17:35 Thurles

Thursday 5 March 2020

All14:0514:4015:1515:5016:2517:0017:35

Fethard Flat Race

Off time: 17:35 | Winning time: 4m 12.50s

Curlew Hill⁵⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr J J Codd| T: G Elliott

6/4

Carlotamix gelding who wasn't disgraced on racecourse bow at Leopardstown over Christmas before running a sound race over course and distance last time; every chance he will improve again and one to consider.

Form: 73

En Beton⁸⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins

5/2

Gelding by Network out of a Pistolet Bleu mare. Second of nine in a French conditions hurdle in 2018; not given hard race when well beaten at Navan in December; open to improvement and likely to be popular in the betting market.

Form: 2/5

John Cannon^h1⁷⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr E Dwan⁽⁷⁾| T: J G Murphy

20/1

High Chaparral half-brother to 1m Listed winner Viva Vettori out of a winning half-sister to Ouija Board; no real show on only racecourse appearance at Leopardstown in December; entitled to improve but unlikely to be good enough.

Form: 8

Oscar Thyne¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr J Dunne⁽⁷⁾| T: G P Cromwell

5/1

Jumped much better to finish runner-up on his latest point-to-point outing in December having struggled on his debut earlier in the year; raced too keenly but ran respectably on hurdles debut at Navan in February; interesting contender.

Form: P-24

Rocconrockall⁶⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr B O'Neill| T: E J O'Grady

6/1

Shirocco gelding out of a Phardante mare. €40,000 as a three-year-old; has had plenty of chances and encouraging that best effort came last time out at Limerick; chance if progressing again.

Form: 8903

Tango Echo Charlie⁵⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Jordan Gainford⁽⁷⁾| T: R Tector

100/1

Showed some glimpses of ability in point-to-point contests but was relatively disappointing on racecourse debut over course and distance in January; will need to show plenty of improvement to land this.

Form: 7P-P40

Annie Kate^h⁵⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr F Maguire⁽³⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington

10/1

Daughter of Califet a half-sister to bumper/high-class 2m hurdle winner My Tent Or Yours; plenty to work on following a couple of initial bumper efforts at Naas and Punchestown in recent months.

Form: 64

Non-Runners

Milliway

Weight: 11-7| Age: 5

T: J P O'Keeffe J: Mr Darragh Allen

Forecasts

Curlew Hill (6/4), En Beton (5/2), Oscar Thyne (5/1), Rocconrockall (6/1), Annie Kate (10/1), John Cannon (20/1), Milliway (25/1), Tango Echo Charlie (100/1)

ANNIE KATE has been brought along quietly and although her recent bumper form does not instantly suggest she will be winning soon, her runs at Naas and Punchestown provide enough encouragement to suggest she has a degree of talent and this could be a fair opportunity with a lack of serious rivals in the line-up. Her latest run was decent and if improving on that she could go close. Curlew Hill showed improvement on his latest outing and if able to progress he should be close enough. En Beton, like most of Willie Mullins' bumper runners, will have needed his first run at Navan in December and will be a popular selection.