16:40 Naas

Sunday 23 February 2020

All14:1014:4015:1015:4016:1016:4017:10

Paddy Power 'From The Horse's Mouth' Handicap Hurdle (80-116)

Off time: 16:41 | Winning time: 3m 56.30s

Aarons Day²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: B Browne⁽⁵⁾| T: O McKiernan| OR: 116

3/1

Failed to score on his first three outings over hurdles though had shown plenty of promise; put those runs behind him when easily scoring on latest start at Fairyhouse in January; can progress again and leading contender.

Form: 0/0-6761

Lord Erskine⁵⁷⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H Rogers| OR: 116| D

25/1

Not seen out since July but had been in excellent form at the time winning twice at Sligo and Tipperary and placing at Ballinrobe; this will be tougher but in good hands and has gone well fresh in the past.

Form: 00P/112-

Vocarium²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: R M Power| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 115| D

14/1

Lightly-raced (in the last 12 months) Poets Voice gelding ; needs to step up on previous efforts to get involved in this contest but will be better for recent run over course and distance in January.

Form: 0P-4875

Ardamir²²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr A McMahon⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 114

33/1

Both racecourse wins have come over hurdles but they came over four years ago; has been campaigned to little effect on the Flat and hard to see him playing a leading role unless market speaks in his favour.

Form: 1P58/37-

Chesterfield King^t⁶⁶⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: L P Dempsey| T: J P Dempsey| OR: 111| D

20/1

Winner of a novice hurdle at Fairyhouse four starts ago but that came in 2018; not seen out since April of that year and this looks a difficult assignment after such a long break.

Form: 841249/

Goodbye Someday⁵⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: D F O'Regan| T: J E Kiely| OR: 109

7/1

Consistent without setting the world on fire so far; but it was a decent effort when second on penultimate start at Cork (forced out last time at Leopardstown) and enough to give him the benefit of the doubt as to whether he can improve.

Form: 6-3462R

Baba Boom²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: N P Madden| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 109

14/1

Climbed the handicap ranks on the Flat in style last season notching a hat-trick; has struggled slightly on all three hurdles starts to date, let down by his jumping; should win races but more experience probably needed.

Form: 079

Dessie's Diamond²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: I J McCarthy| T: P W Flynn| OR: 108

66/1

Six-race maiden over hurdles; lightly-raced in the last 12 months; tailed off when last seen over course and distance in January; looks a tall order on form shown.

Form: 6452-U0

Greenpanda²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: C P McNamara⁽⁵⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 108

25/1

Consistent at her level on the Flat, with two wins and nine placed efforts in 30 runs; no impression on the winner in three starts over hurdles since September and this looks a difficult introduction to handicap life.

Form: 500

Pound A Stroke^p²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Gary Noonan⁽⁷⁾| T: E McCarthy| OR: 105| D

33/1

Returns to hurdles after failing to convince over fences; has some reasonable hurdles form in the past and this return may revitalise him but others preferred on balance.

Form: 50-355P

Song Of Namibia^t¹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 105

20/1

One from 12 over hurdles; currently on a wretched run of form over timber since returning from a break in September; hard to see where sudden return to form will come from.

Form: 60P800

Canadian Steel¹⁴⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-0| J: J S McGarvey| T: N C Kelly| OR: 104

50/1

Was in good from over the summer and given a break after a lacklustre run at Downpatrick in September; should return here full of life and has gone well fresh in the past; could go well at fair price.

Form: 311248

Carnet De Stage⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Phillip Enright| T: E M O'Sullivan| OR: 104

25/1

Eight-race maiden who is yet to build on a career best effort on debut in a Limerick maiden hurdle over 2m in March; needs to bring more to the party though signs of improvement last time out at scene of only win.

Form: 493863

Saol Iontach²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: C D Maxwell| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 102| BF

20/1

Has shaped with promise on a number of occasions including on handicap debut at Punchestown in January when finishing 2nd of 15; struggled when reassessed by handicapper on latest at Down Royal and may struggle again off same mark

Form: 087720

Lost Oscar²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Mark Walsh| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 101| D

12/1

Winner of a Cork bumper over 2m in May before struggling helplessly in four starts over hurdles since November; needs a few to falter.

Form: 17000

Bythesametoken^t¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Gearoid Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: R O'Sullivan| OR: 99| BF| D

4/1

Off the mark for connections when landing a Navan 2m handicap hurdle on soft ground in November off an 10lb lower mark; continues to run well in defeat and can emerge as a leading player in this contest.

Form: 401632

Muhaafiz¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: Ricky Doyle⁽³⁾| T: V T O'Brien| OR: 99| CD

9/1

Lightly-raced gelding who has had his fair share of training problems. Ran as well as could be expected over C&D on return to action last month before winning comfortably here earlier this month; leading chance if progressing again.

Form: 746/6-61

Resurrected Duke⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: J J Slevin| T: T J Taaffe| OR: 99

14/1

Promising start last February in bumper won by Fury Road at Fairyhouse but hasn't finished within hailing distance of winners in five starts since, four of them over hurdles.

Form: 3-00806

Colour Me In³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-6| J: T Ryan⁽⁵⁾| T: T Mullins| OR: 97| BF

20/1

Long standing maiden over hurdles and while can put in the occasional decent effort, is not one to rely upon for win purposes despite looking favourably handicapped at present.

Form: U93046

Schedar¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-4| J: C A Landers⁽⁵⁾| T: M J McDonagh| OR: 95

20/1

Put some pretty wretched hurdles performances behind him when finishing an encouraging 4th of 18 over course and distance earlier this month; more needed but starting to go in the right direction.

Form: 0P774

Dreamy Leamy^t³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: A W Short⁽³⁾| T: M M McNiff| OR: 91

50/1

Well beaten on all his hurdle starts and never started shorter than 40/1; really difficult to see him making waves on second handicap start.

Form: 4-0008

Jiving Jerry⁹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-10| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: J Barcoe| OR: 87

12/1

Generally consistent but rarely looks like winning a race; well beaten when last seen out in November; has outside place chances in this line-up but may struggle to get his one-paced face in front.

Form: 599806

Non-Runners

Morning Skye²⁸

Weight: 11-6| Age: 5

T: Peter Fahey J: Kevin Sexton

Forecasts

Aarons Day (3/1), Bythesametoken (4/1), Goodbye Someday (7/1), Muhaafiz (9/1), Jiving Jerry (12/1), Lost Oscar (12/1), Morning Skye (12/1), Vocarium (14/1), Baba Boom (14/1), Resurrected Duke (14/1), Schedar (20/1), Saol Iontach (20/1), Song Of Namibia (20/1), Chesterfield King (20/1), Colour Me In (20/1), Greenpanda (25/1), Lord Erskine (25/1), Carnet De Stage (25/1), Ardamir (33/1), Pound A Stroke (33/1), Dreamy Leamy (50/1), Canadian Steel (50/1), Dessie's Diamond (66/1)

LORD ERSKINE has not raced since July but the gelding was in fine form, winning twice and finishing runner-up on his last start. The seven-year-old goes well fresh and as long as the ground does not become too desperate then he should go well. Muhaafiz looks on the upgrade and there was plenty to like about his recent win at this track. Should be continue to show his recent relish then he has an excellent chance of following up. Bythesametoken has been running very well in defeat in his most recent outings and he is capable of landing a race like this off his current mark.