Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Chase (0-109)

Off time: 17:25 | Winning time: 6m 6.0s

Caniwillyegiveme^p³²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: S E Butler⁽²⁾| T: S Fahey| OR: 105

3/1

12 race maiden, but consistent since switched to fences, making the frame on all three starts. Races from the same mark as when 15L third to Sir Jack Yeats at Tramore last month (2m6f yielding).

Form: 733223

Aranhill Rascal^b,t⁷⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: J J Slevin| T: S J Mahon| OR: 95

7/1

Off the mark at the 21st time of asking at Limerick over 2m3f, perhaps fortuitous when chief rival fell two out but might have won regardless, before finishing second of 18, beaten 1¼L in a Clonmel handicap chase. Outclassed latest.

Form: 6P-P127

Off The Charts^t1¹⁸⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: D J McInerney⁽⁴⁾| T: M Brassil| OR: 95

5/1

Yet to make the frame in 11 starts over fences (three time hurdles winner) and pulled up in each of his last three starts. Off since March, but notably returns wearing a tongue tie, so worth a market check.

Form: 870PPP-

Shrewdoperator⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽⁴⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 86

7/1

17 race maiden who has made no impact in either start over fences at Clonmel or Limerick. Probably needed the run (over hurdles) at Limerick last Friday, but others make more appeal.

Form: 7P7U9-0

Gibbstown^p¹⁷⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 10-6| J: A W Short⁽⁴⁾| T: P Stafford| OR: 85

9/2

A mare who has an all too obvious affinity with Hexham, and her 'Gold Cup' arrives in Northumberland every March; twice a winner of the 3m handicap chase in which she finished a runner up to Hattons Hill in 2017. Revels in deep ground.

Form: P36422-

Ard Cregg⁶³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: S J Gray| T: V T O'Brien| OR: 81

11/1

Won just once in 33 attempts, over 2m4f at Thurles in December 2015. Nothing to set the pulses racing so far in 2017, and pulled up after being detached from the fourth fence on her latest start at Killarney in July.

Form: 3P8-06P

Willow Grange^b,t³⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-1| J: P E Corbett| T: J P Ryan| OR: 80

4/1

Won just once in 50 attempts at Sligo in September 2016 (3m heavy), but it should be noted that she beat today's rivals Gibbstown and Ard Cregg by 15L & 28L respectively. In theory on a winnable mark, but just doesn't seem to know how to.

Form: 260780

Forecasts

Caniwillyegiveme (3/1), Willow Grange (4/1), Gibbstown (9/2), Off The Charts (5/1), Aranhill Rascal (7/1), Shrewdoperator (7/1), Ard Cregg (11/1)

A small field contest where those lining up are all very much of a similar ilk, and perhaps Gibbstown aside, find winning a fairly challenging concept to grasp. Admittedly some have had far fewer chances than others, and the likes of Off The Charts may well have had a recent physical problem (wind) as he returns from a break wearing the all too obvious tongue tie. One piece of form in particular gives WILLOW GRANGE fairly strong claims (Sligo, September 2016), and with some obvious reluctance to make him the selection due to his dismal strike rate, this is possibly the time of year to catch him right, but too all intents and purposes this is a race to treat with extreme caution.