13:50 Leopardstown

Monday 28 December 2020

All12:0512:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:35

Irish Daily Star Christmas Handicap Hurdle (80-116)

Off time: 13:51 | Winning time: 5m 31.6s

Mister Eddman^t³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: D J McInerney| T: O McKiernan| OR: 116| D

50/1

Showed nothing back in this sphere when down the field in handicap hurdle at Navan (22f, heavy) 36 days ago. Eased 2 lb but something to prove on the back of that.

Form: 634750

Rapid Response⁵⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: P D Kennedy| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 114

11/2

Fairly useful chaser, below form 19 lengths fifth of 11 to Home By The Lee in Gr 3 chase at Cork (20f, heavy) 57 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Trainer going well.

Form: 221225

Magic Sea³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Sean Flanagan| T: Mrs S Dawson| OR: 113| D

33/1

Latest win in hurdle at Bellewstown in August. Tenth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Navan (22f, heavy, 16/1) 36 days ago.

Form: 52-8180

Rightplacerightime^b,t¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Liam Quinlan⁽⁵⁾| T: K F O'Donnell| OR: 113

9/1

Respectable sixth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (20f, heavy, 9/1) 17 days ago. Merits consideration.

Form: 473206

Western Boy^t³⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-11| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: P A Fahy| OR: 113| C

18/1

Course winner. 25/1, creditable sixth of 13 in handicap hurdle at Thurles (20.1f, soft) 39 days ago, unable to sustain effort. Tongue strap back on.

Form: 04/0256

Difficult Decision²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Liam McKenna⁽⁷⁾| T: O McKiernan| OR: 110| D

16/1

Below form eleventh of 18 in handicap hurdle (11/1) at Punchestown (24f, heavy) 20 days ago, possibly needing the run after 10 months off.

Form: 38/11P-0

Aircraft Carrier⁵⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Ricky Doyle| T: L Comer| OR: 109

16/1

Lightly-raced maiden over hurdles. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Pulled up on last hurdle outing. Something to find on form.

Form: 0697P-

Ashqar^t³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: J G Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Gilligan| OR: 109

20/1

Sixth of 13 in handicap (80/1) at Dundalk (16f) 31 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Back up in trip. Creditable on last hurdle run.

Form: 661334

Boher Cailin^t1²²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 113| D

17/2

Went backwards from a winning hurdling debut when a well-beaten last of 8 to Skyace in listed hurdle (14/1) at Punchestown (20f, heavy) 22 days ago. Tongue tie on for handicap debut.

Form: 1-18

Kasakh Noir^h¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr C Abernethy⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Lambe| OR: 109

100/1

Useful hurdler at best for Dan Skelton but little show this season.

Form: 048-000

Watch Guard^b,t²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 109

40/1

66/1 and blinkered for 1st time, fifteenth of 20 in handicap hurdle at this course (16f, good to soft) 2 days ago. Up in trip. Plenty to find on form.

Form: 62-4990

Burlesque Queen^h1¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss E Doyle| OR: 108| D

8/1

Step back in right direction when eighth of 17 in handicap hurdle (6/1) at Punchestown (20f, heavy) 17 days ago. Hood on 1st time. Could go well.

Form: 1237-88

Get Free^t1³⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: D F O'Regan| T: A J Martin| OR: 112

33/1

First run since leaving Mme I. Pacault when tailed-off last of 7 to Call Me Lyreen in Fishery Lane Hurdle (80/1) at Naas (16f, heavy) on IRE NH debut 37 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 1-7

British Art^v³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Shane O'Callaghan⁽⁷⁾| T: R K Watson| OR: 107

66/1

Latest win in hurdle at Downpatrick in September. Tongue strap on for 1st time in this code, bit below form ninth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Navan (16f, heavy, 33/1) 36 days ago, fading 2f out.

Form: 4-18769

Stucker Hill³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Danny Mullins| T: W J Lanigan| OR: 107

22/1

Twelve runs since last win in 2018. Bit below form sixth of 13 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (21.7f, heavy, 10/1) 34 days ago, faring best of those held up.

Form: 35P-B26

Two Shoe Tom⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: K C Sexton| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 107

8/1

50/1, faced a stiff task when 23 lengths eighth of 10 to Gauloise in listed hurdle at Thurles (16f, heavy) 8 days ago. Back up in trip.

Form: 728338

Arctic Light³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Mark Walsh| T: T Mullins| OR: 106

9/1

Twelve runs since last win in 2018. 11/1, back on track when second of 16 in handicap hurdle at Cork (16f, heavy) 36 days ago. Back up in trip and very much one to consider.

Form: 30P-2F2

Handsworth⁵⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: J P Dempsey| OR: 106

6/1

Respectable fifth of 18 in handicap hurdle (16/1) at Navan (22f, soft) 50 days ago, though didn't pose much of a win threat.

Form: 907-025

Oh'herewego²⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-3| J: T Ryan⁽⁵⁾| T: V T O'Brien| OR: 105

40/1

Good third at Tipperary in October but that very much remains a standout for the season.

Form: 27-8300

Bloodstone^t1⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 104

9/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules who ran his best when fourth of 13 in maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, heavy) 45 days ago. Back up in trip for handicap bow with tongue tie fitted. RESERVE.

Form: 2/8-5634

Non-Runners

Callthebarman¹⁶²

Weight: 11-13| Age: 6

T: M J Smith J: Keith Donoghue

Cahirdown Boy⁹⁸

Weight: 11-2| Age: 5

T: E McNamara J: Reserve 2

More Info²⁷

Weight: 11-2| Age: 5

T: D Hogan J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Rapid Response (11/2), Handsworth (6/1), Callthebarman (6/1), Burlesque Queen (8/1), Two Shoe Tom (8/1), Boher Cailin (17/2), Bloodstone (9/1), Arctic Light (9/1), Rightplacerightime (9/1), Difficult Decision (16/1), Aircraft Carrier (16/1), Western Boy (18/1), Ashqar (20/1), Stucker Hill (22/1), Get Free (33/1), Magic Sea (33/1), Watch Guard (40/1), Oh'herewego (40/1), Mister Eddman (50/1), British Art (66/1), Kasakh Noir (100/1)

ARTIC LIGHT was right back on track returned to this sphere when runner-up at Cork last month and could be the answer to this open handicap. Rightplacerighttime and Burlesque Queen are just a couple of potential threats.