12:50 Limerick

Friday 30 November 2018

All12:1512:5013:2513:5514:3015:0515:40

Adare Manor Opportunity Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 12:50 | Winning time: 3m 59.0s

Empire Burleque²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Liam McKenna⁽⁴⁾| T: G Elliott| D

6/1

Point-to-point and a Fairyhouse bumper winner, well-fancied (no shock given connections) on hurdling bow at Galway (2m½f, yielding) but finished remote fourth. Matched that finishing position since at Naas and must find more.

Form: 11/9-44

Aforementioned^t²¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: E T Daly⁽⁴⁾| T: J P O'Brien

6/5

Zanzibari gelding, cost €35,000 last year. Half-brother to the useful Darwin's Fox, a Grade 3 winner over fences and Grace Lady (Group 2 Flat winner). Went close on debut at Navan (2m, heavy) a year ago, market check needed.

Form: 30-

Buckbasil¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁴⁾| T: E McCarthy

125/1

Gelding by Tajraasi out of a Buckskin mare. Lots to work following poor bumper run at Galway and 81L defeat in a 2m maiden hurdle at Cork (yielding) recently.

Form: 00

Classic Concorde²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Dillon Maxwell⁽⁴⁾| T: A McNamara

33/1

Shantou filly that disappointed in a couple of point-to-points before promising second in a bumper at Down Royal in May (2m, good) on rules bow. Beat a fair distance on hurdles/stable bow at Naas (2m, good to yielding) this month.

Form: P-U20

Enquire⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: T N Brett⁽⁴⁾| T: A Mullins

100/1

Gelding by Ask out of a Flemensfirth mare, came to the racecourse late at five and nothing in bumper/maiden hurdle starts so far to warrant recommendation here.

Form: 60

Free Ranger^b1,t⁴⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: A W Short| T: N Meade| BF

11/4

Fair Flat maiden, she has made the frame in all four starts over timber so far. Getting quite expensive to follow and yard had a quiet few weeks, but no surprise if she opens the ledger soon. Blinkers added.

Form: 22-32

Home Place⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: D J Hand⁽⁴⁾| T: K Thornton

100/1

Gelding by Mahler out of a Moscow Society mare, pair of wide-margin defeats under her belt so far this month since going under rules and easier to look elsewhere once again.

Form: 743-300

Ilikedwayurthinkin²²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: J B Kane⁽²⁾| T: G P Cromwell

10/1

Yeats gelding and a half-brother to a winner of a 2m maiden hurdle. Improved showing on second hurdles start to be second at Limerick over 2m and chances with a repeat showing. Absent 224 days, however.

Form: 62-

Erinyes⁹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: C P McNamara⁽⁴⁾| T: E McNamara

28/1

72-rated handicapper for trainer Archie Watson. Well held on stable bow at Killarney (1m6f, yielding) in August and now sets about jumping hurdles for the first time. Market should be revealing.

Form:

Ask Mary¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: P E Corbett| T: R H Lalor

25/1

Fine form in a number of point-to-point starts in the last 12-months but struggled both starts under rules. Latest at Clonmel (2m3½f, good) this month off a break. Has improvement to locate.

Form: 1111-P5

Duke's Girl²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: K J Brouder⁽⁴⁾| T: J Nash| OR: 98

10/1

Long-standing maiden in both codes (18 runs). Far from consistent but last-time-out second at Clonmel (2m4f, good) again emphasised a race like this could be forthcoming.

Form: 4B77F2

Hollow Crest²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: C A Landers⁽⁴⁾| T: J Nash

33/1

Modest bumper form wasn't improved upon when going over hurdles last time at Clonmel (2m4f, good), going down 37L in last of five in a maiden. Much more needed.

Form: 34-57F5

Uffizy⁶⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Sean O'Keeffe⁽⁴⁾| T: A Mullins

100/1

Arakan half-sister to several winning jumpers, but she was tailed off on bumper debut at Roscommon early last month and probably best watched now diverting attention to hurdles.

Form: 0

Nevergurny

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Mr L P Gilligan| T: P J Gilligan

80/1

Dubai Destination mare, would be a second contender for the yard in here if getting a call-up. Yard only had a few runners this season and probably best watched (First Reserve).

Form:

Non-Runners

Glamorgan Duke

Weight: 11-4| Age: 5

T: P J Gilligan J: Mr L P Gilligan

I'm Charlie¹⁹

Weight: 11-4| Age: 4

T: E Griffin J: Reserve 2

Drifting Back²⁵⁶

Weight: 11-4| Age: 4

T: E McNamara J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Aforementioned (6/5), Free Ranger (11/4), Empire Burleque (6/1), Ilikedwayurthinkin (10/1), Duke's Girl (10/1), Drifting Back (10/1), Ask Mary (25/1), Glamorgan Duke (25/1), Erinyes (28/1), Classic Concorde (33/1), Hollow Crest (33/1), I'm Charlie (50/1), Nevergurny (80/1), Uffizy (100/1), Home Place (100/1), Enquire (100/1), Buckbasil (125/1)

Free Ranger has been sore on the pockets of his backers in four starts and now gets some headgear added to try and get him off the mark. He should go in soon, but likely starts a short price once more. AFOREMENTIONED was poor in a bumper at Punchestown in the spring but, in one previous start, had been second over timber at Navan. Joseph O'Brien's charge could be up to landing this fresh. Ilikedwayurthinkin is also back from a layoff but entitled to some thought while Empire Burleque and Duke's Girl are further noted runners.