14:30 Thurles

Thursday 18 November 2021

All12:0012:3013:0013:3014:0014:3015:00

Holycross Handicap Hurdle (80-102)

Off time: 14:30 | Winning time: 4m 4.9s

Battle Of Benburb²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 12-0| J: Simon Torrens| T: J C McConnell| OR: 102| D

33/1

First run since leaving Gavin Patrick Cromwell when below form fifth of 16 in handicap hurdle (16/1) at Clonmel (19.7f, heavy) 21 days ago, left poorly placed. Not one to write off.

Form: 499945

Ellaat¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr O McGill⁽⁷⁾| T: N C Kelly| OR: 102| CD

11/4

2 wins from 5 runs this season. Career best when winning 15-runner handicap hurdle (9/4) at this course (16f, good to soft) 14 days ago. Has to be taken seriously.

Form: 8-07311

Fassbender^t⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Shane O'Callaghan⁽⁷⁾| T: M M McNiff| OR: 102

6/1

7/2, career best when winning 8-runner handicap hurdle at Downpatrick (17.8f, soft) 41 days ago, asserting close home. No surprise to see him firmly in the mix again.

Form: 247221

The Declaimer¹³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Keith Donoghue| T: J T R Dreaper| OR: 99

12/1

Good second of 14 in handicap hurdle (17/2) at Kilbeggan (19.8f, good) 132 days ago, no match for winner. Looks competitive on form.

Form: 0033-52

Elmount^h1,t²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: L P Dempsey| T: R O'Sullivan| OR: 98

33/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. 18/1, good seventh of 12 in novice hurdle at Wexford (20f, heavy) 24 days ago. Hood on 1st time and entitled to hold more chance now handicapping.

Form: P-0957

Master Cornwall⁹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Phillip Enright| T: J Dullea| OR: 98

33/1

Maiden who ran up to best when runner-up in a Limerick handicap (20f) in July. Seemingly not 100% when pulled up at Tramore in August but bounce back not ruled out following a short break.

Form: 3-3252P

The Abbey²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 98| D

20/1

Remains a maiden after 23 NH runs. Sixth of 9 in handicap chase at Down Royal (16.4f, soft, 7/2) 20 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles now but he's proving expensive to follow.

Form: 3P2556

Sargent Lightfoot^h¹⁷⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: D F O'Regan| T: A Murray| OR: 97

22/1

5/1, seventh of 14 in handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe (22f, heavy) 178 days ago, pulling too hard early. On a workable mark if proving more settled back from a break.

Form: 24246-7

Thedancingfarrier²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: I J Power| T: P Kiely| OR: 97

25/1

14/1, bit below form sixth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Wexford (20.7f, heavy) 25 days ago, not ideally placed. Down in trip.

Form: 763-466

Darkest Hour⁵²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: C A Landers| T: M M McNiff| OR: 95

66/1

Modest maiden on the Flat. Thrice-raced maiden over hurdles. Fourteenth of 17 in novice hurdle at Roscommon (15.4f, good, 66/1) 52 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 570

Lake Chad²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: M Hamill⁽³⁾| T: P Fenton| OR: 95| D

1/1

1 win from 2 runs this season. Career best when winning 14-runner handicap hurdle (9/4) at Limerick (16f) 2 days ago, merely shaken up to assert. Should prove tough to beat under a penalty.

Form: 0060/31

Ballinoe Biden²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: R Deegan⁽⁵⁾| T: E McCarthy| OR: 93

50/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 22/1, tenth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Clonmel (19.7f, heavy) 21 days ago. Improvement required from this sort of mark.

Form: 60-60

Steelers Appeal¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: N T Prendergast⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss E McCutcheon| OR: 93

100/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. Seventh of 11 in novice hurdle at this course (23.2f, good to soft, 150/1) 14 days ago. Significantly back down in trip. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: PP-F707

Hisdaywillcome⁵²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr R Sugrue⁽⁷⁾| T: T Cooper| OR: 92

150/1

Last of 17 in handicap hurdle at Roscommon (15.4f, good, 100/1) 52 days ago, Improvement required to figure here.

Form: P7008-0

Kasakh Noir²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: J S McGarvey| T: N C Kelly| OR: 91| D

50/1

Twenty two runs since last win in 2016. 50/1, eleventh of 14 in handicap hurdle at Wexford (20.7f, heavy) 25 days ago. Back down in trip.

Form: P85800

Awbeg Willow²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Gary Noonan⁽⁷⁾| T: P O'Flynn| OR: 88

66/1

Thrice-raced maiden. 66/1, twelfth of 16 in novice hurdle at Clonmel (19.7f, heavy) 21 days ago. Has a good bit to recommend her on pedigree and improvement not ruled out now handicapping.

Form: 760

Non-Runners

Movie King³⁴¹

Weight: 11-1| Age: 4

T: A J Martin J: A W Short

Herculaneum²

Weight: 11-0| Age: 4

T: N C Kelly J: Shane Fenelon

Mater Matuta¹⁴

Weight: 10-13| Age: 5

T: E D Delany J: Reserve 1

Edmond Dantes²

Weight: 10-12| Age: 5

T: G P Cromwell J: Reserve 2

Princess Mahler²

Weight: 10-11| Age: 9

T: J J Walsh J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Lake Chad (1/1), Ellaat (11/4), Fassbender (6/1), Mater Matuta (11/1), The Declaimer (12/1), Edmond Dantes (12/1), Movie King (14/1), The Abbey (20/1), Herculaneum (20/1), Sargent Lightfoot (22/1), Thedancingfarrier (25/1), Elmount (33/1), Master Cornwall (33/1), Battle Of Benburb (33/1), Princess Mahler (33/1), Ballinoe Biden (50/1), Kasakh Noir (50/1), Awbeg Willow (66/1), Darkest Hour (66/1), Steelers Appeal (100/1), Hisdaywillcome (150/1)

A host of in-form sorts in opposition, including LAKE CHAD who built on his reappearance effort in no uncertain terms when successful at Limerick 2 days ago and can be expected to go well again. Ellaat, The Declaimer and Fassbender are others expected to be in the shake up.