15:20 Limerick

Thursday 28 December 2017

All12:3513:1013:4014:1014:4515:2015:55

Parkway Shopping Centre Handicap Hurdle (80-102)

Off time: 15:23 | Winning time: 6m 2.0s

The Church Gate^p,t¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: A E Lynch| T: M J Smith| OR: 97

9/4

Perhaps the 9lb rise in the weight following a win at Thurles last month was the reason for a 6¼L defeat at Navan last time out when finishing third of 23. Has placed here in the past and can go well again.

Form: 0-P3513

Hes Our Vinnie^p⁴³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: D E Splaine| T: T O'Brien| OR: 96| C

12/1

Not completed any of his three starts since returning from a long break. Reverts to hurdles with the tongue tie and cheekpieces combination but has way too much to prove to be considered as a reliable betting proposition.

Form: 604-PFP

Ali Bin Nayef^p²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Brian Hayes| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 91

14/1

Disappointed at 9/2 in a Clonmel handicap hurdle following a couple of promising efforts at Fairyhouse and here earlier in the month. Others preferred.

Form: 079125

About You⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: K C Sexton| T: M Hourigan| OR: 90

7/1

Not a lot to shout about in three maiden hurdle starts including a 32L defeat last time out at Clonmel. Looks a tall order on form shown.

Form: 915756

Foreign Bay^p1¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: R T Dunne| T: S J Mahon| OR: 89

16/1

Modest hurdler in two starts for previous yard and has not improved for new stable. requires a chunk of improvement needed to play a role here.

Form: 670-640

Itsallhappening¹⁶⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: J M Moore| T: N Meade| OR: 89| BF

5/1

Sent off and beaten favourite on his last five starts failing to finish his last two outings in July. Will possibly need the run on return from a break but worth a market check.

Form: 6343-FP

Hackets Folly^b¹²²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Simon Torrens⁽⁷⁾| T: William P Murphy| OR: 88

25/1

Nine-race maiden who has been well beaten in seven of his eight hurdle starts. Not seen since August 2014 and has work to do on return.

Form: 25P540/

Flathertys Gap⁴³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: A W Short⁽⁷⁾| T: L Whitmore| OR: 87

20/1

An nine race maiden under rules, who showed up well when beaten 1L at Tramore in December 2016 but has pulled up on three subsequent starts.

Form: 583PP-P

The Grey Guy²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-11| J: P F Mangan| T: B O'Keeffe| OR: 87

5/1

Won and been placed off higher marks in the past, so very feasible he's on a winning mark. Possibly needed his seasonal debut when a promising fifth of 18 at Thurles last month. Seventh of 18 in this race last term .

Form: 77003-5

Charlotte Wells^b1²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: P D Kennedy⁽³⁾| T: J Neilan| OR: 84

20/1

Has produced a series of laboured performances in four career maiden hurdle starts since October. Hard to fancy even in first-time blinkers.

Form: 586897

Frenchfort²⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-7| J: A J Flaherty⁽⁷⁾| T: V T O'Brien| OR: 83

25/1

Not shown much in four previous starts beaten a total of 242L and very hard to see him improving at his age.

Form: 000/0

Hawk Eye Down^t¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: Miss J M Cook⁽⁷⁾| T: Paul Power| OR: 81

7/1

Failed to build on promising debut here earleir in the month when finishing 13th of 23 beaten 34L in a Navan handicap hurdle on soft ground.

Form: F2-3130

Non-Runners

Battling Spirit²¹

Weight: 11-5| Age: 10

T: Jonathan Sweeney J: Katie O'Farrell

Danse Away¹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 5

T: T J Nagle-Jr J: R P Treacy

Dundeedy Lad²¹

Weight: 10-6| Age: 4

T: R Tyner J: Phillip Enright

West Light⁶³

Weight: 10-5| Age: 9

T: M J McDonagh J: S J Gray

Paudi The Punter⁵¹

Weight: 10-4| Age: 11

T: G T Lynch J: E T Daly

Forecasts

The Church Gate (9/4), Battling Spirit (9/4), The Grey Guy (5/1), Itsallhappening (5/1), About You (7/1), Hawk Eye Down (7/1), Hes Our Vinnie (12/1), Danse Away (14/1), Ali Bin Nayef (14/1), Foreign Bay (16/1), West Light (16/1), Flathertys Gap (20/1), Charlotte Wells (20/1), Hackets Folly (25/1), Frenchfort (25/1), Dundeedy Lad (25/1), Paudi The Punter (33/1)

There should be a number of willing runners to lead here in the early stages of this contest. Ali Bin Nayef, He's Our Vinnie and Foreign Bay like to get on with things usually and could set the race up for the likes of the returning Itsallhappening, the likable Battling Spirit and the improving THE CHURCH GATE to battle for the win.