Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase

Off time: 16:20 | Winning time: 6m 13.90s

Girly Girl³¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 123| D

6/1

Maiden after ten starts over fences, but beaten 23L behind a useful rival (Asthuria) over 2m at Naas (soft-to-heavy) on the most recent of those starts in early January. Work to do with Golden Flowerpower, but a longer trip is helpful.

Form: FF30-U3

Golden Flowerpower^p³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: D J McInerney⁽⁵⁾| T: C Bowe| OR: 105

12/1

Twice a runner up in four starts over fences, including when 15L second to Asthuria over 2m at Naas last month (Girly Girl a further 8L back in third). Should just about stay 2m5f, but not 100% certain to do so.

Form: 290562

Jennys Melody³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: A E Lynch| T: S R B Crawford

7/2

All four of her career successes over hurdles have come in England (2m3f up to an extended 3m). Handles cut well and is a proven stayer, but a latecomer to fences at the age of nine.

Form: P5P1-64

The Green Lady⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Brian Hayes| T: P A Fahy| C

5/1

Has failed to complete in three starts over fences (BD,F,F), so obviously that's far from ideal. A dual winner over hurdles, staying as far as 2m6f, but possibly flattered by a lofty enough hurdles handicap mark of 122.

Form: 69-BF8F

Twiss's Hill⁵⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Sean Flanagan| T: D H Kelly| OR: 125

5/1

A ten race maiden over fences under rules (point-to-point winner), but in her defence she's a consistent mare who handles cut and is effective between 2m4f and 3m. Player on the pick of her chasing efforts.

Form: F42-224

West Bridge^t⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Phillip Enright| T: R Tyner| C

5/1

Course hurdles winner in January 2017 (2m4f), she has taken well enough to fencing without appearing to be anything out of the ordinary. Beaten 4L by Kate Appleby Shoes in a Limerick beginners chase in December (2m3f+ heavy).

Form: 6156-42

Whistle Dixie^t⁴⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| C

9/2

Proved herself to be a useful mare in bumpers and novice hurdles, competing against Limini in the mares novices hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March 2016. Hit the deck on both rules starts over fences, and far from a guaranteed stayer.

Form: 130P/F-F

Forecasts

Jennys Melody (7/2), Whistle Dixie (9/2), West Bridge (5/1), The Green Lady (5/1), Twiss's Hill (5/1), Girly Girl (6/1), Golden Flowerpower (12/1)

A beginners chase for a number of reasonably talented mares, but one can't help but question whether or not chasing will ever be a suitable vocation for a number of these horses. Whistle Dixie looks far from a guaranteed stayer, and that's before gambling upon her notching a clear round of fencing, whilst Jennys Melody is late enough to a career over the larger obstacles at the age of nine. This longer trip of 2m5f will bring Golden Flowerpower and Girly Girl closer together than at Naas latest, but the safest play in a tricky race is probably to throw a few each-way shekels at the largely consistent mare TWISS'S HILL, but without any real conviction that she's the most obvious of winners in waiting.