14:55 Leopardstown

Thursday 26 December 2019

All12:1012:4013:1013:4514:2014:5515:30

'Bet Through The Free Racing Post App' Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:55 | Winning time: 4m 21.20s

Or Jaune De Somoza^p¹⁰³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: H Morgan⁽⁷⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 136| D

25/1

Best given a relative test of speed and back to form when winning 13-runner handicap at Listowel last time by 1¾L from Ballyegan Hero, making all. Up 6lb, and not so easy to dominate here.

Form: 1-23281

Trainwreck¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 136| C| D

8/1

Best effort over fences when third of 9 to Us And Them in maiden at Navan last season, but not gone on from that and prone to errors. Better than distance beaten when 50L third at Punchestown last time, but plenty to find on that form all the same.

Form: 3F-0843

Powersbomb^t¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: D F O'Regan| T: B McMahon| OR: 131| D

25/1

Well held over hurdles last time, but won over fences at Cork on previous outing, and can get involved for all a 6lb higher mark demands more.

Form: 3-58318

Callthebarman^t⁵⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: J M Moore| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 129

8/1

Won at Perth in the summer, and over hurdles at Navan on penultimate start. Set to score when falling at Down Royal last time (Powersbomb well held in third) and a 5lb rise looks lenient.

Form: 54461F

Jack Dillinger⁵⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 129| BF| D

12/1

Made chase debut in May, and improving gradually, albeit let down by jumping on both handicap starts, and would have finished well behind Callthebarman at Down Royal but for that rival falling when clear.

Form: 462255

Rock The World^p,t¹²⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 11-1| J: Mark Walsh| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 128| D

25/1

Not the horse he was when landing the Grand Annual at Cheltenham a few years back, and was well bellow form when last seen at Killarney in August. Others too strong again.

Form: P454-37

Tikkanen Express¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Danny Mullins| T: J Dullea| OR: 128

25/1

Best effort over fences when winning a 2¾m handicap at Punchestown in October 2018. Needed run after a lengthy absence over hurdles last time, but this trip may be too sharp now.

Form: 3F231-6

Ellie Mac^p⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: D N Russell| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 127| C

11/4

Placed over an extended 3m at Roscommon in June, and on two recent starts over hurdles. Reverts to chasing over a trip which could be on the sharp side, but jockey booking means she mustn't be ignored.

Form: 7-U3P33

Drumconnor Lad^p,t³⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: Adrian Heskin| T: A Keatley| OR: 126| D

20/1

Patchy form over fences of late, and while he got back to form when third of 9 to Powersbomb at Cork last time, he needs to prove that he can back that effort up.

Form: 5F88-93

Grand Partner¹⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 10-9| J: Donagh Meyler| T: T Mullins| OR: 122| C

14/1

Third in this race last year off a 3lb higher mark, but not seen again until running down the field behind Tornado Flyer in Klairon Davis Novices' Chase at Navan earlier in the month. Must step up markedly on that effort.

Form: 5P343-4

Ice Cold Soul^t⁶⁷⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-8| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 121| C

14/1

Useful over hurdles in his prime, but not so good over fences in 2017/18 season. Returns from a long absence with something to prove, albeit encouraging that connections are persevering.

Form: 004404/

Crazyheart^p⁴²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: Sean O'Keeffe⁽⁵⁾| T: P Nolan| OR: 118

20/1

Placed off this mark at Down Royal in May, and has been running with credit over hurdles more recently. Fairly treated on pick of chase form, and capable of going well at a price.

Form: 32-3425

Allardyce^p³³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: T Ryan⁽⁷⁾| T: E J O'Grady| OR: 116

12/1

Inconsistent sort who bounced back to form when winning at Gowran last month, and while a rise in the weights is offset by the booking of a talented claimer, he's far from certain to be in the same mood now.

Form: 0-P0791

At The Acorn^t¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-3| J: D E Splaine| T: A J Martin| OR: 116

6/1

Fairly useful over hurdles. Not matched that form over fences as yet, but he's not been knocked about either, and is the type to improve for the switch to handicaps. Market will be revealing.

Form: 1/32-684

Batcio²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-1| J: I J McCarthy| T: T M Walsh| OR: 114| D

11/2

Didn't need to improve when winning a weak beginners chase at Thurles last time, but impressed with how he went about things, and is the type to do better still having been brought along with extreme patience.

Form: 0-P5391

Dasmyhoss²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-10| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 109

33/1

Best chase effort when 7L second of 10 to Visioman in maiden at Kilbeggan in August, but hasn't gone on from that, and readily held by Batcio last time. Now 5lb better off, but hard to see him turning the tables.

Form: 325684

Forecasts

Ellie Mac (11/4), Batcio (11/2), At The Acorn (6/1), Trainwreck (8/1), Callthebarman (8/1), Allardyce (12/1), Jack Dillinger (12/1), Ice Cold Soul (14/1), Grand Partner (14/1), Drumconnor Lad (20/1), Crazyheart (20/1), Powersbomb (25/1), Tikkanen Express (25/1), Rock The World (25/1), Or Jaune De Somoza (25/1), Dasmyhoss (33/1)

The handicapper has decided to leave BATCIO on the same mark after he bolted up at Thurles, and while he's meeting stiffer competition here, the gelding is clearly better over fences than hurdles, and can take advantage of a lenient mark. Callthebarman is the biggest danger having taken a token rise for his fall at Down Royal last time. He would have won well there but for his mishap, and can go close once more. At The Acorn has plenty to find on form, but has been brought along with handicaps in mind, and looks a surefire improver.