13:55 Cork

Saturday 5 January 2019

All12:2012:5013:2513:5514:3015:0515:40

www.corkracecourse.ie Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:56 | Winning time: 5m 15.8s

Ball D'Arc²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: C Brassil⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 140| D

20/1

Grade Two winning hurdler in February 2016 has since won three Grade Threes over fences. 16th of 20 at Navan over hurdles last time off this mark but given that was his first run in 10 months he should come on for it.

Form: 3/31U5-0

Jett⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 132| D

9/1

Almost three years since lone hurdle win but has some smart form over fences. Yet to hit the heights this term including unseating last time out over fences but interesting here off 13lb lower hurdles mark.

Form: 12-438U

Rooster Byron^t1⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: B J Cooper| T: P Nolan| OR: 130| BF| CD

10/1

Landed a hat-trick from March to May with a chase and two subsequent hurdle wins. Third first time out this season over hurdles before unseating over fences. Returns to hurdles now but suspect handicapper now has his measure.

Form: 211-13U

Brex Drago³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: G N Fox| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 128| D

20/1

Landed a hat-trick in September but only competitive in one of four starts since. Beaten 15L into 18th of 21 last time yet gets no respite from the handicapper so may struggle.

Form: 1112F0

Midnight Stroll^h¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Phillip Enright| T: R Tyner| OR: 128| D

10/1

Won a couple of novice hurdles last season but held in three handicaps afterwards. Fair fourth of 18 over fences at Naas last month so a little surprising he now reverts to hurdling.

Form: 1140P-4

Chatham Street Lad²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: L P Dempsey| T: M Winters| OR: 127| C

3/1

Made it two-from-two at this course when comfortably landing a 2m handicap last month on soft to heavy by 6L. Step up in trip should prove no issue and leading contender despite additional 10lb on his back.

Form: 69U471

Dromore Lad²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: B Browne⁽⁵⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 127| D

8/1

Four-from-six over hurdles last season and made a most pleasing reappearance when third of 20 at Navan beaten just 1¾L. Stays further but fully effective at this trip so expecting another bold bid from this progressive sort.

Form: 21118-3

Great Trango^b²²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Sean Flanagan| T: D H Kelly| OR: 124

9/1

Only won once over hurdles so far but competitive in handicaps on the whole since until finding much higher UK mark beyond him at Cheltenham last time out. Stays well and time still on his side so not ruled out.

Form: 2143-29

Brave Out⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: D F O'Regan| T: J E Kiely| OR: 123| D

10/1

Latest second of 13 at Punchestown over this trip his best effort since winning at Wexford last season on heavy ground. Only upped 1lb here so no reason he can't again make his presence felt.

Form: 137-7U2

Mary Frances²⁶⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: R Loughran| T: M Hassett| OR: 123| BF

33/1

Easy winner over 2m7f at Thurles last March but pulled up as favourite next and reported to have finished distressed. Surely can do better than that now after her summer break but 12lb higher than Thurles.

Form: 3P541P-

Western Honour^p¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 122| D

8/1

Improved since switched to this yard which is far from uncommon and followed up his Clonmel win with a close third last time out at Thurles. First handicap here but seemingly on the up so could prove ahead of this mark.

Form: 4-42213

Conright Boy^t²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 10-4| J: Robbie Colgan| T: Mrs C O'Leary| OR: 120

20/1

Three-time hurdles winner but over two years since last win and overall feeling is that he is currently high enough in the handicap. Six places behind younger, more progressive Dromore Lad latest at Navan.

Form: 10/P0-59

Fine Theatre²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-4| J: E T Daly⁽⁷⁾| T: P Nolan| OR: 120| D

28/1

Nearly three years since last win and two since his last win over fences. Fell early over the national fences at Aintree latest having finished midfield over hurdles the time before. Appears high enough in the weights at present.

Form: 42B0-9F

Allez Kal⁴⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 9-13| J: C A Landers⁽⁵⁾| T: J Barcoe| OR: 115| CD

12/1

20/1 C&D win last time out her second over hurdles and did well to recover from a mistake at the last. Upped 6lb to career high mark but softer ground here no issue and stays well so another bold bid likely.

Form: 42257-1

Close Shave^p1²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 9-13| J: N P Madden| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 115| D

33/1

Pulled up in last three last season and in rear when falling at the last first time out this season too. Not seen over hurdles since early 2017 and at this stage just a completion would be a step in the right direction.

Form: 12PPP-F

Seskinane⁷

Age: 13| Weight: 9-12| J: Sean O'Keeffe⁽⁷⁾| T: B McMahon| OR: 114| D

33/1

Veteran has a modest strike rate overall although he did win late last season. Well held in two starts this term however and would be surprising if he were involved here.

Form: 341-305

Kellyiscool⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-10| J: C J Orr⁽⁵⁾| T: C Byrnes| OR: 115

8/1

Maiden placed in four consecutive starts before pulling up two starts back and slipping up last time out. Still relatively unexposed and could yet make his mark off similar handicap.

Form: 3232PS

Pound A Stroke^p²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-10| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: E McCarthy| OR: 112| C

20/1

Course winner over 2m ran best race since that win latest back here when second of 16. Previous efforts however over 2m4f looked dubious stamina wise and tough task from so far out of the handicap.

Form: 312-502

Forecasts

Chatham Street Lad (3/1), Western Honour (8/1), Dromore Lad (8/1), Kellyiscool (8/1), Jett (9/1), Great Trango (9/1), Midnight Stroll (10/1), Brave Out (10/1), Rooster Byron (10/1), Allez Kal (12/1), Pound A Stroke (20/1), Conright Boy (20/1), Brex Drago (20/1), Ball D'Arc (20/1), Fine Theatre (28/1), Mary Frances (33/1), Seskinane (33/1), Close Shave (33/1)

Lots of appealing sorts here but the most fancied is DROMORE LAD who was highly progressive last season and left the impression that he could continue his upward curve with an excellent third on reappearance last month. Chatham Street Lad is unbeaten here and looked ready to go up in trip when readily winning last time out. Jett is considerably lower rated over hurdles than fences so he also must be serious considered.