14:30 Thurles

Saturday 21 December 2019

All12:1012:4513:2013:5514:3015:0515:40

Jimmy Neville Memorial Handicap Hurdle

4YO plus | 2m | Soft (Yielding in Places) | 11 Runners | Turf

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: Mike O'Connor⁽⁷⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 132| CD

Popular veteran, last four wins have come over hurdles with his last two over C&D 12 months ago in this contest off a 9lb lower mark before a win over the combination in January. Place claims.

Form: 3-95477

Scheu Time¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: J Nash| OR: 129| CD

Won for the third time over hurdles when landing a Cork handicap over a similar trip off a 10lb lower mark earlier this month. Life more difficult from revised mark but C&D winner may be capable of better still.

Form: 7-09921

Polished Steel^p1²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: P D Kennedy| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 121| CD

C&D winner, won for the second time over hurdles when landing a Punchestown handicap hurdle off a 5lb lower mark over this trip in May. Well held in three starts since, sports first-time cheekpieces but may need a few to falter in this contest.

Form: 40-1600

Like An Open Book⁴⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: M P Burke⁽⁷⁾| T: J M Burke| OR: 120| CD

Exposed sort, last won over hurdles in 2017 rated 107 over C&D. Not disgraced in a number of starts since July but just might be on a high enough mark currently.

Form: 533555

De Mazzaro^h,t³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Liam McKenna⁽⁷⁾| T: T G McCourt| OR: 116| D

Off the mark for connections at the 16th time of asking landing a Galway 2m½f handicap off an 8lb lower mark in October. Looked held on his latest start when falling at the last in a Grade 3 contest at Cheltenham last month. Not ruled out.

Form: 33321F

R'evelyn Pleasure²³²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: Donagh Meyler| T: S O O'Brien| OR: 114| D

Winner of one of his six starts over hurdles but has more recently been seen plying his trade over the larger obstacles. Best watched in the market on his seasonal start over timber.

Form: 143P3-F

Ocean Voyage²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-5| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 114| D

Won a CVork maiden hurdle in March but the daughter of Most Improved will have disappointed respected connections in a number of dismal displays since including two dour efforts last month.

Form: 251-U70

Charle Brune³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: Danny Mullins| T: T Shanahan| OR: 107| D

Early season promise in the spring when landing a couple of handicap hurdles in May over a similar trip appears to have leveled out a little with the gelding producing a number of below-par efforts since August.

Form: 0-11960

Pound A Stroke^p¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 9-13| J: Gary Noonan⁽⁷⁾| T: E McCarthy| OR: 105| CD

Winner of two of his 19 starts over hurdles including a win on his sole start over C&D. Could be vulnerable to better handicapped sorts.

Form: 50250-3

Killacolla^t²²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: C J Orr⁽⁵⁾| T: A Leahy| OR: 104| D

Lightly raced gelding in the last 12 months. Signs of a return to form at Limerick recently and is one for any shortlist.

Form: 176-002

Nameloc⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-10| J: M A Enright| T: P A Fahy| OR: 102

Dismal efforts in a number of handicap hurdle starts since September. Not in the form required to come in for consideration in this contest.

Form: 02P706

Forecasts

Scheu Time (3/1), De Mazzaro (7/2), R'evelyn Pleasure (5/1), Killacolla (6/1), Pound A Stroke (10/1), Polished Steel (10/1), Like An Open Book (12/1), Nameloc (20/1), The King Of Brega (20/1), Charle Brune (20/1), Ocean Voyage (25/1)

C&D winner SCHEU TIME has run into a little bit of form at the right time recently running well in defeat at Punchestown last month before a 6½L win in a 13 runner Cork handicap off a 10lb lower mark. The six-year-old can hold off the attentions of his biggest dangers in the shape of the solid and consistent De Mazzaro who is better than his last start suggests, recent Limerick runner-up Killacolla and winner of this contest 12 months ago, The King Of Brega.