13:10 Down Royal

Tuesday 26 December 2017

All12:1012:4013:1013:4514:1514:5015:25

Toals Bookmakers Hunters Chase

Off time: 13:10 | Winning time: 6m 7.90s

Sambremont²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr R James⁽⁷⁾| T: D M Christie| OR: 134

13/2

Useful rules performer for Willie Mullins and finished runner-up on all three completed point-to-point starts since joining this yard earlier this year. Interesting to see how he fares on his return to regulation fences.

Form: 7022F2

Venitien De Mai^p1³⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr M J O'Hare⁽⁵⁾| T: J T R Dreaper| OR: 135| C

4/1

Decent staying chaser on his day and winner of an Open contest over the banks course at Lingstown (soft) in a point-to-point last time out. Has won three times on heavy ground and he is one for the shortlist in first time cheekpieces.

Form: 5F6F-31

Enniskillen^p,t³⁷

Age: 12| Weight: 11-11| J: Miss E A Lalor⁽⁵⁾| T: P Maher| OR: 83

9/2

All four point-to-point and rules wins have come at Punchestown including in a banks contest back in April. Held in a similar contest over 3m there last time out and more needed today.

Form: 1315-P5

Quiet Account²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr N McParlan⁽³⁾| T: C A McBratney

12/1

Successful over regulation fences in a prestigious hunter chase at Stratford (good) over an extended 3m3f in May last year. Likely to have improved for his recent return to action and he is a leading contender today.

Form: U121-P4

Sizing Coal³⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr J J Codd| T: J T R Dreaper| OR: 132

5/2

Saw off today's rival Sambremont when winning an Open at Portrush (soft-to-heavy) in October. Has finished third in a banks contest at Punchestown since and he is an interesting runner with a leading amateur booked to ride.

Form: 1FP2-13

Adamstown²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr P G McGuigan⁽⁷⁾| T: G J McKeever

12/1

Three time point-to-point winner who finished 8L behind Sambremont when the pair met at Moira (heavy) earlier this month. Finished third in a hunter chase here in May last year on his only previous chase outing.

Form: 42/3-213

Celtic Thunder^p⁴⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Daire James McConville⁽⁷⁾| T: R K Watson| OR: 80

33/1

Successful twice in point-to-points in early 2015 but held in that sphere since and finished behind Adamstown when the pair met at Loughbrickland (heavy) last month.

Form: P-43726

Gilgamboa²³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Ms N Carberry| T: E Bolger| OR: 150

3/1

Grade 1 winning novice chaser in 2015 but things haven't gone to plan since then. Stepped up on point-to-point debut when second at Mainstown (yielding-to-soft) last time and the presence of Nina Carberry in the saddle today is a positive.

Form: 54/2B-52

Mountain Philip¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr D T McGrath⁽⁷⁾| T: Diarmuid P Ryan| OR: 90| D

50/1

Winner of a maiden point-to-point and a novice hunter chase in spring 2015. Disappointing since and finished well beaten in three point-to-point starts this term.

Form: 0FP-564

Rossvoss^b³⁶³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr M J Stenson⁽⁷⁾| T: T M Walsh| OR: 131| D

16/1

Victorious twice over fences but well beaten in two starts in handicap hurdles this time last year and probably best watched on his return from nearly 12 months off the track.

Form: 00P/250-

Forecasts

Sizing Coal (5/2), Gilgamboa (3/1), Venitien De Mai (4/1), Enniskillen (9/2), Sambremont (13/2), Adamstown (12/1), Quiet Account (12/1), Rossvoss (16/1), Celtic Thunder (33/1), Mountain Philip (50/1)

Trainer Jim Dreaper may hold the key to this race and his VENITIEN DE MAI is taken to follow up last months point-to-point success in this competitive hunter chase. The selection's best efforts have come on the forecast heavy ground and he can get the better of the useful Quiet Account who is likely to have improved for his first outing in seven months in a point-to-point at the start of the month. Of the remainder the selections stablemate Sizing Coal can get the better of Gilgamboa in the battle for third.