15:10 Limerick

Friday 27 December 2019

All12:1512:5013:2514:0014:3515:1015:45

ConverMax Handicap Hurdle (80-102)

Off time: 15:13 | Winning time: 4m 30.60s

Alfred Wegener⁹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: R P Treacy⁽⁵⁾| T: E McNamara| OR: 100| CD

22/1

C&D winner. Made all to win a Ballinrobe handicap hurdle off a 5lb lower mark in August. Beaten and well held since and hard to be confident at present.

Form: 0-B0140

Casamari Abbey³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Danny Mullins| T: P A Fahy| OR: 95

6/1

Well held and never a factor in four starts over hurdles since October. Not in the form required to play a part.

Form: 8-79679

Fairymount Boy^t,v¹¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: B J Foley⁽⁵⁾| T: M Hourigan| OR: 95| D

25/1

Recently seen over the larger obstacles without success. Two from 22 starts over hurdles with the popular veteran still racing 8lb higher than last winning mark. Improvement needed if he is to take this event.

Form: 593993

Knockraha Boss¹⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-1| J: S J Gray⁽³⁾| T: R A Foley| OR: 90

8/1

Best effort for sometime over hurdles when finishing third of 13 at Cork over 2m4f before rubber stamping that effort at Tramore earlier this month. Capable of a big run if holding his form in this company.

Form: 886-633

Our Roxane¹³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: K J Brouder⁽³⁾| T: T O'Brien| OR: 90| BF

7/2

Posted a stable best performance finishing second of 17 beaten ½L over C&D in July before running with credit as beaten favourite in a Tramore handicap hurdle when last seen in August.

Form: 70-9824

Western Doyen^h1²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: A W Short⁽³⁾| T: V T O'Brien| OR: 87| BF

12/1

Career best effort at Thurles finishing second of 18 beaten ¾L before disappointing once again at the same track last month when sent of the 2/1 beaten favourite. Worth a market check in first-time hood.

Form: 09-0028

Lucia's Bob¹⁶⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Sean O'Keeffe⁽⁵⁾| T: J J Walsh| OR: 89

33/1

Eight-race maiden sending out a number of mixed messages in her performances since March. Makes little appeal on overall efforts and hard to fancy in this contest.

Form: 090-379

Shantou Sisu²²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Ricky Doyle⁽³⁾| T: W J Lanigan| OR: 86

9/4

Gelding running well since returning to action in October despite falling two out when still in contention at Clonmel earlier this month. Anywhere near that run would herald another bold bid.

Form: 430-26F

Sol Milan²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: M M McDonagh⁽⁷⁾| T: E McNamara| OR: 89

16/1

Related to some hurdle winners Never a factor on hurdles debut at Punchestown in October and has proceeded to post a couple of dismal efforts at Naas and Thurles last month. Looks opposable in this company.

Form: 008

Last Return^t¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Fahey| OR: 85

50/1

Needs to take a big step forward to get competitive at this level based on her three career bumper starts and a number of wretched hurdling efforts since last month.

Form: 00-0090

Still Alive⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: C J Orr⁽⁵⁾| T: A J McNamara| OR: 85| CD

5/1

C&D winner. No sign of a return to winning ways over hurdles in a couple of recent starts at Thurles and last month at Cork. Needs to raise overall profile to get competitive in this contest.

Form: 6-36900

Danegeld¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: Mike O'Connor⁽⁷⁾| T: J Morrison| OR: 80

20/1

Seven-race maiden over hurdles. Down the field when no impression on return to action in a Naas 2m3f handicap earlier this month following a 454 day absence.

Form: 0506P/0

Ricky Langford³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: S A Shortall| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 80

50/1

Maiden, yet to threaten in eight starts over hurdles and not showing much improvement since going handicapping. Likely to find it tough going.

Form: 68-0500

Forecasts

Shantou Sisu (9/4), Our Roxane (7/2), Still Alive (5/1), Casamari Abbey (6/1), Knockraha Boss (8/1), Western Doyen (12/1), Sol Milan (16/1), Danegeld (20/1), Alfred Wegener (22/1), Fairymount Boy (25/1), Lucia's Bob (33/1), Ricky Langford (50/1), Last Return (50/1)

The 10-year-old KNOCKRAHA BOSS can build on a third of 13 at Cork over 2m4f before rubber stamping that effort at Tramore earlier this month to land the spoils in this contest. The Son of Golan has conditions in his favour here and can continue in good form at the expense of Shantou Sisu who appears to be the biggest danger. Alfred Wegener can go well at a price and can compete for remaining prize money with Our Roxane and Western Doyen.