14:55 Fairyhouse

Saturday 24 February 2018

All13:4514:2014:5515:3016:0516:4017:10

Tommy Carberry Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:56 | Winning time: 5m 11.0s

Sire Du Berlais³⁰¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 135

11/2

French import made promising start when third behind Mick Jazz in Listed novice contest at Punchestown (2m, soft to heavy) a year ago. Not as good in valuable handicap back there at festival in April. Returns to action, one to note for in-form yard.

Form: 3130-

Carrig Cathal¹²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: L P Dempsey| T: S J Mahon| OR: 133| BF| D

8/1

Three wins from 10 starts over hurdles, reaching a mark of 137 having run in some hot handicaps last spring. Unseated early on chase debut at Thurles in October and since left Gordon Elliott for this yard. On a fair mark back over timber.

Form: U3240-U

Drumacoo¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: R M Power| T: M Hourigan| OR: 128| BF

7/1

Just denied over longer trip here in a chase on second start for yard earlier in the month. Reverts to hurdles off a 7lb lower mark and one to take note of now fully fit with in-form jockey booked for the ride.

Form: 114/U-52

Lean Araig⁵⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: B Browne⁽⁵⁾| T: O McKiernan| OR: 128

14/1

A very promising novice in the spring of 2015 when recording a hat-trick over timber, he returned from 1043 days off with a listless effort here on New Year's Eve, finishing tailed off. Hard to assess on the back of that effort.

Form: 27111/9

Turbojet⁵⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: M A Enright| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 127| D

10/1

Placed seven times from 10 starts over timber, won a maiden at Listowel over this trip in September on heavy going in facile fashion. Fair effort over 3m at Leopardstown over Christmas and open to doing better from same mark dropping in trip.

Form: 2-21264

Ah Littleluck^t¹⁸²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: J M Moore| T: T Gibney| OR: 125| D

20/1

Off since August, remains 5lb above previous winning mark and was held well enough at Killarney when last spotted. Winning form has all come on better ground than seems likely to prevail here.

Form: F0-5650

Out Of The Loop⁸⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Mark Walsh| T: P Roche| OR: 127| CD

3/1

In useful form this season, winning Downpatrick maiden in October and 2m4f handicap here either side of a strong run in a valuable race at Down Royal. First outing of 2018 and could progress again despite 9lb ratings hike.

Form: 5-3151

Half The Odds³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 124| BF| CD

8/1

Well held in Graded company earlier this season and disappointed on handicap debut at Navan (2m4f, heavy) last time out. More needed today.

Form: 17-1446

Laid Back Luke^p⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-11| J: Robbie Colgan| T: S Lavery| OR: 123| CD

8/1

Scored over this trip a week ago at Gowran Park on heavy, despite rider losing whip late on, 8lb hike things makes things plenty tougher today in a deeper race.

Form: 241-4P1

Fine Theatre^b³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: D Robinson⁽⁵⁾| T: P Nolan| OR: 122| CD

14/1

Struggling over fences this season, but did run a promising race over 3m at Clonmel in November when last jumping hurdles and rated just 2lb higher here. May require a career-best to get the win.

Form: 38-P347

Brave Out^v1⁵⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: D F O'Regan| T: J E Kiely| OR: 119

7/1

Best effort for a while at Punchestown on New Year's Eve when close up second over this trip on testing surface. Just 3lb higher and has a first-time visor added, interesting if able to build on that run.

Form: P55932

Allez Kal⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 9-11| J: C A Landers⁽⁷⁾| T: J Barcoe| OR: 109

16/1

Has been on the go a while but not disgraced in any of her last five starts. Game mare has been second at here (3m, heavy) and at Navan (2m4f, soft to heavy) lately. Raised another 2lb for her run six days ago, may be vulnerable for win purposes.

Form: 421422

Forecasts

Out Of The Loop (3/1), Sire Du Berlais (11/2), Drumacoo (7/1), Brave Out (7/1), Half The Odds (8/1), Laid Back Luke (8/1), Carrig Cathal (8/1), Turbojet (10/1), Lean Araig (14/1), Fine Theatre (14/1), Allez Kal (16/1), Ah Littleluck (20/1)

DRUMACOO was a promising novice over timber when he left Michael Hourigan for Ben Pauling in 2015. Things didn't completely work out in Britain, where he managed one win from three runs over fences during 2016. On his second start back with this yard, he ran a highly promising race over fences here 17 days ago and would surely have scored bar a slow jump at the last. He had shaped like the most likely winner and, from a 7lb lower hurdles mark, can make amends by going one better here. Out Of The Loop is going the right way this season and commands respect despite a ratings hike for winning here in December while lightly-raced French import Sire Du Berlais and Turbojet are others that merit close scrutiny.