled out.

Form: 4597

Rock On Bach^p²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 9-13| J: C D Timmons⁽³⁾| T: Ms Alice Curran| OR: 83

20/1

Has started over hurdles 21 times now without recording a win and, on form, that run looks more than likely to be extended still further.

Form: 9-80UP5

Forecasts

Mr Champers (4/1), You Can't Catch Me (11/2), Pursecco (7/1), Drakaina (8/1), Coolfighter (9/1), Like An Open Book (10/1), Turasoir (10/1), Gentleman Duke (14/1), Seaboard (14/1), Carrigready (16/1), Rock On Bach (20/1), Sea's Aria (20/1), Sackfullofdreams (25/1)

Wexford winner Drakaina ran another notable race last month to be second at Tramore and should be competitive again off a 2lb higher mark while Pursecco is also give a squeak after a decent effort at the same track. You Can't Catch Me has won four times around this track, including on the Flat over this trip in May and enters calculations but if MR CHAMPERS has sharpened his jumping a bit, that might be enough to help him overcome the 8lb rise for his winning handicap start at Cork in July.