11:30 Navan

Sunday 15 December 2019

All11:3012:0012:3013:0013:3014:0514:3515:10

Irish Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 11:30 | Winning time: 4m 10.7s

Blackbow^h1³⁶

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

2/9

Not seen since April 2018 before returning to finish second of 15 in a Naas 2m maiden hurdle last month. Likely to be popular in the market given the yard have landed the spoils in this contest in two of the last six years from just three entries.

Form: 11152/2

Eltico²²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: A McCurtin⁽⁵⁾| T: J H Black

100/1

Gelding by Gold Well out of a Witness Box mare. Always towards rear on hurdling debut in a Ballinrobe maiden hurdle when last seen in May. Hard to recommend.

Form: 9

Jessica's Boy²¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade

50/1

Gelding by Court Cave out of a Rajpoute mare. Sixth of nine beaten 36L on hurdling debut at Kilbeggan in May. Worth a check in the market representing trainer who has hit the frame on four occasions in the last six renewals.

Form: 6

Resurrected Duke²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: J J Slevin| T: T J Taaffe

66/1

Westerner gelding has failed to progress from his encouraging debut in a Fairyhouse bumper in February producing a series of below-par efforts. Struggling on recent start at Gowran Park last month and difficult to fancy on this occasion.

Form: 3-008

Shannon Fields

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: N P Madden| T: E McNamara

66/1

Gelding by Scorpion out of a Be My Native mare. Half-brother to bumper winner, Warlike Intent. Market likely to reveal expectations on debut.

Form:

Sizing Pottsie^t¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| D

7/2

Winner on debut in a Leopardstown bumper in March last year the gelding made a pleasing first start over hurdles in a Punchestown 2m½f maiden last month. Can be expected to improve on that effort here.

Form: 14/53-3

Smig Suas³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: A W Short⁽³⁾| T: V T O'Brien

100/1

Son of Ask out of a Carroll House mare. Dam, below-par eight-race maiden well held in bumper and hurdle contests. Never a factor on debut at this venue last month and looks to be up against it.

Form: 0

Streets Of Doyen¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: P J McGrath⁽⁷⁾| T: J C McConnell| D

100/1

Gelding by Doyen. Well down the field when making no impression on maiden hurdle debut at Fairyhouse late last month and easy to look elsewhere in this encounter.

Form: 1460

A Different World³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: Mark Walsh| T: M Brassil

50/1

Jeremy gelding. Winner of a point-to-point at Dromahane in April. Not disgraced but beaten a long way in a couple of early hurdle spins at Galway and Naas last month. Others look more convincing.

Form: 1-58

Belfast Banter¹⁶³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: K C Sexton| T: Peter Fahey

16/1

Caught the eye in a April point-to-point before running with credit in a couple of bumpers in the spring for trainer Dan Skelton, bagging a win at Newton Abbott in the process. Worth a market check on hurdling debut.

Form: 2-31

Bread And Butter¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: J M Moore| T: G P Cromwell

100/1

Westerner gelding. Well held and never a factor in his first couple of hurdling spins at Punchestown and Fairyhouse last month. Appears to have a bit to prove on third start.

Form: 00

Captain Guinness

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead

20/1

By Arakan out of a Presenting mare. Half-sister to Jerrysback, winner over hurdles and the larger obstacles. Worthy of consideration on debut representing a yard who has produced a winner and a place in this contest in the last six renewals.

Form:

Dreamy Leamy^t²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: Brian Hayes| T: M M McNiff

100/1

Gelding by Doyen out of a Priolo mare. Closely related to 2m5f/3m2f chase winner Never Learn, half-brother to winners Balboni and The Way It Works. Hard to make a case for following a couple of dismal efforts over timber so far.

Form: 4-00

Favori Logique²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: J S McGarvey| T: R O'Sullivan

66/1

Promising run in a Ballinrobe bumper in September has been followed by a couple of disappointments in another efforts on the level and on hurdling debut at Punchestown last month. Not one to place a great deal of faith in.

