15:25 Fairyhouse

Saturday 23 February 2019

All13:4014:1514:5015:2516:0016:3517:10

BetVictor Handicap Hurdle (80-102)

Off time: 15:27 | Winning time: 5m 4.30s

Chosen Hour²^{(ex 6)}

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Miss S Ahern⁽⁷⁾| T: S Aherne| OR: 96

9/4

Winner of his last two handicap hurdle starts and now runs 12lb higher than the first of those successes in December. Remains open to more improvement.

Form: 999-011

Emily Square¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: S G McDermott| T: T Mullins| OR: 101| CD

11/2

Winner over C&D of a 16 runner handicap hurdle earlier this month off a 9lb lower mark landing the spoils in convincing style by 8L over Father Jed. Looks a progressive sort and shortlisted here.

Form: 7-F90U1

Wee Small Hours^t¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-11| J: D J Hand⁽⁷⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 101| D

8/1

Well beaten in a couple of handicap hurdle starts since December over this trip. Needs to bounce back in a large way to have a say here.

Form: 34-3095

Waaheb^b¹³

Age: 12| Weight: 11-10| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: P Roche| OR: 100| C

20/1

Winner of three of his 24 hurdle starts but last victory was back in October 2015 when in the care of trainer Dermot Weld. Advancing years could be taking their toll.

Form: 0-69000

Cappuccino Man^t¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: B Browne⁽⁵⁾| T: O McKiernan| OR: 99

9/2

12-race maiden without success in nine starts over timber but has run well in defeat including on a couple of occasions since the turn of the year at Gowran Park and Naas, earlier this month when finishing fourth of 20 beaten a little over 2L.

Form: 83-P834

Rio De Cerisy¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 95

20/1

Poor form in a series of dismal performances over hurdles since December including heavy defeats at Navan and Naas. Worth a check in the market on handicap debut for trainer who boasts a 50% win and place strike rate at this meeting since 2015.

Form: U000

Beeper's Ruby^t¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: C D Maxwell| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 91

14/1

Winner of one of her 10 starts over hurdles, landing a Wexford handicap in October over 2m6½f off a 4lb lower mark. Well held on sole start over C&D in the same month and others look more convincing at this level.

Form: 910656

Isharah^p²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: J S McGarvey| T: N C Kelly| OR: 86

33/1

More recently seen on the Flat at Dundalk on the AW. Without success in five laboured starts over hurdles and likely to find it tough going here.

Form: 009-70

Fr Gilligansvoyge^p,t¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Donagh Meyler| T: J G Carr| OR: 81

9/1

Running well in defeat when third of 15 beaten 2L behind Father Jed over C&D last month before a fifth of 17 in a Thurles handicap hurdle earlier this month. May need a couple to falter but possible place claims in this company.

Form: 000735

Railway Muice^p,t³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: Miss D O'Shea| OR: 80

11/2

Improved on a disappointing run at Thurles when finishing third of 17 beaten 12½L in a Punchestown handicap hurdle earlier this month. Liable to find a couple stronger on the card.

Form: 5F9P03

Non-Runners

Father Jed¹⁰

Weight: 11-7| Age: 8

T: J P Ryan J: T N Brett

Bellaney Gem¹⁴

Weight: 11-5| Age: 6

T: Miss S Barkley J: P D Kennedy

Costalita⁹

Weight: 10-12| Age: 5

T: P J Rothwell J: J P O'Sullivan

Semper Fidelis²⁸

Weight: 10-7| Age: 6

T: W J McLernon J: A W Short

Forecasts

Chosen Hour (9/4), Cappuccino Man (9/2), Emily Square (11/2), Railway Muice (11/2), Father Jed (6/1), Wee Small Hours (8/1), Fr Gilligansvoyge (9/1), Beeper's Ruby (14/1), Bellaney Gem (14/1), Waaheb (20/1), Rio De Cerisy (20/1), Costalita (25/1), Isharah (33/1), Semper Fidelis (33/1)

It may be unlikely that the gutsy Father Jed can turn the tables on the Tom Mullins-trained EMILY SQUARE following the mares' 8L demolition of a 16 runner field over C&D earlier this month and looks more than capable of handling the 9lb extra burden in this contest. The hat trick seeking Chosen Hour and the Gordon Elliott-trained Rio De Cerisy on handicap debut should not be underestimated.