13:45 Fairyhouse

Saturday 16 December 2017

All12:0512:3513:1013:4514:2014:5515:30

FenuSave Choice Of Champions Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 13:45 | Winning time: 5m 28.4s

Miracle In Medinah¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Mark Walsh| T: G Elliott| C

20/1

Landed a Fairyhouse bumper on debut in March, last year, and returned from a long lay-off to finish third to an odds-on stable companion on his hurdling debut at Down Royal before disappointing last month at Punchestown. Worth a market check.

Form: 1/37

Grande Waltz¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: Dillon Maxwell⁽⁷⁾| T: A McNamara

100/1

Won a middle-distance handicap on the Flat for John Joseph Murphy at Limerick in October, last year, but hurdles debut saw him pulled up in January. Beaten 109L on return to action last month. Others preferred.

Form: P-0

Bold Frost^t1⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Brian Hayes| T: Bernard Crowley

100/1

Winner of sole outing in the point-to-point sphere back in April 2015. Well beaten 109L in two maiden hurdles this season. Difficult to see what improvement first-time tongue-tie will bring.

Form: 1/90

Cherokee Bill²³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: J M Moore| T: N Meade

16/1

Third in a Punchestown bumper in November 2015 before disappointing on return at the same track last month over 2m well beaten 26L. Looks a tall order.

Form: 3/5-

Confute¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: R P Treacy⁽⁵⁾| T: L Young

100/1

Sent off 100/1 and finished last on only start in a bumper at Naas before finishing 17th of 25 beaten 56L at Fairyhouse earlier this month. No realistic chance of success here.

Form: 00

Drimsree Lad^t¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: C D Maxwell| T: D A McLoughlin

50/1

Solid and consistent in the point-to-point field but disappointed on hurdling debut when finishing ninth of 25 beaten 32L behind Discorama. Tough ask and others preferred.

Form: 122-2P9

Giant Spirit²⁶⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 123| BF

2/1

Six race maiden for Sandra Hughes but likely to be a warm order here for a yard that has a 39% win strike-rate with first-time starters following a change of stables.

Form: 625244-

Mount Hanover³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: D Robinson⁽⁵⁾| T: H De Bromhead

10/3

Point-to-point second who was started over 2m (heavy) on his hurdles debut at Wexford last month, making the frame before placing once again when upped in trip in a Clonmel maiden last month. More progress possible and not dismissed.

Form: 2-33

Riverdene³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: E Griffin

16/1

Modest bumper performer well beaten fifth of 16 on hurdling debut in a Fairyhouse maiden over 2m4f when sent off a 33/1. Others hold stronger profiles.

Form: 4-35

Spring Watch³²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: J S McGarvey| T: M F Morris

33/1

Will have disappointed connections in two maiden hurdles and clearly has training issues given the time between starts. May find this tough.

Form: 87-

Eamonns Oscar¹⁵⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: R Loughran| T: P McCreery

100/1

Well beaten in three career hurdle starts including a 159L defeat last time out in July. Likely to struggle in this company.

Form: 000

Flammable Lady¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: M J Bolger| T: S Byrne

100/1

Towards rear and eventually tailed off on hurdling debut at Limerick earlier this month over 2m3f. Likely to struggle once again.

Form: P-9

Play At Midnight²⁸⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: T James

20/1

Well beaten in two maiden hurdle starts despite the close proximity of finishing positions. Needs to improve significantly to play a role here.

Form: 945-

Gimli's Oscar⁷⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: Ricky Doyle⁽⁵⁾| T: P J Rothwell

100/1

Beaten a total of 58L in two career hurdle starts including finishing 13th of 18 last time out in a Clonmel maiden. Requires a chunk of improvement to play a role here.

Form: 90

Swedish Connection⁷⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: A E Lynch| T: M J Smith

100/1

Well beaten in a Ballinrobe bumper in August before beating one home in an 18-runner maiden hurdle at Clonmel in September over 2m1f. Another torrid time looks on the cards here.

Form: 60

Narcissistic^t¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade

7/4

First Reserve: Has shown form in a couple of bumpers and finished second to a potentially decent one at Fairyhouse earlier this month. One to check in the market.

Form: 7/2-42

Non-Runners

Caliption¹⁷

Weight: 11-4| Age: 5

T: M F Morris J: Jack Kennedy

Western Ruler¹⁴

Weight: 11-4| Age: 5

T: M F Morris J: Reserve 2

Jack Lee

Weight: 11-3| Age: 4

T: Kevin McDonagh J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Narcissistic (7/4), Giant Spirit (2/1), Mount Hanover (10/3), Riverdene (16/1), Cherokee Bill (16/1), Miracle In Medinah (20/1), Play At Midnight (20/1), Caliption (20/1), Spring Watch (33/1), Jack Lee (33/1), Western Ruler (33/1), Drimsree Lad (50/1), Bold Frost (100/1), Flammable Lady (100/1), Swedish Connection (100/1), Grande Waltz (100/1), Gimli's Oscar (100/1), Confute (100/1), Eamonns Oscar (100/1)

The race could be decided from the front here with the Gigginstown pair Caliption and Narcissistic up with the early pace along with stable debutante GIANT SPIRIT who makes his first appearance for Willie Mullins since joining from Sandra Hughes. The potential improver Mount Hanover for Henry De Bromhead can make the frame following two solid efforts this season.