15:35 Limerick

Sunday 20 May 2018

All13:5514:2515:0015:3516:0516:3517:0517:35

Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:36 | Winning time: 5m 59.7s

Irish Bulletin^p,t¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: D J McInerney⁽⁵⁾| T: E McNamara| OR: 117| CD

12/1

One of three in the race for leading owner J P McManus and this C&D winner back in December 2016. Liable to find a couple stronger.

Form: 02PP7-9

Dundrum Lad^p1⁴⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Mark Walsh| T: Ms M Mullins| OR: 116| D

12/1

Completed a double when winning at Galway over an extended 2m in September before disappointing in two starts subsequently. One of three in the race for leading owner J P McManus and needs to improve in first-time cheekpieces.

Form: 7P/114P-

Settimo Milanese^t1¹⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: J S McGarvey| T: M F Morris| OR: 114

33/1

Has failed to build on a couple of promising runs at Galway and Clonmel when disappointing at the end of the year in two below-par performances over 2m4f. First-time tongue-tie fitted now stepping up in trip.

Form: 0/2340-

Nick Lost⁶⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: D Robinson⁽⁵⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 112

10/1

Has disappointed with a number of drab efforts. Well beaten in three maiden hurdles before frustrating displays on handicap debut and in a maiden hurdle here in March. Difficult to make a case for.

Form: 7/35554-

Maeve's Choice^p¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: A E Lynch| T: M J Smith| OR: 111

14/1

Declined to follow-up on a promising win at Fairyhouse on maiden hurdle debut in January with defeats at Limerick and Wexford the latest coming earlier this month. May find this a tough assignment.

Form: 44P16-8

Caliption^t⁸⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: M F Morris| OR: 109

14/1

Out of form in three career maiden hurdle starts since November including when pulled-up when tailed off before four out at Thurles in February. Recent form doesn't warrant support here.

Form: 24U80P-

Cloudy Morning^p¹⁹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-3| J: P D Kennedy⁽³⁾| T: M Kennedy| OR: 109| D

33/1

Distance winner who returns to hurdles following a couple of inadequate chase performances between September and November last year. Cheekpieces back on but unlikely to bring about the required improvement.

Form: 39956P-

Swingbridge^b,t⁸⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-3| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 109| BF| D

12/1

Distance winner who was beaten favourite last time out when falling two out in a Naas handicap chase over 3m in February. Place claims in a poor renewal.

Form: 63232F-

Whatever It Takes^b,e/s³⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: R L Brennan⁽⁷⁾| T: N Madden| OR: 108

20/1

One of three in the race for leading owner J P McManus who has been plying his trade on the Flat recently at Dundalk on the AW. Won a handicap hurdle back in July and worth noting in the betting.

Form: 910/917-

Bridies Boy^p¹⁰¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: A W Short⁽⁵⁾| T: J J Walsh| OR: 106| D

25/1

Distance winner of his sole hurdle win at Clonmel in May 2015 on handicap debut. Lightly raced but others hold stronger profiles.

Form: P879FP-

Courtncatcher¹⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 11-0| J: Katie O'Farrell⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Duffy| OR: 106| D

12/1

Veteran campaigner with six hurdle wins and a chase success to his name but becoming increasingly hard to win with and could only manage to finish seventh of 12 beaten 34L on return to the track earlier this month.

Form: 7459B-7

Bye Bye O Bye^t¹⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 10-13| J: B J Cooper| T: Michael C Griffin| OR: 105| D

10/1

Second of 10 behind Granny Biddy in a Cork handicap hurdle in November but has failed to build on that start with three disappointing and below-par displays since.

Form: 84208-6

An'ball^t¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: J J Slevin| T: R Hackett| OR: 104

6/1

Second of 11 beaten 2L finishing 2L adrift of Humm Baby kept on well in the final furlong when unable to reach the winner earlier this month. Enters calculations here with a repeat run.

Form: 48043-2

Benefit Of Magic^t¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 103

5/1

Solid and consistent place finishes since the turn of the year in a number of promising displays bar a run when upped in class at Fairyhouse last month. Has form to make a bold bid here.

Form: 62327-3

Cote Tete^t⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 102

12/1

Continues to disappoint influential owners showing poor form in a series of dismal performances since December. Looks vulnerable in this company.

Form: 40PF-5

Timmie Roe^t1¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: M A Enright| T: E O'Grady| OR: 100| D

12/1

Ran well at Clonmel two starts back and was bang in contention when unseating his rider three out at Tramore last month before a heavy 38L defeat earlier this month at Tipperary. Others preferred despite first-time tongue-tie.

Form: 43F2U-0

D'bru Na Boinne^h⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: L P Dempsey| T: J J Walsh| OR: 97

8/1

Not much to glean from either of his five previous starts including being pulled up last time out when pulled up before three out in a Cork handicap hurdle. May find this tough

Form: 0/067P-

Double Portrait¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: D F O'Regan| T: S J Mahon| OR: 97

12/1

First Reserve: Three-race maiden hurdler and well beaten 33L on handicap debut in a Cork 3m contest earlier this month. Vast improvement needed to figure.

Form: 1/P635-7

Non-Runners

Allez Kal¹²

Weight: 11-3| Age: 7

T: J Barcoe J: C A Landers

Wild Sam¹⁰

Weight: 10-1| Age: 8

T: S Ryan J: Reserve 2

Forecasts

Benefit Of Magic (5/1), An'ball (6/1), D'bru Na Boinne (8/1), Nick Lost (10/1), Bye Bye O Bye (10/1), Double Portrait (12/1), Dundrum Lad (12/1), Timmie Roe (12/1), Courtncatcher (12/1), Irish Bulletin (12/1), Swingbridge (12/1), Cote Tete (12/1), Allez Kal (12/1), Maeve's Choice (14/1), Caliption (14/1), Wild Sam (16/1), Whatever It Takes (20/1), Bridies Boy (25/1), Cloudy Morning (33/1), Settimo Milanese (33/1)

BENEFIT OF MAGIC has been solid and consistent since the turn of the year in a number of promising displays bar a run when upped in class which is easily forgiven and likely to be in the shake-up once again here. Gallant veteran Courtncatcher could come on for his first start of the season, Bye Bye O Bye, who looks on a handy mark and the dependable Swingbridge can battle for the place money.