12:25 Limerick

Wednesday 27 December 2017

All12:2512:5513:2514:0014:3515:1015:45

Goggin Buckley Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 12:26 | Winning time: 6m 9.7s

Double Portrait²⁵⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G Elliott

11/4

Half-brother to a couple of decent hurdlers. Pulled up on pointing debut but went close in two subsequent starts, losing out by just a neck at Balinaboola before a 1L success at Cork when last seen in April.

Form: P221-

Imperial Way⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr L P Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: J P O'Brien| BF

12/1

Has been running to a very similar level of form in several bumpers and finally got due reward when scoring at Wexford over 2m before a heavy defeat on maiden hurdle debut at Clonmel last month.

Form: 4232-10

Buck Dancing⁵⁷⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Ricky Doyle⁽⁵⁾| T: P G Kelly| OR: 103

33/1

Modest handicap chaser for trainer-Edward Harty including being pulled-up when last seen over 570 days ago. Not a lot to be positive above.

Form: 343/50P-

Canon Jack

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: B Browne⁽⁵⁾| T: J J Walsh

40/1

Mahler gelding out of a Insan mare. Sire won the 2m Queens Vase at Royal Ascot and finished 3rd in the Melbourne Cup. Market likely to be the best guide here with yard landing a double here yesterday.

Form:

Castlebeach King⁵⁹¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: S J Gray⁽³⁾| T: Ms Alice Curran

66/1

Modest three-race maiden hurdler well beaten and tailed off 57L finishing fifth of six when last seen at Killarney in May 2016. Hard to fancy on return.

Form: 380P7/5-

Cloone Boy¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: D J Hand⁽⁷⁾| T: S J Mahon

50/1

Milan gelding out of a Supreme Leader mare who weakened over 4f out on racecourse debut in a Navan bumper earlier this month. Others preferred.

Form: 8

Great Khan²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Phillip Enright| T: E J O'Grady

7/1

Generally consistent but not much joy after seven runs over hurdles. Promising third of 12 beaten over 6L last time out in a Limerick maiden hurdle over 2m3f. Yard has a decent record at this meeting.

Form: 2-23363

Kilclooney Wood^p²⁷⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: P F Mangan| T: B O'Keeffe| OR: 81

50/1

Not seen since March when finishing 31L sixth of 18 in a Thurles handicap hurdle over 2m7f. Handy claimer on board but may need the run following break.

Form: 40/0096-

Mad Carew^t³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: J D Benson⁽⁷⁾| T: N Meade

16/1

Modest in three bumpers beaten a total of over 33L on various types of ground. Could improve now sent hurdling by powerful yard.

Form: 4-25

Pallaskenry²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: A E Lynch| T: H De Bromhead

14/1

Well fancied but subsequently disappointed on maiden hurdle debut when finishing sixth of eight beaten 36L. Vast improvement needed to figure.

Form: 21-6

Playtimesover⁴⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: D E Splaine| T: D E Fitzgerald

50/1

Related to the likes of Tidal Bay and Imperial Commander but disappointed on maiden hurdle debut at Naas finishing last of 12 when tailed off. Very little to be positive about.

Form: 0

Sympa Des Flos^h²⁶

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

1/1

Beaten favourite last time out finishing second for the fourth consecutive race. Gives the impression we have not seen the best of him yet.

Form: 2/222

Young Paddymc^t1²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: P E Corbett⁽³⁾| T: T Gibney

10/1

Stowaway gelding out of an Old Vic mare, so he is bred for the job. Promising debut when fourth of 11 in Punchestown maiden hurdle. Looks a progressive type.

Form: 4

D'bru Na Boinne^h²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: A McCurtin⁽⁵⁾| T: J J Walsh

40/1

Not much to glean from either of his three previous starts and requires a chunk of improvement to play a role here though yard landed a double here yesterday.

Form: 0-06

Benefit Of Magic¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: P D Kennedy⁽³⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington

33/1

Had a torrid time of it in two bumper starts at Punchestown and Thurles beaten a total of 51L before disappointing on hurdling debut earlier in the month. Others make more appeal.

Form: 970

Denham Hana¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: D J McInerney⁽⁵⁾| T: P Nolan

33/1

Ended up a moderate ninth of 25 on debut in a Navan maiden hurdle following being kept in rear for most of the contest. Yard is good nick so worth a market check.

Form: 9

Forecasts

Sympa Des Flos (1/1), Double Portrait (11/4), Great Khan (7/1), Young Paddymc (10/1), Imperial Way (12/1), Pallaskenry (14/1), Mad Carew (16/1), Denham Hana (33/1), Benefit Of Magic (33/1), Buck Dancing (33/1), D'bru Na Boinne (40/1), Canon Jack (40/1), Cloone Boy (50/1), Kilclooney Wood (50/1), Playtimesover (50/1), Castlebeach King (66/1)

Last time out beaten favourite IMPERIAL WAY ran too bad to be true on hurdling debut at Clonmel and can set the record straight in this opening contest for trainer Joseph O'Brien. Serial beaten favourite Sympa Des Flos is now upped in trip for the Willie Mullins stable and the Edward O'Grady-trained Great Khan placed in six of his last seven starts, may have to settle for the minors again.