14:00 Clonmel

Thursday 9 January 2020

All12:2012:5013:2514:0014:3015:0515:35

Monroe Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 14:00 | Winning time: 5m 33.00s

Allez George⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: T N Brett⁽⁷⁾| T: J Barcoe

100/1

Poor efforts in three bumpers were followed by a forlorn effort on hurdling debut at Naas on Sunday. Hard to make a case for.

Form: 0-860

Chalky White³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Brian Hayes| T: J Dullea

100/1

By Getaway out of a Moscow Society mare. Fourth on point-to-point debut in November but disappointed since. Probably best watched on debut.

Form: 47

Exciting Oscar¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny Mullins| T: D Ahern

50/1

Gelding by Oscar out of a Flemensfirth mare. Fell at the third obstacle at Limerick over Christmas and easy to oppose on his fourth start over hurdles.

Form: 54/2-50F

Fancy Foundations⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott

10/1

A €48,000 three-year-old, Kayf Tara gelding. Well behind in a couple of bumpers so far when fancied to go well on both occasions. Market check once again.

Form: 4-4

I Often Wonder²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr J C Canavan⁽⁷⁾| T: R Tyner

100/1

By Intikhab out of a USA bred mare. Needs to improve on disappointing maiden hurdle debut in a Navan 2m4f contest on soft ground last month.

Form: 0

Justice Jim^t⁴¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: H P Cleary⁽⁷⁾| T: Michael G Cleary

100/1

Unfancied and well beaten in three hurdle starts on various types of going before pulling up when detached at Limerick over Christmas. Unlikely to be good enough.

Form: 980P

Not So Simple^p1¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Simon Torrens⁽⁷⁾| T: N Lee

66/1

Gelding by Kalanisi. No impression and never a factor on hurdling debut in a Leopardstown maiden on yielding ground last month. First-time cheekpieces but hard to place any faith in.

Form: 2-0

Quarry Royale⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: B J Foley⁽⁵⁾| T: P O'Flynn

100/1

Nothing of note in a Thurles bumper in November before pulling up when tailed off in a Cork 3m maiden on hurdling debut on Saturday. Hard to fancy taking a big drop in trip.

Form: PP/0P

Russian Dancer^h1⁵²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Phillip Enright| T: E J O'Grady

50/1

Colt by Bashkirov out of a Intikhab mare. Mixed bag of efforts in four starts in bumpers for trainer Luke Comer. Worth a market check on stable debut in first-time hood.

Form: 2660-

Farmix³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Donagh Meyler| T: Miss E Doyle

28/1

Gelding by Al Namix. Dam was a maiden over fences in France but closely related to some smart performers in that country, including the top-class Arenice. Pleasing debut in a Punchestown bumper last month.

Form: 4

Favori Logique²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: J S McGarvey| T: R O'Sullivan

6/1

Hints of improvement in a Navan 2m maiden hurdle on soft ground last month. Likely to improve and worth considering in this company.

Form: 3405

Living's Boy An Co¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade

14/1

Gelding by Diamond Boy out of a Laveron mare. Pleasing and promising hurdling debut in a 2m maiden at Limerick over Christmas. No surprise to see a bold bid for leading connections.

Form: P-P4

Lord Royal⁶¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins

4/5

Gelding by Lord Du Sud out of a Karinga Bay mare. Second of 10 on sole career start on the Flat in France when last seen in May 2018. Likely to be popular in the market on debut for leading yard.

Form: 2-

No Grey Area's¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: C A Landers⁽⁵⁾| T: M Hassett

25/1

Cost €10,000 as a three-year-old. Shown ability a couple of times in bumpers but his latest starts at Fairyhouse and Leopardstown last month have been backward steps.

Form: 25-200

One For Joe⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: A W Short| T: C Byrnes

9/1

Running with plenty of credit in a number of starts over hurdles since November including finishing third of 15 at Tramore on New Years Day. One for any shortlist.

Form: 80033

Seanbhothar⁹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien

25/1

Failed to build on promising effort in a Sligo bumper in August when beaten around 70L at Galway when last seen in October. Worth a market check representing yard in form.

Form: 29

Telmesomethinggirl³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead

5/1

Bought for £150,000 as a four-year-old. Disappointed on latest and second start over hurdles at Tramore last month but is likely to be better than that performance suggests.

Form: 1-35

Non-Runners

Golden Nomad²⁴

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: G Elliott J: R M Power

Groody Rover³¹⁹

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: P Fenton J: Reserve 1

Funky Dady¹⁴

Weight: 11-10| Age: 5

T: D Hogan J: Reserve 2

Thespiritofeleanor

Weight: 11-10| Age: 5

T: L Comer J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Lord Royal (4/5), Telmesomethinggirl (5/1), Favori Logique (6/1), Golden Nomad (8/1), One For Joe (9/1), Fancy Foundations (10/1), Groody Rover (10/1), Living's Boy An Co (14/1), No Grey Area's (25/1), Seanbhothar (25/1), Farmix (28/1), Russian Dancer (50/1), Exciting Oscar (50/1), Thespiritofeleanor (50/1), Not So Simple (66/1), Justice Jim (100/1), Quarry Royale (100/1), Chalky White (100/1), I Often Wonder (100/1), Funky Dady (100/1), Allez George (100/1)

Trainer Willie Mullins appears to have found an ideal opening for LORD ROYAL to make a winning debut over hurdles. The gelding was last seen finishing second of 10 on the Flat in France in May 2018 but is expected to be ready for hurdling introduction in this contest. The Charles Byrnes, Arctic Cosmos gelding One For Joe has been pleasing in a number of starts over hurdles and can compete for remaining prize money with the likes of Telmesomethinggirl for trained Henry De Bromhead and the Gordon Elliott-trained Fancy Foundations.