16:10 Leopardstown

Sunday 4 February 2018

All12:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:40

Chanelle Pharma Handicap Chase (Grade A)

Off time: 16:11 | Winning time: 5m 33.4s

Cause Of Causes^p,t³⁰²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Mark Walsh| T: G Elliott| OR: 152

33/1

Winner of the cross-country race at last years Cheltenham Festival and subsequently finished runner-up in the Grand National at Aintree (good-to-soft). Interesting to see how he fares today.

Form: 5P0512-

Polidam^h³⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: N D Fehily| T: W P Mullins| OR: 146

8/1

Useful performer in France and winner of a competitive contest over 2m4f at Navan (soft) in December. Well over further here subsequently and one to note dropping in trip.

Form: 7137-10

Hell's Kitchen^h,t⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: B J Geraghty| T: H Fry| OR: 143| D

9/2

Victorious for the first time over fences when winning at Kempton (good-to-soft) last time out. Raised 6lb for that success and remains open to improvement.

Form: 12/3-2U1

Arbre De Vie²²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: D J Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 142| D

25/1

Tackling Graded company of late but failed to beat a rival home in a Grade 3 at Punchestown (2m4f, soft-to-heavy) last time and more needed today.

Form: 174436

Jett⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 142| C

8/1

Disappointing when odds-on favourite for a Grade 3 at Navan in December. Well held in Grade 1 company later that month and making his handicap debut today.

Form: 24-4123

Apache Stronghold^b1,t³⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-13| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 141| CD

28/1

Useful performer as a novice in 2015 but absent for over 18 months prior to returning this season and plenty to prove with blinkers tried for the first time.

Form: 2F3/340

Colms Dream^h,t³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Donagh Meyler| T: K Thornton| OR: 140| CD

40/1

Finished runner-up in a valuable handicap chase at Punchestown (2m4f, good-to-yielding) in April 2016. Had just two starts since and well beaten over hurdles here in December.

Form: F11/20-0

General Principle^t³⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 139

10/1

Ran well to finish fourth over hurdles at Clonmel in November but has proven a disappointment over fences the last twice. Market support would be interesting today.

Form: 115-470

Sutton Manor⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 138

7/1

Justified odds-on favouritism at Down Royal (heavy) in December. Has run well over further in the past and is one to note for a last year's winning connections on today's handicap debut.

Form: 35-4321

Heron Heights^p1,t¹⁸⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-9| J: Phillip Enright| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 137

40/1

Four time winner over fences in 2016 but well beaten in his most recent outings and wears cheekpieces for the first time on his first outing since August.

Form: 6P3-0B0

Kylecrue^b⁵⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 10-9| J: D J McInerney⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 137| D

50/1

Handicap hurdle winner at Galway in October. Well held since and unseated rider in a race won by Polidam at Navan last time out.

Form: 35195U

Last Goodbye^b1,t1⁷⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: A W Short⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss E Doyle| OR: 135

12/1

Winner of a beginners chase at Down Royal (2m4f, soft) in December 2016 and ran well at the Cheltenham Festival last March. Wears blinkers and a tongue tie for the first time today.

Form: 26157-0

Uncle Danny³⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: A E Lynch| T: J Queally| OR: 135

33/1

Well beaten since winning at Cork (2m4f, heavy) 13 months ago. Handicap mark is slipping as a result but looks up against it today.

Form: 51B-539

Dromnea^t,v1³⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 10-5| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: M F Morris| OR: 133

33/1

Struggled in three starts since winning at Listowel (2m4f, heavy) in the autumn and wears a visor for the first time today.

Form: 40-166F

Gwencily Berbas^p1,t²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: D F O'Regan| T: A Fleming| OR: 133

12/1

Off the mark over fences at Roscommon (3m1f, yielding-to-soft) in June. Held twice since then and wears cheekpieces for the first time today.

Form: 26-2103

Vieux Morvan^b³⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-5| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 133| D

5/1

Made a promising debut for this yard when fifth over an extended 3m on yielding ground here in December. Races off the same mark today and is an interesting runner on just his second start in Ireland.

Form: 452F6-5

Magic Of Light¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-1| J: B J Cooper| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 129| D

16/1

Successful three times in a 15 race career to date and put in a sound effort in finishing second to a useful rival in a mares Grade 2 at Thurles (2m4f, heavy) last time out. Making her handicap debut today.

Form: 321F22

Coeur Joyeux^h,t⁷⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 9-13| J: L P Dempsey| T: J P Dempsey| OR: 127| D

16/1

Winning for the second time this season when victorious over an extended 2m6f at Punchestown (soft-to-heavy) in November. Has to defy a 9lb rise for that success today.

Form: 631F21

De Benno^t³⁹

Age: 13| Weight: 9-13| J: C A Landers⁽⁷⁾| T: J Grace| OR: 127

14/1

Rewarded for a couple of decent placed efforts when winning a valuable handicap over an extended 2m3f at Limerick (heavy) last time out. Work to do if he's to defy a career high mark at the age of 13.

Form: 1-60221

Lake Takapuna⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 9-12| J: J M Moore| T: J H Culloty| OR: 126| C

25/1

Successful over 2m1f on yielding ground here in December 2016. Disappointed in the main since and the drop in trip appeared to suit when finishing fourth over 2m1f here last time.

Form: 218-9P4

Landofhopeandglory^p,t⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: M A Enright| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 126| BF

14/1

Successful twice in novice chases last year including in a Grade 3 contest on heavy ground at Roscommon in September. Has won over 2m4f in the past but disappointed on handicap debut last time.

Form: 2-41F10

Goulane Davina²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 9-10| J: D Robinson⁽⁵⁾| T: S Spillane| OR: 124

50/1

Finished 11L third to De Benno on her penultimate outing in December. Well held over hurdles since and more needed if she's to take this contest from out of the handicap today.

Form: 053436

Forecasts

Hell's Kitchen (9/2), Vieux Morvan (5/1), Sutton Manor (7/1), Polidam (8/1), Jett (8/1), General Principle (10/1), Last Goodbye (12/1), Gwencily Berbas (12/1), De Benno (14/1), Landofhopeandglory (14/1), Coeur Joyeux (16/1), Magic Of Light (16/1), Lake Takapuna (25/1), Arbre De Vie (25/1), Apache Stronghold (28/1), Uncle Danny (33/1), Dromnea (33/1), Cause Of Causes (33/1), Colms Dream (40/1), Heron Heights (40/1), Goulane Davina (50/1), Kylecrue (50/1)

SUTTON MANOR has come up against some useful rivals over fences so far and having got off the mark at Down Royal last time out he can claim a second chase victory on today's handicap debut. The return to this 2m5f trip shouldn't inconvenience and he can see off Hell's Kitchen who looks a progressive individual having won at Kempton last time out. Polidam was a winner over 2m4f in December and can put a disappointing effort here last time out behind him by finishing third.