13:50 Leopardstown

Thursday 28 December 2017

All12:1512:5013:2013:5014:2515:0015:35

Irish Daily Star Christmas Novice Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:56 | Winning time: 4m 7.40s

Jack Dillinger^t⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: N D Fehily| T: E P Harty| OR: 125

12/1

Good effort in finishing 23L third at Punchestown (2m, yielding-to-soft) in October but well held on handicap debut and more needed if he's to take this contest.

Form: 744U-30

Hardback^t1²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: S A Shortall⁽³⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 123| D

16/1

Winner of his rules debut in a maiden hurdle over an extended 2m at Sligo (good) in August. Fair efforts since but well held on handicap debut last time and wears a tongue tie for the first time today.

Form: U/1F349

Arvico Bleu²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: D Robinson⁽⁵⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 122

13/2

Fair form in two starts since winning a maiden hurdle over 2m1f at Clonmel (soft) in September. Hails from a stable who can boast a 33% strike-rate (3/9) in recent weeks and he makes his handicap debut today.

Form: 332-155

All's Quiet^t⁷⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr L J McGuinness⁽⁷⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 120| D

25/1

Successful over 2m at Roscommon (heavy) in September but held in a novice hurdle subsequently and more needed if he's to register a first handicap success today.

Form: 165916

Low Sun^p1¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 120| BF

10/1

Had just two starts since joining this yard winning at Bellewstown (good) on hurdling debut in August. Gelded prior to disappointing at Punchestown (heavy) subsequently and wears cheekpieces for the first time on handicap debut.

Form: 14

Like An Open Book⁴⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: M P Burke⁽⁵⁾| T: J M Burke| OR: 116| D

8/1

Winning for the second time in three handicap starts when seeing off 17 rivals at Thurles (2m, yielding). Races off a 9lb higher mark today and remains open to improvement.

Form: 445131

Wigs On The Green^t⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: B J Geraghty| T: M F Morris| OR: 114

3/1

Finished fourth on three of his four starts since falling on debut here 12 months ago. Tongue tie worn for the first time at Fairyhouse (2m, soft-to-heavy) last time out is retained for today's handicap debut.

Form: F-444

Stowaway Forever^p1,t1²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: L P Dempsey| T: J P Dempsey| OR: 113

10/1

Point-to-point winner in 2016 and some fair form in three outings over hurdles. Latest of those came when finishing 20L fourth at Limerick (2m3f, soft) earlier this month and he wears cheekpieces and tongue tie for the first time on handicap debut.

Form: 425-444

Artful Artist^t⁵⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: E O'Connell⁽⁷⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 111| C

10/1

Placed five times from 12 starts over hurdles including when runner-up in a maiden hurdle at Bellewstown (good) in August. Well held in a handicap contest last time and any market support would be interesting today.

Form: 327-226

Celebrity Status⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: Ricky Doyle⁽⁵⁾| T: C O'Dwyer| OR: 107

16/1

Point-to-point winner 13 months ago and decent efforts in all four starts over hurdles to date. Finished fifth over an extended 2m at Clonmel (soft) last time out and making his handicap debut today.

Form: P1-4435

Ale Ambrosio^h¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Mark Walsh| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 106

8/1

Career best effort when finishing second in a 2m handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (heavy) last time out. Races off a 3lb higher mark today and she is of interest if repeating that latest effort.

Form: 470-052

Brontide⁷⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-3| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: C O'Dwyer| OR: 105| C

50/1

Dual Flat winner but disappointing in the main over hurdles and well held in handicap company the last twice. Others make more appeal.

Form: 053770

Sweet Company^p,t¹⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: D F O'Regan| T: A J Martin| OR: 101| BF

9/1

Placed twice over hurdles in 2016 but disappointing during 2017. Well beaten having been sent off joint-favourite at Punchestown (good-to-yielding) in April and worth a check in the market for shrewd connections.

Form: 736/030-

Creeping Ivy^t⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Donagh Meyler| T: A J Martin| OR: 99| BF

10/1

Successful twice on the Flat and ran well to finish third in a 2m handicap hurdle at Navan (yielding) in September. Beaten favourite since and interesting to see how she fares in this contest.

Form: 000-639

Forecasts

Wigs On The Green (3/1), Arvico Bleu (13/2), Ale Ambrosio (8/1), Like An Open Book (8/1), Sweet Company (9/1), Low Sun (10/1), Creeping Ivy (10/1), Stowaway Forever (10/1), Artful Artist (10/1), Jack Dillinger (12/1), Hardback (16/1), Celebrity Status (16/1), All's Quiet (25/1), Brontide (50/1)

WIGS ON THE GREEN has put in some promising efforts in maiden hurdle contests this autumn and he is taken to make a winning handicap debut in this competitive affair. The selection's best effort came on soft-to-heavy ground last time out and he can get the better of the in form mare Like An Open Book who has won two of her last three starts. Stowaway Forever, another making his handicap debut today can claim third.