16:10 Thurles

Monday 15 February 2021

All14:0014:3015:0515:3516:1016:4017:10

Holycross Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 16:10 | Winning time: 6m 30.60s

Excelcior²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott

20/1

Won a Flat maiden in France in spring 2018. First run since leaving Gabriel Leenders when sixth of 20 in novice hurdle at Punchestown (16.1f, heavy) on NH debut 29 days ago. Significantly up in trip.

Form: 6

Meticulous^t²¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Donagh Meyler| T: J P O'Brien| BF

12/1

Fairly useful hurdler. Below form third of 15 in novice hurdle at Gowran (16f, good, 1/2). Off 7 months. Significantly up in trip.

Form: 428/45-3

Cahirmee¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: A McCurtin⁽⁵⁾| T: B O'Keeffe

300/1

125/1, twelfth of 17 in novice hurdle at Naas (19f, heavy) on NH debut 15 days ago. Up in trip.

Form: 0

Dunboyne²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G Elliott

3/1

Off mark in points at fourth attempt. Second of 13 in novice hurdle (9/4) at Clonmel (16.2f, heavy) 27 days ago. Significantly up in trip.

Form: 434-122

Fais Ton Chemin^t1⁵⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins

5/2

Second of 11 in bumper (11/4) at this course (16f, heavy) 57 days ago. Makes hurdles debut. Significantly up in trip. Tongue strap on for 1st time.

Form: 45-2

Mercury Lane^t⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: B J Cooper| T: P Nolan

9/2

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. 9/2, good second of 8 in novice hurdle at Cork (24f, heavy) 44 days ago. Stable having good spell. Ought to go close.

Form: 2-3322

Mount Melleray^p1⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: R M Power| T: J Motherway

10/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. Bit below form third of 18 in novice hurdle (6/1) at Limerick (20f, heavy) 51 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time.

Form: 7-U523

Patriot Poet⁵¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Simon Torrens⁽⁵⁾| T: P Corcoran

200/1

Fifth of 18 in novice hurdle (200/1) at Limerick (20f, heavy) on NH debut 51 days ago.

Form: 5

Rwegoinhigh³⁷²

Age: 11| Weight: 11-6| J: Miss J Townend⁽⁷⁾| T: T Townend

150/1

25/1, fifth of 12 in novice hurdle at Cork (24f, good) on NH debut. Off over 3 years.

Form: 5524/22-

Salt Wind³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: P D Kennedy| T: M Kennedy

11/4

Winning pointer. Good second of 13 in novice hurdle at Fairyhouse (20f, heavy, 10/1) 34 days ago. Big player up in trip (bred to stay well).

Form: 21-2232

Ticking Tom¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: E Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: P Magee

200/1

Sixth of 17 in novice hurdle (150/1) at Naas (19f, heavy) on NH debut 15 days ago. Up in trip.

Form: 6

Politicianspromise

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: M P Collins

28/1

€20,000 3-y-o, Mahler gelding. Half-brother to fairly useful hurdler/useful chaser Pistol Whipped. Dam unraced.

Form:

Nothinbuttime²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Mr J Hart⁽⁷⁾| T: F J Flood

200/1

Winning pointer. 200/1, third of 7 in novice hurdle at Punchestown (24.3f, heavy) on hurdles bow 28 days ago.

Form: 515UP3

Ballinaboola Hazel

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: J S McGarvey| T: J J Hanlon

200/1

Jet Away mare. Dam ran once over hurdles/once in bumper.

Form:

Roped In

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Jack Brendan Foley⁽⁷⁾| T: D G Murphy

200/1

Presenting mare. Sister to useful 21f hurdle winner Ontheropes. Dam maiden pointer.

Form:

Non-Runners

Premier Queen²⁸

Weight: 10-11| Age: 5

T: Mrs P Dobbs J: Reserve 1

Haveuseentherain¹

Weight: 10-13| Age: 6

T: S G Walsh J: Reserve 2

Gold Dreamer

Weight: 10-13| Age: 7

T: P J Rothwell J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Fais Ton Chemin (5/2), Salt Wind (11/4), Dunboyne (3/1), Mercury Lane (9/2), Mount Melleray (10/1), Meticulous (12/1), Excelcior (20/1), Haveuseentherain (25/1), Politicianspromise (28/1), Gold Dreamer (33/1), Premier Queen (66/1), Rwegoinhigh (150/1), Roped In (200/1), Nothinbuttime (200/1), Ticking Tom (200/1), Patriot Poet (200/1), Ballinaboola Hazel (200/1), Cahirmee (300/1)

SALT WIND rates the form pick on the back of his excellent Fairyhouse second so gets the nod with more improvement in the pipeline up in trip (bred to stay well and has won a point). Recent Clonmel runner-up Dunboyne looks the pick of the Gordon Elliott-trained duo so is feared most with Mercury Lane another worth considering.