14:10 Fairyhouse

Saturday 11 January 2020

All12:2513:0013:3514:1014:4515:2015:50

Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase (Grade A)

Off time: 14:12 | Winning time: 4m 38.3s

Ornua³⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: D Robinson⁽³⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 152| D

12/1

Smart chaser who rarely finishes outside the money when he finishes at race but needs to bounce back from surprisingly poor performance last time out at Sandown; recent wind surgery may have helped; interesting contender.

Form: 2F1-P28

Duca De Thaix^p,t⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Sean O'Keeffe⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 149| CD

16/1

Won this contest last year but struggled in most of his subsequent performances; better effort last time out over course and distance and hard to easily dismiss at this track.

Form: 433-543

Us And Them^b1,t³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: J S McGarvey| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 149| D

10/1

Winner of one of his 10 starts over fences though the Stowaway gelding has hit the frame on no less than six occasions; worryingly he has been tailed off on his last two starts; first time blinkers may help.

Form: 22-U378

Articulum^t¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: Phillip Enright| T: T O'Brien| OR: 148| BF

5/1

Just has the one novice chase win to his name but has run well in defeat on a number of occasions including at the Cheltenham Festival; needs to bounce back from a mid-race fall last time out but is one to consider.

Form: 13-P23F

Goulane Chosen¹⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-3| J: D J McInerney| T: S Spillane| OR: 145| D

28/1

Only a few pounds higher than when winning well enough at Limerick over a similar trip in March; slightly disappointing last time out at same venue but excellent chance on the best of his form.

Form: 4221-75

Avenir D'Une Vie^p,t⁴²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 142| CD

12/1

Impressive winner over course and distance in November; comes here with every chance despite being up plenty in the weights; expected ground should suit but would not want any more rain; leading chance.

Form: 0-21501

Doctor Phoenix^p,t⁴²

Age: 12| Weight: 11-0| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 142| CD

16/1

Never really threatened when runner-up to Avenir D'Une Vie last time out over course and distance.; meets that rival on better terms here but still looks unlikely to be able to reverse placings.

Form: P5-U052

Blazer³⁴³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: Mark Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 141

9/2

Finished third in this contest last season and has obviously had training problems as this will be only his second start since then; definite chance on best of his form and can go well fresh; interesting.

Form: 280630-

Arvico Bleu³³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 133| D

8/1

Unlucky not to have got his head in front so far over fences and only beaten a neck when third at Naas on his penultimate start; fell at the final flight last time out (could have won); looks well handicapped; definite claims.

Form: 42223F-

Kildorrery⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: D F O'Regan| T: T M Walsh| OR: 133

9/1

Finished fourth in this contest last season; rarely seems to get truly competitive these days but can't be easily dismissed at this track especially for place purposes given his good completion record.

Form: U4933F

Powersbomb^t¹⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 10-3| J: A W Short⁽³⁾| T: B McMahon| OR: 131| D

14/1

Ran as well as could be expected last time out at Leopardstown and would have been closer if not for a mistake at the last; fairly consistent and capable of grabbing a place at the very least.

Form: 583184

R'evelyn Pleasure¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: Sean Flanagan| T: S O O'Brien| OR: 131| C

6/1

Course winner who would have a better chance over a further trip and not having to race from out of the handicap.

Form: 43P3-F4

Vaniteux^p,t³⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 10-3| J: C Gethings| T: Mrs S Leech| OR: 131| D

25/1

Became a frustrating sort for David Pipe often flattering to deceive before departing for current yard; has been disappointing on his last two starts and could struggle again off these terms.

Form: 816297

Charlie Stout^t¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-3| J: C P McNamara⁽⁵⁾| T: S Nolan| OR: 131

10/1

Unlucky last time and is generally a consistent sort; unlikely to figure given how far he has to race out of the handicap.

Form: 32123C

Non-Runners

Rock The World¹⁶

Weight: 10-3| Age: 12

T: Mrs J Harrington J: Simon Torrens

Ice Cold Soul¹⁶

Weight: 10-3| Age: 10

T: N Meade J: E Walsh

Forecasts

Blazer (9/2), Articulum (5/1), R'evelyn Pleasure (6/1), Arvico Bleu (8/1), Kildorrery (9/1), Charlie Stout (10/1), Us And Them (10/1), Avenir D'Une Vie (12/1), Ornua (12/1), Powersbomb (14/1), Duca De Thaix (16/1), Doctor Phoenix (16/1), Ice Cold Soul (20/1), Rock The World (25/1), Vaniteux (25/1), Goulane Chosen (28/1)

Plenty with chances in a fascinating contest. A tentative nod goes to ARVICO BLEU who looked all over the winner approaching the final flight at Thurles when last seeing a racecourse in February, If fit for this contest he holds every chance. Another who has been off the track for a while is Blazer. The gelding finished third in this contest last season and if improving since then he could run a big race. Avenir D'Une Vie will have his supporters based on his recent win over course and distance though he needs to defy a big rise in the weights to get competitive.