15:30 Clonmel

Thursday 28 October 2021

All13:1013:4514:2014:5515:3016:0516:40

www.grahamnorris.com Memorial Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:30 | Winning time: 6m 42.40s

Thunderosa^p,t¹⁵¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-13| J: P J O'Hanlon⁽⁷⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 126| D

9/1

10/1, bit below form tenth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (26f, good to soft) 151 days ago. Had been on the up prior to that, so can't be ruled out after a summer break.

Form: 3181-10

Sassy Yet Classy^b²⁴¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 122| CD

4/1

C&D winner. Latest win in hurdle here in November. 16/1, good second of 16 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (24f, heavy). Off 8 months. Booking of Russell a plus. Has to be taken seriously.

Form: 1/81442-

Sweet Sting²¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: T N Brett⁽⁷⁾| T: M J Bowe| OR: 118| D

11/1

8¾ lengths fifth of 7 to Thunderosa in handicap hurdle at Cork (24f, soft, 11/2). Off 7 months. Booking of Brett a plus. Others more persuasive.

Form: 755335-

Yaiza²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: J S McGarvey| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 113| BF| CD

7/1

C&D winner. Creditable second of 10 in claiming hurdle at this course (19.9f, good, 3/1) 28 days ago. Back up in trip. First run for yard after leaving W. J. Burke. Merits consideration.

Form: 11-6862

Ciao Bella^p¹⁹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Sean Flanagan| T: Miss E Doyle| OR: 112

15/2

Winner in hurdle at Fairyhouse in March. 12/1, creditable fifth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe (22.1f, good to soft). Off 6 months. Can't be discounted for all fitness is an unknown.

Form: 235145-

First Touch¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: D J McInerney| T: D Commins| OR: 111| C| D

3/1

Course winner. Creditable second of 16 in handicap chase at Punchestown (23.9f, good, 5/2) 16 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Likely to give another good account.

Form: 3-66412

Dedanann¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: T Ryan⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 110| D

5/1

One win from 39 NH runs. 10/3, creditable second of 5 in minor event hurdle at Cork (24.2f, good to soft) 11 days ago. Likely to be thereabouts once more.

Form: 244342

Think Positive^p³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: H Morgan⁽³⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 105

50/1

Fifteen runs since last win in 2019. Twelfth of 14 in handicap chase at Listowel (20f, good, 20/1) 34 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Plenty to prove at present.

Form: U-05830

Kilashee²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-3| J: Danny Mullins| T: J P Ryan| OR: 102

8/1

2 wins from 6 runs this season. Latest win in hurdle at Listowel in September. Sixth of 8 in handicap hurdle (7/1) at Gowran (24f, good) 26 days ago. Others make more appeal.

Form: 034116

Non-Runners

Boro Tari³⁸⁹

Weight: 10-12| Age: 8

T: H De Bromhead J: J J Slevin

Sempre Presto⁵⁴

Weight: 10-6| Age: 6

T: Colm Murphy J: Brian Hayes

Forecasts

First Touch (3/1), Sassy Yet Classy (4/1), Dedanann (5/1), Boro Tari (6/1), Yaiza (7/1), Ciao Bella (15/2), Kilashee (8/1), Thunderosa (9/1), Sweet Sting (11/1), Sempre Presto (12/1), Think Positive (50/1)

FIRST TOUCH maintained a sound gallop throughout when making all at Roscommon in September and backed it up with a solid showing over fences, so he makes most appeal in an open race. Sassy Yet Classy is a big threat if ready for her reappearance, and there's every chance Thunderosa can get back on the up 5 months on from a blip at Punchestown.