13:15 Leopardstown

Tuesday 26 December 2017

All12:1512:4513:1513:5014:2014:5515:30

Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2)

Off time: 13:17 | Winning time: 4m 6.10s

Espoir D'allen²³

Age: 3| Weight: 11-1| J: Mark Walsh| T: G P Cromwell| D

1/2

Unbeaten over hurdles and a highly promising prospect prominent in the betting for the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Grade 3 win at Fairyhouse latest his best effort yet and should be tough to beat again.

Form: 111

Farclas¹¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott

10/1

French Flat import who won the most recent of his four starts in that sphere. Difficult enough introduction for yard/hurdles debut and the market should guide.

Form:

Mastermind^h³¹

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: D F O'Regan| T: C O'Brien| D

10/1

Off the mark at Gowran last time out when winning in good style despite being a fair price. Previously well-beaten by Mitchouka, however and needs to reverse that form.

Form: 61

Mitchouka²³

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| D

7/2

Nice prospect who has won a couple of much weaker races very easily indeed. Beaten almost 5L by Espoir D'Allen last time and difficult to see him reversing that form, but could be runner-up again.

Form: 2112

Tenth Amendment^h³⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: Robbie Colgan| T: K H Clarke

33/1

11-race maiden on the Flat who finished second (beaten 10L by Mitchouka) on only attempt at hurdles so far. Needs to improve his jumping to have any chance and beaten favourite on the level since.

Form: 2

Grey Waters¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 10-5| J: S A Shortall| T: J P O'Brien| D

25/1

A winner both over hurdles and on the Flat, but was beaten when making a bad mistake at the last at Aintree last time in Listed company. More needed now.

Form: 2115

Minnie Dahill³⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 10-5| J: Katie Walsh| T: T M Walsh| D

25/1

Has finished behind a few of these since winning at Down Royal in September, and no reason she should reverse form with any of those re-opposing rivals.

Form: 4153F

Non-Runners

Desert Grey³²

Weight: 10-12| Age: 3

T: D Hogan J: M A Enright

Forecasts

Espoir D'allen (1/2), Mitchouka (7/2), Farclas (10/1), Mastermind (10/1), Grey Waters (25/1), Minnie Dahill (25/1), Tenth Amendment (33/1), Desert Grey (100/1)

All things being equal, ESPOIR D'ALLEN should be able to make it 5/5 here. The JP McManus owned juvenile has impressed on all four starts so far and looks a very nice prospect for an owner who often does well in these sorts of contests. He accounted for main market rival Mitchouka by almost five lengths last time out, and should be able to confirm form here. Instead, his stablemate Farclas may provide the main danger to the selection on debut over hurdles, having shown some good form on the Flat in France.