14:00 Thurles

Sunday 20 December 2020

All12:3013:0013:3014:0014:3015:0015:30

Irish Stallion Farms EBF Boreen Belle Mares Novice Hurdle (Listed)

Off time: 14:00 | Winning time: 4m 12.3s

Sayce Gold¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: M Winters| C| D

9/4

Course winner who posted career best when winning Kerry Group Stayers Novices' Hurdle (7/4) at Cork (24f, heavy) 14 days ago by 8l from Ragnar Lodbrok. Drops in trip but she's sure to go well again.

Form: P13-111

Anna Bunina^t⁵¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Simon Torrens| T: J C McConnell| OR: 130| D

40/1

Fairly useful hurdler and dual winner this season. 5/1, poor seventh of 8 to Skyace in Irish EBF Mares Novices' Hurdle at Down Royal (16.4f, soft) 51 days ago. Needs to bounce back.

Form: U11247

Kapard⁵⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 119| D

8/1

Twice raced over hurdles, and unbeaten in Roscommon maiden and Wexford novice (16.4f, soft) 55 days ago. Sure to improve further but this is a much stiffer assignment.

Form: 11

Ava Rose^h⁵⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Phillip Enright| T: Noel O'Neill| CD

50/1

Fair hurdler who arrives on back of career-best when win in 13-runner novice hurdle at this C&D (good to soft, 14/1) 59 days ago. Up in grade but respected.

Form: 806-931

Musical Ava⁵⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: M P Burke| T: J M Burke| OR: 91

400/1

Modest hurdler who posted respectable seventh of 12 in handicap hurdle at this course (22.7f, good to soft) 59 days ago. Back down in trip and easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 8-10427

Place Des Vosges²²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Ricky Doyle| T: M Fahey| OR: 123| CD

14/1

C&D winner who was running creditably when falling two out in Grade 2 hurdle (28/1) at Fairyhouse (19.5f, soft) 22 days ago won by Concertista. Solid place claims.

Form: 21F

Roxys Holly^h⁴⁷¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: D J McInerney| T: R Hackett| OR: 101

250/1

Fair hurdler but not seen out since excellent second of 9 in 20f handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan 15 months ago. Has plenty on her plate on comeback run.

Form: 7774/72-

Two Shoe Tom⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: K C Sexton| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 107| BF

50/1

Fair hurdler. Winner of maiden at Ballinrobe in July and creditable 11l third of 8 to No Memory in minor hurdle at Wexford (20f, heavy) 56 days ago. Yard in good form but big improvement needed here.

Form: 172833

Gauloise²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| CD

4/5

Ex-French bumper winner who impressively landed the odds on yard/hurdling debut in 2m novice here (heavy) 24 days ago, always travelling and jumping well. Highly promising so looks the one to beat.

Form: 1-1

Mighty Blue^h³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: Donagh Meyler| T: J P O'Brien

12/1

Useful 12f winner on Flat who made promising start over hurdles when fourth of 9 in novice at Gowran (16f, heavy, 9/4) 30 days ago. Usually hooded. Sure to do better but this is much tougher.

Form: 4

Non-Runners

No Memory¹⁴

Weight: 11-3| Age: 6

T: W C O'Brien J: Danny Mullins

Forecasts

Gauloise (4/5), Sayce Gold (9/4), Kapard (8/1), Mighty Blue (12/1), Place Des Vosges (14/1), No Memory (33/1), Anna Bunina (40/1), Ava Rose (50/1), Two Shoe Tom (50/1), Roxys Holly (250/1), Musical Ava (400/1)

GAULOISE made a most impressive start to life with Willie Mullins when easily landing the odds here last month so is fancied to take this step up in class in her stride and maintain her unbeaten record. Sayce Gold takes a big drop in trip but is a mare firmly on the up so still warrants plenty of respect with Place des Vosges appealing as the pick of the rest and a sound place prospect.