17:15 Thurles

Thursday 11 March 2021

All14:3015:0515:4016:1516:4517:1517:45

Thurles Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 17:16 | Winning time: 6m 57.70s

Whirling Dervish^p²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Ricky Doyle| T: J F Levins| OR: 124

9/2

Fairly useful hurdler but he arrives on back of poor run on the Flat. Needs to bounce back returned to this sphere.

Form: 0-12664

Beyond The Law^t¹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: D J McInerney| T: M F Morris| OR: 123

3/1

66/1, did too much too soon when seventh of 18 in handicap hurdle at Naas (15.5f, soft) 11 days ago, Has good chance on pick of form.

Form: 2F3FP7

Dromore Lad⁷³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Philip Donovan⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 120| D

20/1

Useful winner at 28f in chases. 50/1, pulled up in handicap at Limerick (19.7f, heavy) 73 days ago. Switches to hurdles and others more persuasive.

Form: 2461PP

Snugsborough Benny²²⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 11-6| J: R Deegan⁽⁵⁾| T: L P Cusack| OR: 120| D

17/2

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, good fifth of 21 in handicap chase at Galway (22.5f, soft, 22/1). Off 7 months so needs to hit the ground running switched to hurdles.

Form: 3696-05

Sweet Sting¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Cian Quirke⁽⁷⁾| T: M J Bowe| OR: 116

7/1

50/1, last of 5 in Quevega Mares Hurdle at Punchestown (20f, heavy) 10 days ago. Needs more.

Form: 4P0755

Sean Says^t1³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Sean Flanagan| T: R Sweeney| OR: 115

11/1

Scored at Limerick in July but carried out early in handicap hurdle (28/1) at Naas (15.7f) last time. Tongue strap on up in trip and no forlorn hope.

Form: 01375C

Kellyiscool^p¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: Phillip Enright| T: S Curling| OR: 109

10/3

Fair maiden who (cheekpieces on) shaped well after 26 months off on yard debut when fifth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (22.8f) 12 days ago. Not ruled out if able to back that run up.

Form: 2PSP4/5

Master Artist³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: I J Power| T: J E Kiely| OR: 108

15/2

25/1, thirteenth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Naas (15.7f) 39 days ago. Significantly up in trip with work to do if he's to gain a first win at the ninth attempt.

Form: 222390

Pateen⁴¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-4| J: J M Moore| T: P G Kelly| OR: 104

40/1

It's eleven runs since last win in 2017, and only thirteenth of 20 in handicap hurdle at Navan (20f, 100/1) 41 days ago. Easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 935-9F0

Non-Runners

Low Lie The Fields⁵²

Weight: 11-1| Age: 7

T: H De Bromhead J: Rachael Blackmore

Exit Eleven⁹

Weight: 10-11| Age: 8

T: S G Walsh J: Richard Condon

Forecasts

Low Lie The Fields (9/4), Beyond The Law (3/1), Kellyiscool (10/3), Whirling Dervish (9/2), Sweet Sting (7/1), Master Artist (15/2), Snugsborough Benny (17/2), Sean Says (11/1), Dromore Lad (20/1), Exit Eleven (33/1), Pateen (40/1)

LOW LIE THE FIELDS is on an upward curve and strongly fancied to notch a quick hat-trick now he steps up further in trip after his dominant successes at Limerick and Punchestown. Beyond The Law figures on a good mark if ridden less aggressively than at Naas last time so could pose the biggest threat, although Kellyiscool could also have a say if building on his recent Fairyhouse fifth.