13:05 Navan

Saturday 7 December 2019

All12:0512:3513:0513:3514:1014:4515:20

eCOMM Merchant Solutions Handicap Hurdle (Grade B)

Off time: 13:08 | Winning time: 6m 26.60s

Sire Du Berlais^p,t²⁴⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G Elliott| OR: 150| BF| D

14/1

Game winner of the Grade 3 Pertemps at the Cheltenham festival in March before a below-par run at the Aintree meeting in April finishing eighth of 21 runners. Sets a high standard.

Form: 48/8618-

Acapella Bourgeois^h²⁰²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: R Deegan⁽⁵⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 140| CD

10/1

Course winner, well held in the Martin Pipe at the Cheltenham Festival before getting back to winning ways at Clonmel in March. Has a 98L reversal to put behind him at Auteuil when last seen in May.

Form: 2P/013-0

Coko Beach³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 142

5/1

Ran with plenty of credit in a couple of graded contests in the spring before a win at Punchestown in October and finishing second of five in a Grade 2 hurdle at Down Royal early last month. Leading contender.

Form: 932-512

Dandy Mag²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 136

16/1

Recently seen well beaten in a number of starts in graded company over the larger obstacles since October. Winner of two of his six hurdle starts previously and should not be taken lightly.

Form: 13/1545

Flaxen Flare^b²⁰⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-7| J: D F O'Regan| T: G Elliott| OR: 133

50/1

Won for a fifth time over hurdles when landing a Killarney 2m4f contest on good ground when last seen in May. Step up in class but appears capable of hitting the frame.

Form: 25224-1

Gran Geste⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Mark Walsh| T: Miss E Doyle| OR: 131| C

4/1

Landed a shock on return to action when landing a Galway handicap hurdle over 2m6f on soft ground in October at odds of 10/1. Can give another good account of himself but this is much tougher.

Form: 50/P40-1

Espanito Bello²⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-4| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: K H Clarke| OR: 130

33/1

Gelding out of a Ungaro mare by Turgeon related to French Grade 1 winner Shannon Rock and Grade 3 Topham Chase victor Ma Filleule. Step into graded company at Fairyhouse in April looks to have been too far. Best watched on stable debut.

Form: 1/1P-

Moyhenna²¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: D G Hogan| T: D Hogan| OR: 129

10/1

Clear-cut winner of a Grade 2 novice chase at Limerick in March before winning again when landing a Punchestown 2m5f chase in May. Needs to improve on previous hurdling exploits.

Form: 22FU1-1

Pleasant Company^h²⁰²

Age: 11| Weight: 10-2| J: N P Madden| T: W P Mullins| OR: 128| D

25/1

Not the greatest year so far for the Presenting gelding unseating rider in the Grand National at Aintree before a wretched effort in a Grade 1 contest at Auteuil when last seen in May. Market likely to be the best guide.

Form: P2/00U-0

The Jam Man¹⁵⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Sean Flanagan| T: R McNally| OR: 128| D

33/1

Has been rejuvenated over fences and hurdles of late gaining wins at Southwell and Cartmel in very easy fashion before landing a hat-trick of victories in a Newton Abbot handicap hurdle when last seen in July off a 6lb lower mark. Shortlisted.

Form: P-07111

Dromore Lad²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: C P McNamara⁽⁷⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 126| D

20/1

Winner of four of his 14 starts over hurdles but last win back in January 2018. Well held on latest start at Naas last month and others hold sturdier claims.

Form: 300-540

Oscar Knight^b¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: Simon Torrens⁽⁷⁾| T: T Mullins| OR: 126| C

16/1

Has finished third in Midlands National and Munster National this season, but well below form in Cork version before falling at the last when tailed off at Navan last month. Best watched on return to hurdles.

Form: 30637F

Forever Gold^b³⁴

Age: 12| Weight: 9-11| J: Phillip Enright| T: E Cawley| OR: 123| C| D

50/1

Gallant veteran. Well beaten over hurdles and the larger obstacles in a number of starts in the last 12 month. Hard to see where improvement is coming from at his age.

Form: 0007P-P

Agent Boru^t1²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 9-10| J: J M Moore| T: T Gibney| OR: 122| D

25/1

Toiled most of last season over fences and has just the one racecourse victory to his name which came back in April 2018. Well beaten and no impression in a couple of spins over hurdles since May including a heavy defeat at Naas last month.

Form: P574-00

Turbojet²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 9-10| J: A W Short⁽³⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 122

16/1

Miserly return of one win from 12 starts over hurdles. Sixth of 16 beaten 34L on return to action for the first time in 11 months at Naas over 2m4f early last month. Others more appealing.

Form: 2646/0-6

Tout Est Permis²³

Age: 6| Weight: 9-10| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: N Meade| OR: 122| CD

6/4

Out of form over fences in a number of starts since April. Intriguing contender off current hurdle mark with the gelding rated 156 over the larger obstacles.

Form: 1118-34

Forecasts

Tout Est Permis (6/4), Gran Geste (4/1), Coko Beach (5/1), Moyhenna (10/1), Acapella Bourgeois (10/1), Sire Du Berlais (14/1), Turbojet (16/1), Oscar Knight (16/1), Dandy Mag (16/1), Dromore Lad (20/1), Pleasant Company (25/1), Agent Boru (25/1), The Jam Man (33/1), Espanito Bello (33/1), Forever Gold (50/1), Flaxen Flare (50/1)

The Liz Doyle-trained GRAN GESTE can add to his win at Galway over 2m6f in October off an 8lb lower mark. The J P McManus-owned son of Poliglote asserted when pressed in the closing stages last time out shaping as though a step up in trip would suit. The Gordon Elliott-trained Coko Beach can emerge as the biggest danger following a win at Punchestown in October and finishing second of five in a Grade 2 hurdle at Down Royal early last month. The Jam Man, Cheltenham festival winner Sire Du Berlais and Flaxen Flare can all go well at a price.