16:15 Gowran Park

Saturday 9 March 2019

All13:2513:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:25

Holden Fleet Management Beginners Chase

Off time: 16:17 | Winning time: 5m 15.30s

Allblak Des Places²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins

25/1

Heavy ground hurdle winner who was well backed ahead of his chase debut, when he almost unseated Ruby Walsh after a bad mistake at the first. Made mistakes last time when down the field and clear where improvement is to be found.

Form: 0P0/0-P0

Burrows Saint^t²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| D

9/10

Third in the Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown last season and made a belated chase debut here last month on seasonal bow. Finished behind a better fancied stable companion but showed enough to suggest he will take some beating today.

Form: 2/1203-4

Catwells¹⁰⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: D J Mullins| T: W P Mullins

7/1

Beat the useful Monsieur Co on sole start three years ago. Connections have had to be patient but you would expect them to have to wait a little longer yet.

Form: 1/

Connard²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Donagh Meyler| T: A L T Moore

66/1

Improved on previous displays by actually completing the course here last time, but he was still 59L behind Burrows Saint.

Form: F6-UUF7

Cowboy Des Long^b²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: A McCurtin⁽³⁾| T: J J Mangan| OR: 108

25/1

Maiden after 23 runs whose best efforts have come in easier races than this, but capable of taking this field along for some distance.

Form: 2PP235

Minella Fair^t³⁵⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade

9/4

Relentless galloper who needs testing ground. Scored by 62L last time and the runner-up is rated 125. Had entries at Cheltenham in the RSA and the 4m amateurs race so this may be too sharp on first run back from an absence.

Form: 21/1531-

Minellafordollars²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G Elliott| D

16/1

Point, bumper and hurdle winner who had been progressive early in his career. Latest run followed a long spell on the sidelines but still leaves him with a huge deficit to find with Burrows Saint.

Form: 11/31-8

Play With The Wind³¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: N P Madden| T: N Madden

66/1

Has shown little over hurdles and although he has a chaser's build, it is hard to see him making the progress required here.

Form: 06600-

Rathnure Rebel⁴¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: A W Short⁽³⁾| T: N Meade

16/1

Looked a useful novice in 2016 but has faced setbacks since and he was pulled up on his comeback run. Stable jockey prefers Minella Fair.

Form: 71145/P

Russellstown⁸⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr L P Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: R Donohoe

100/1

Got within 3L of Mick Jazz over hurdles and that is the highlight of a 20-race career which remains winless. Rated well below most of these nowadays and debuts for a new yard.

Form: 059090

Sizing Joshua^p,t²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: A Ring| T: M F Morris

100/1

Moderate hurdler makes chase debut in a new headgear combination, but previous attempts to find the key to him have been fruitless.

Form: 000660

You Can't Catch Me¹⁵⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: John J Fitzpatrick⁽⁷⁾| T: K Purcell| D

66/1

Chased home a pair of useful sorts on last run over fences in August. Has been absent for five months and looks one to follow in handicaps when conditions are faster.

Form: 243555

The Big Galloper¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: K J Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: C Byrnes

50/1

Mixed form over hurdles and even the best of those efforts should not be good enough to trouble the principals on his chase debut.

Form: 25-U358

Wake Up Early²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: L P Dempsey| T: F J Flood

100/1

Has only shown occasional ability over hurdles and finished well behind a few of these on his chase debut.

Form: 770000

Gracemount²³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: J J Slevin| T: S Doyle

33/1

116-rated hurdler who relishes testing conditions. Absent 230 days since her chase debut at Tipperary and now meets better horses who are fitter.

Form: 1698P-3

Forecasts

Burrows Saint (9/10), Minella Fair (9/4), Catwells (7/1), Rathnure Rebel (16/1), Minellafordollars (16/1), Allblak Des Places (25/1), Cowboy Des Long (25/1), Gracemount (33/1), The Big Galloper (50/1), Connard (66/1), You Can't Catch Me (66/1), Play With The Wind (66/1), Wake Up Early (100/1), Sizing Joshua (100/1), Russellstown (100/1)

This should go to BURROWS SAINT. Willie Mullins' charge was a useful novice hurdler who had a kind introduction on his chase debut in a stronger race than this. Minellafordollars, Wake Up Early, Connard and Allblak Des Places were well behind that day. Minella Fair rates a big danger judged on his intended Cheltenham entries and a 62L victory on his last start. He has obviously met with some setbacks and there must be a doubt he will be as forward as he will need to be in order to beat the selection.