15:20 Limerick

Friday 29 November 2019

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

Follow Limerick Races On Facebook Opportunity Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:20 | Winning time: 6m 51.40s

Oscar Lantern^b1⁴⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: R P Treacy| T: E McNamara| OR: 109

33/1

Reliable chaser these days; hard to assess having for run over hurdles for three years and having blinkers on for the first time; looks well weighted on best of old hurdle form.

Form: 35-F668

Cluan Dara³³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: T N Brett⁽⁴⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 105

33/1

Tailed off on chase debut last time out; steady handicap hurdler on his day but wins are few and far between and probably holds place chances at best.

Form: 4374P-7

Drifting Back^t¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: C P McNamara⁽⁴⁾| T: E McNamara| OR: 103

6/1

Has run well at this track in the past but has been out of sorts of late including on his handicap debut at Cork earlier this month; others preferred.

Form: 3/47-886

Life Isfor Living^p1,t1⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: B Browne⁽²⁾| T: O McKiernan| OR: 102

12/1

Has bits and pieces of maiden hurdle form in the past but has been found out since trying handicaps and returns here after tow poor recent chase outings; difficult to make a strong case for.

Form: 0/630-69

Bomber Jackson^t1³⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: D P Holden| T: Mrs Y Dunleavy| OR: 99

50/1

Just 1-22 over hurdles; tailed off when last seen at Galway in October and needs to bounce back to some of his old form to get get competitive - which seems unlikely.

Form: 214-0F0

The Ballyboys^p,h1¹²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: M Hamill| T: R Hackett| OR: 98| C| D

10/1

Out and out stayer who has plenty of winning form to his name; connections will be hoping for more rain and should it come then this gelding has a better chance than most.

Form: 46-P547

Rightback Atya^p¹⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 10-10| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽⁴⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 95| D

14/1

Lightly raced over hurdles; has won over timber but that was back in 2015; put two poor efforts behind him when running a fair race when runner-up last time out at Fairyhouse and if building on that can go close.

Form: 4/92-PU2

Sir Ector^h¹³

Age: 12| Weight: 10-9| J: Liam McKenna⁽⁴⁾| T: J J Lambe| OR: 94| D

33/1

Veteran showed he still retains some ability when a fair third of 20 at Down Royal at the start of the month but showed his inconsistency when 19 of 21 next time out; hard to say which Sir Ector will turn up.

Form: 4-5P030

Ballea Fox^t¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: B J Foley⁽²⁾| T: S Spillane| OR: 91| CD

9/2

Loves it around here with his latest win coming over course and distance last March; has struggled of late but the return to here and a slight reprieve by the handicapper could give him a fighting chance.

Form: U1U3/00

Ask Mary¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: O R Brown⁽⁴⁾| T: R H Lalor| OR: 90| D

3/1

Multiple winning point-to-pointer last season but struggled since going under Rules; signs of life as she finished fourth on handicap bow at this track back in March and will be better for recent outing at Punchestown; interesting.

Form: P5654-8

Caniwillyegiveme^p²⁸⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-4| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁴⁾| T: J Fahey| OR: 89| D

50/1

Pulled up when last seen out at Fairyhouse in February having struggled at Navan the previous month; hard to suggest he will be up to winning this after such a long break.

Form: 3282/0P-

Currig's Girl^v¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 9-12| J: K J Brouder| T: D Leahy| OR: 83

5/1

Seven-race maiden yet to hit the frame on any of her starts; returned from long break to run with credit on recent outing at Clonmel; entitled to progress and certainly not out of the reckoning.

Form: 5508-07

Moyode Lady¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-12| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁴⁾| T: J Nash| OR: 83

7/1

Improved for step up in trip last time out in a maiden hurdle at Newcastle; steps up in trip again which may be the key to her finally getting off the mark; respected.

Form: 485672

Non-Runners

Circling Moon¹³

Weight: 10-11| Age: 5

T: O McKiernan J: Sean O'Keeffe

Spittal Field⁶²

Weight: 9-10| Age: 4

T: V T O'Brien J: Reserve 1

Forecasts

Ask Mary (3/1), Ballea Fox (9/2), Currig's Girl (5/1), Drifting Back (6/1), Moyode Lady (7/1), The Ballyboys (10/1), Life Isfor Living (12/1), Rightback Atya (14/1), Circling Moon (14/1), Spittal Field (25/1), Oscar Lantern (33/1), Cluan Dara (33/1), Sir Ector (33/1), Bomber Jackson (50/1), Caniwillyegiveme (50/1)

A chance is taken here in a weak contest with the prolific point-to-point winner ASK MARY. The mare showed her well being and warmed up for this contest with a seasonal reappearance run at Punchestown when she only weakened in the closing stages; expect her to be stronger here. Moyode Lady relished the step up in trip last time out at Newcastle where she put her Irish form behind her. This extra half mile could suit her well and is one to consider. Ballea Fox loves it around here and while not looking particularly well handicapped at present should still go well.