13:35 Thurles

Sunday 17 December 2017

All12:3013:0013:3514:1014:4015:1015:45

Molony Cup Handicap Chase (0-109)

Off time: 13:36 | Winning time: 6m 40.00s

Mill Quest²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: D E Splaine| T: T O'Brien| OR: 109

14/1

Best effort in three starts over fences came when finishing 20L third over 2m2f on soft-to-heavy ground here last time out. Still in contention prior to falling here on her previous start and is an interesting runner on handicap debut.

Form: 200-7F3

Capture The Drama¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: Aengus King| OR: 108| D

12/1

Placed off a 3lb higher mark on heavy ground over 3m at Listowel (heavy) in September. Well held three times since, the last twice over hurdles and more needed today.

Form: PP3400

Cappacurry Zak^p1²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: R P Treacy⁽⁵⁾| T: L Young| OR: 106

6/1

Successful three times over hurdles and finished runner-up off this mark in a handicap chase over this trip at Naas (heavy) in March. Well beaten over hurdles here last month and wears cheekpieces for the first time today.

Form: 222P-77

Take The Cash²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: B J Cooper| T: A McNamara| OR: 104

14/1

Winner of a novice hurdle at Sedgefield (soft) over 2m3f for Donald McCain but lightly raced since and well beaten on debut for this yard over hurdles here last month.

Form: 5733/3-0

Red River Gold^p1,t¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Danny Mullins| T: D G Murphy| OR: 103

10/1

Good effort in finishing runner-up over 2m4f at Naas last month but well held subsequently. Remains relatively unexposed under rules and wears cheekpieces for the first time today.

Form: 732528

Suas Sios^p1,t¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Mr L O'Carroll⁽⁷⁾| T: P Rooney| OR: 103

22/1

Dual point-to-point winner but disappointing in four starts since winning a beginners chase at Navan (2m4f, heavy) in March. Cheekpieces are tried for the first time today.

Form: 61F-P90

Milanesque^t⁶²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: B Browne⁽⁵⁾| T: P W Flynn| OR: 102| BF| C

8/1

C&D winner in January 2016 but absent since finishing fourth over an extended 2m6f at Fairyhouse (yielding-to-soft) in March of that year. Worth a check in the market on his return from a long absence.

Form: 351F24/

Dinnie's Vinnie^p³²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: L P Dempsey| T: J P Dempsey| OR: 100| BF| C

5/1

In good form this year winning two of his last five starts dating back to February. Beaten a head in a 16 runner handicap chase at Fairyhouse (soft-to-heavy) over an extended 2m7f a month ago and one for the shortlist off a 4lb higher mark today.

Form: P12-312

Leader's Choice²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Mr E P O'Brien⁽⁷⁾| T: D G Murphy| OR: 100

12/1

13 race maiden and placed in a beginners chase at Tramore (2m6f, yielding) on her penultimate outing. Well beaten here since but steps up in trip for today's handicap debut and has placed three times over this trip in hurdle events.

Form: 46-2530

Bridies Boy^p¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: A McCurtin⁽⁵⁾| T: J J Walsh| OR: 97

20/1

Winner at Clonmel (3m, good) in a handicap hurdle in May 2015 but failed to trouble the judge since including here over 2m2f last time out. Step up in trip a positive today.

Form: 0P/P879

Star Counsel^b¹⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: C D Meehan⁽⁵⁾| T: E Kent| OR: 95

33/1

Successful twice over hurdles but failed to perform in six outings over fences including when 16L fifth over an extended 2m4f on handicap debut at Cork (heavy) earlier this month.

Form: 648095

Do Be Doin'^p,t²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: C A Landers⁽⁷⁾| T: M Hassett| OR: 94| C

25/1

Sole success over fences came nearly three years ago and held in all four starts this season. Has placed over fences here in the past.

Form: 8566-80

Erkindale Lady^p¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: D J McInerney⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss M M Gannon| OR: 92

12/1

Returned to form when winning over an extended 2m7f at Fairyhouse (soft-to-heavy) a month ago. Struggled back over hurdles subsequently and races off a mark 6lb higher than for that Fairyhouse victory.

Form: 749910

Simple Steps³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Phillip Enright| T: R Tyner| OR: 90

9/1

Dual point-to-point winner in 2015 and placed four times from eight outings over fences so far including when 19L third off a 1lb higher mark at Punchestown (3m1f, soft) in October. Return to 3m a positive having disappointed last time.

Form: 2530-36

Time And Times²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: P F Mangan| T: D McNamara| OR: 90

16/1

Handicap hurdle winner at Cork (2m4f, soft-to-heavy) in March. Well beaten over fences since and making his handicap debut today having unseated early on at Cork last time out.

Form: 17-700U

Witness Of Fashion^p³²

Age: 11| Weight: 10-6| J: C D Maxwell| T: P Rooney| OR: 89| D

14/1

Winning for the fourth time over fences when successful over 2m5f at Fairyhouse (soft) last month. Beat an in form rival on that occasion but disappointed off a 6lb higher mark subsequently.

Form: U798-16

Highest Benefit^p1¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-4| J: T Ryan⁽⁷⁾| T: W J Austin| OR: 87

20/1

Maiden after 15 starts and well beaten in a handicap chase on just his second start over fences at Punchestown (soft-to-heavy) last time out. Wears cheekpieces for the first time today.

Form: 94P0-86

Gibbstown⁶⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 9-12| J: A W Short⁽⁷⁾| T: P Stafford| OR: 81| D

16/1

Victorious in five of her 40 chase starts but held in three starts since finishing runner-up at Hexham (3m, heavy) in March and likely more needed despite a falling handicap mark.

Form: 422-758

Non-Runners

Paudi The Punter⁴⁰

Weight: 9-10| Age: 11

T: G T Lynch J: Reserve 1

Forecasts

Dinnie's Vinnie (5/1), Cappacurry Zak (6/1), Milanesque (8/1), Paudi The Punter (8/1), Simple Steps (9/1), Red River Gold (10/1), Erkindale Lady (12/1), Leader's Choice (12/1), Capture The Drama (12/1), Take The Cash (14/1), Mill Quest (14/1), Witness Of Fashion (14/1), Gibbstown (16/1), Time And Times (16/1), Highest Benefit (20/1), Bridies Boy (20/1), Suas Sios (22/1), Do Be Doin' (25/1), Star Counsel (33/1)

LEADER'S CHOICE can make a winning handicap debut in this highly competitive looking handicap chase. The selection's best effort in beginners contests came over 2m6f and having placed over 3m as a hurdler this step up in trip can see her register a first victory over fences at the chief expense of Dinnie's Vinnie who has placed on each of his last five starts. The long absent Milanesque regsitered his sole victory over C&D and can claim third in this contest.