13:05 Navan

Sunday 26 November 2017

All12:3513:0513:3514:0514:3515:0515:35

'Monksfield' Novice Hurdle (Grade 3)

Off time: 13:05 | Winning time: 5m 12.5s

Jetz¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| D

6/1

Career-best effort when landing a 16-runner novice hurdle at Fairyhouse (2mf4, soft) 19 days ago, quickening clear nicely. Will have to up things considerable here.

Form: 433-31

Samcro³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| C

1/4

Listed bumper winner, took care of 21 rivals in novice hurdle at Punchestown (2m, good to soft) on hurdles bow 38 days ago with the absolute economy of effort. Could be a star in the making.

Form: 1/111-1

Turbojet⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: M A Enright| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 128| BF| D

20/1

Authorized gelding has one win and placed six times in eight starts over flights. A decent operator but facing by far his toughest assignment to date.

Form: 522-212

Cosmo's Moon²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: A E Lynch| T: R P McNamara

66/1

Career best effort when finishing runner-up on hurdles debut at Galway (2m, soft-to-heavy) four weeks ago. Steps up markedly in trip today and will have to improve dramatically to win.

Form: 59-2

Delta Work^h,t¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott

20/1

Flat winner in France (heavy ground) who shaped well in two hurdle runs for this yard in the spring, winning well at Punchestown (2m½f, good) in May. Ran well in Naas Grade 3 over 2m on return, up in trip and stablemate looks hard to halt now.

Form: 41-213

Creation²³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: D J Mullins| T: H De Bromhead

25/1

Second to Just Janice at Down Royal last time out in Mares' Grade 3 contest over 2m on soft. Respected once again and could fill similar role.

Form: 432-12

Good Thyne Tara¹⁹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 135

8/1

4L second of seven behind Asthuria in a Listed mares event at Killarney over 2m1f on good ground when last spotted 196 days ago but has previously won following a break. Yard going well and could run into the money.

Form: 12143-2

Half The Odds²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| D

10/1

Career-best to win nine-runner novice hurdle at Galway (2m, soft) last month on hurdles bow. Open to improvement but is being severely tested this time.

Form: 31217-1

Non-Runners

Ballyluskey³³³

Weight: 11-2| Age: 7

T: S J Mahon J: D F O'Regan

Forecasts

Samcro (1/4), Jetz (6/1), Good Thyne Tara (8/1), Half The Odds (10/1), Delta Work (20/1), Turbojet (20/1), Creation (25/1), Ballyluskey (33/1), Cosmo's Moon (66/1)

Gordon Elliott won this a year ago with Death Duty and he looks to have the answer once more with the exciting SAMCRO, one of the most talked-about novice hurdlers in Ireland this season. He dotted up on his jumping bow at Punchestown, beating subsequent winner Mind's Eye by 15L as he did. It will be a real surprise should anything come home ahead of him now. He's far from the only one in here with potential and the likes of Jetz, Half The Odds, Delta Work and Good Thyne Tara should produce an exciting contest for place money.