13:08 Navan

Saturday 5 December 2020

All11:3012:0012:3313:0813:4314:1814:5315:28

eCOMM Merchant Solutions Handicap Hurdle (Grade B)

Off time: 13:08 | Winning time: 6m 28.2s

Cracking Smart^p,t⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: J R Wildman⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 154| C| D

66/1

24¾ lengths fifth of 6 to Honeysuckle in Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse (20f, soft, 50/1) 6 days ago. Cheekpieces back on. Can give a good account without posing serious threat to principals.

Form: 7514-F5

Class Conti^t³¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 142

40/1

Smart winner at 21f in chases. 33/1, good second of 18 in handicap chase at Gowran (25f, heavy), sticking to task. Off 10 months. Switches from chase to hurdles. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: P1/P5F2-

Low Sun⁵⁷⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: D J Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 142

16/1

Creditable fourth of 15 in handicap (8/1) at Chester (18.6f, heavy). Off 19 months. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Big chance if resuming at a level anywhere near his best.

Form: 201451/

Sayo^p⁷²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 142

20/1

One win from 2 runs this season. Slipped up in handicap at Listowel (12f, soft, 2/1) 72 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Should make his presence felt.

Form: P300-81

Any Second Now^b¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: Mark Walsh| T: T M Walsh| OR: 140| C

18/1

Course winner. Smart winner at 26f in chases. Respectable ninth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Naas (20f, heavy, 14/1) 14 days ago. Back up in trip and more needed.

Form: 62U31-9

The Bosses Oscar⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 137

3/1

Promising sort. 5/2, didn't need to be at best when winning 9-runner minor event hurdle at Thurles (22.7f, good to soft) 44 days ago. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 12125-1

Flooring Porter^t⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-6| J: J M Moore| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 136| D

22/1

Latest win in hurdle at Gowran in July. Very good second of 12 in handicap hurdle at Gowran (24f, good, 3/1) 63 days ago. Each-way chance.

Form: 162-132

Shattered Love^p,t²³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-6| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 136| D

12/1

Career best when winning 4-runner listed chase at Clonmel (20.2f, heavy, 11/8) 23 days ago by 10 lengths from Cabaret Queen, easily. Switches from chase to hurdles. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 7326-31

A Great View^p²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-5| J: J S McGarvey| T: D Cullen| OR: 135| BF| D

33/1

16/5, below form seventh of 16 in handicap chase at Punchestown (22.6f, heavy) 20 days ago, not knocked about. Switches from chase to hurdles and cheekpieces back on.

Form: 9/4030-7

Relegate^b1¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: Colm Murphy| OR: 135| BF

20/1

6/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Haydock (24.3f, heavy) 14 days ago, labouring under circuit out. Blinkers on 1st time. Others more persuasive.

Form: 15/45-4P

Tout Est Permis^t³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: E Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: N Meade| OR: 135| CD

4/1

8/1, good 4¾ lengths third of 9 to The Storyteller in Champion Chase at Down Royal (24f, heavy) 35 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Couldn't rule out.

Form: 4453-23

De Name Escapes Me^t²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-3| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 133| C

22/1

Won 16-runner handicap at Naas (14f, heavy, 10/1) 28 days ago, all out. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Fairly useful chaser, bit below form on last hurdle outing.

Form: U00P0-3

Bon Retour^h1⁸⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-13| J: A W Short| T: W P Mullins| OR: 129

100/1

Winner in this sphere at Galway in July. 7/4, fourth of 9 in novice hurdle at Punchestown (16.7f, soft) 87 days ago. Significantly up in trip and hood on 1st time.

Form: 7P3-134

Fan De Blues¹⁰⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 128| BF

11/1

4/5, excellent second of 11 in novice chase at Killarney (17f, soft) on debut over fences 105 days ago, clear of rest. Switches from chase to hurdles. Significantly up in trip. Merits consideration.

Form: 2/317-32

Westerner Point²³

Age: 11| Weight: 9-12| J: Phillip Enright| T: E O'Grady| OR: 127| BF| D

40/1

Twelve wins from 38 NH runs. Good third of 10 in handicap hurdle (7/2) at Clonmel (24f, heavy) 23 days ago, sticking to task. Can make presence felt.

Form: 5/01-433

Funky Dady³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: S A Mulcahy⁽⁷⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 126

14/1

2 wins from 6 runs this season. 33/1, career best when winning 16-runner minor event hurdle at Punchestown (20.6f, soft) 38 days ago, driven out. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 851421

Balinaboola Steel^p⁵⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 9-12| J: Simon Torrens⁽⁵⁾| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 125| D

80/1

4 wins from 9 runs this season. 15/2, career best when winning 14-runner handicap hurdle at Limerick (24f, heavy) 55 days ago.

Form: 313511

Maze Runner²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: C P McNamara⁽⁵⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 125| BF

40/1

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles. 8/1, respectable fifth of 13 in handicap at Naas (11.8f, heavy) 28 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Significantly up in trip. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 1725/

Lady Breffni²⁶⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-12| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: W P Mullins| OR: 123| D

5/1

Lightly-raced winner under NH rules. Off 8 months. First run for yard after leaving Joseph Patrick O'Brien. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Plenty to find on form.

Form: 1/31232-

At The Acorn^t⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-12| J: Miss A B O'Connor⁽⁵⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 121| D

11/1

Useful winner at 22f in chases. Ninth of 10 in handicap hurdle (12/1) at Galway (16f, heavy) 41 days ago, not knocked about. Significantly up in trip. Uphill task.

Form: 4616-59

Non-Runners

Agent Boru¹⁴

Weight: 9-12| Age: 9

T: T Gibney J: Reserve 1

Pilbara⁵⁹

Weight: 9-12| Age: 5

T: E Mullins J: Reserve 2

Good Man Jim³³³

Weight: 9-12| Age: 7

T: W P Mullins J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

The Bosses Oscar (3/1), Tout Est Permis (4/1), Lady Breffni (5/1), Fan De Blues (11/1), At The Acorn (11/1), Shattered Love (12/1), Good Man Jim (12/1), Funky Dady (14/1), Pilbara (14/1), Low Sun (16/1), Any Second Now (18/1), Sayo (20/1), Relegate (20/1), Flooring Porter (22/1), De Name Escapes Me (22/1), A Great View (33/1), Maze Runner (40/1), Westerner Point (40/1), Class Conti (40/1), Agent Boru (50/1), Cracking Smart (66/1), Balinaboola Steel (80/1), Bon Retour (100/1)

This is very competitive but the unexposed THE BOSSES OSCAR nevertheless stands out on account of his potential. An unlucky fifth in a handicap at the Cheltenham Festival in March, he made a winning return at Thurles and should benefit from this stiffer test. Stablemate Shattered Love resumes in this sphere on a very tempting mark and is next on the list ahead of A Great View and Fan De Blues.