Form: 340

Fiston De Becon²²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: Phillip Enright| T: R Tyner

50/1

Gelding by Secret Singer. €50,000 3-y-o half-brother to Eragone, winner over hurdles and the larger obstacles racing between 2m1f and 2m3½f. Others look more powerful following a disappointing bumper performance at Punchestown in April.

Form: 0

Highstreetfashion³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: T Ryan⁽⁷⁾| T: P Rooney

100/1

Mountain High felding out of a Be My Native mare. Cost €8,000 as a foal, rising to€16,000 as a three-year-old. Not in the form required in this contest following 101L and 97L defeats in a Fairyhouse bumper and a 2m4f contest here last month.

Form: 0-0

Texard^h²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G Elliott

20/1

Likely to improve on his sixth of 24 beaten 31L on hurdling debut at Cork on soft ground last month. Yard boast a 40% win and place strike rate in this contest since 2013 including saddling the winner 12 months ago, Battleoverdoyen.

Form: 346

Best Intentions

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: D J McInerney| T: D McDonogh

100/1

Daughter of Flemensfirth out of a Sadler's Wells mare. Possibly a long-term prospect representing yard who are without a hurdle winner this term from 23 runners, but worth a market check given connections.

Form:

Glendine Susie

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: H Morgan⁽⁷⁾| T: H De Bromhead

100/1

Daughter of Oscar out of a Classic Cliche mare. Not to be taken lightly making racecourse debut representing a yard who won this contest in 2014 with Doomsday Book.

Form:

Inneen Oscar

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: P E Corbett| T: Robert Widger

100/1

Mare by Oscar. Closely related to Treacysenniscorthy, a winner over fences and hurdles racing between 2m3f and 3m. Has plenty to prove in this company on hurdling debut.

Form:

Tick Along²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Sean O'Keeffe⁽⁵⁾| T: T G McCourt

100/1

Daughter of Tikkanen out of a Tamayaz mare. Down the field and never a factor on debut in a Thurles bumper over a similar trip last month and easy to oppose on hurdling introduction.

Form: 9

Twilight Girl²²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: T N Brett⁽⁷⁾| T: Peter Fahey

66/1

Craigsteel mare. Cost £12,000 following a May point-to-point win. Market likely to be the best guide as she makes belated hurdling debut in this contest.

Form: F-1

Nodoubtaboutthat

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Donagh Meyler| T: S Crawley

100/1

Daughter of Oscar out of a Glacial Storm mare. Dam, point-to-point winner. Closely related to Abnaki and probably best watched on debut representing Co Meath yard who are without a winner from 14 hurdle starters this term.

Form:

Non-Runners

Mr Lingo⁹⁸⁰

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: G Elliott J: Jack Kennedy

Forecasts

Blackbow (2/9), Sizing Pottsie (7/2), Mr Lingo (11/2), Belfast Banter (16/1), Captain Guinness (20/1), Texard (20/1), A Different World (50/1), Fiston De Becon (50/1), Jessica's Boy (50/1), Favori Logique (66/1), Twilight Girl (66/1), Resurrected Duke (66/1), Shannon Fields (66/1), Glendine Susie (100/1), Streets Of Doyen (100/1), Bread And Butter (100/1), Nodoubtaboutthat (100/1), Dreamy Leamy (100/1), Tick Along (100/1), Inneen Oscar (100/1), Highstreetfashion (100/1), Best Intentions (100/1), Eltico (100/1), Smig Suas (100/1)

Trainer Willie Mullins has saddled Sizing Tennessee in 2013 and Cilaos Emery three years ago to win this contest and his Stowaway gelding, BLACKBOW can add to that tally here. Beaten 4/9 favourite on return to action at Naas last month, the six-year-old can set the record straight at the expense of the Jessica Harrington-trained Sizing Pottsie who caught the eye over a similar trip on hurdling debut at Punchestown last month. Texard, not knocked about on first start over timber at Cork last month and the Gigginstown House Stud-owned Mr Lingo, both representing the Gordon Elliott yard should not be underestimated along with hurdling debutantes' Jessica's Bay and Captain Guinness.