14:10 Limerick

Friday 29 November 2019

All12:3013:0513:4014:1014:4515:2015:55

Fexco Asset Finance Handicap Hurdle (80-123)

Off time: 14:10 | Winning time: 4m 18.50s

Born By The Sea¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr L P Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Gilligan| OR: 120

9/2

Not outclassed in Grade 2 event at Cheltenham (blundered 2 out) earlier this month and seems reasonably well weighted in this contest; one to consider.

Form: F3145

Veneziano Springs²²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: D E Splaine| T: T O'Brien| OR: 116| CD

8/1

Front runner; has gone well fresh in the past and won over course and distance on his latest hurdles appearance; obviously racing from career high mark but may well have progressed over the summer and has a leading chance.

Form: 012P15-

Fenta Des Obeaux^h²⁷²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: M P Fogarty| T: W P Mullins| OR: 114| BF

6/1

Well regarded ex-French bumper winner; has been steady away in all her hurdling appearances; this looks tough on her handicap debut but certainly respected from leading yard.

Form: 1F434-

Kingdom Brunel⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: P E Corbett| T: P Fenton| OR: 110

14/1

Has been a steady if unspectacular improver over hurdles over the Autumn; needs to improve again to get competitive on his handicap debut but one to consider.

Form: 754

Father Ailbe¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: J B Kane⁽⁵⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 109

4/1

Produced best effort last time out at Navan following on from some uninspiring efforts previously; hard to envisage him winning but should run his race,

Form: 380434

Killacolla^t1¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: E Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: A Leahy| OR: 103| CD

14/1

Won a novices' hurdle here (2m, yielding) last year, but well beaten in all four starts since, and despite another 2lb drop, he has a bit to prove now.

Form: 4176-00

Shadows Return¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: F J Hayes⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Walsh| OR: 102

22/1

Won over this trip at Cork in August but two subsequent runs have been below par; needs to bounce back but has ability and hard to easily write off.

Form: 5/391-U9

Le Hachette¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Simon Torrens⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 99

7/1

One from 19 over hurdles but not disgraced in a number of starts since July; looks a little vulnerable off her current mark.

Form: 526285

Likable Chancer³²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-1| J: D J Howard| T: D Howard| OR: 95

3/1

Has been fairly consistent over hurdles without threatening to win; should run his race but chance may well depend on how well his better fancied rivals run.

Form: 706553

Non-Runners

Pairc Na Ngael⁴⁰

Weight: 10-13| Age: 5

T: C Byrnes J: N P Madden

Forecasts

Likable Chancer (3/1), Father Ailbe (4/1), Born By The Sea (9/2), Fenta Des Obeaux (6/1), Le Hachette (7/1), Veneziano Springs (8/1), Pairc Na Ngael (12/1), Killacolla (14/1), Kingdom Brunel (14/1), Shadows Return (22/1)

BORN BY THE SEA lost all chance in a better race than this last time out when blundering two flights from home at Cheltenham. If he can tidy up his jumping then he may have too much class for his rivals. Fenta Des Obeaux has made steady progress over hurdles but is still looking for her first win: She is well regarded and any market support would be significant on her handicap debut. Veneziano Springs has good course form but whether he is still ahead of the handicapper remains to be seen.