12:00 Fairyhouse

Saturday 11 December 2021

All11:3012:0012:3013:0213:3714:1214:4715:22

Fairyhouse Supporting Irishinjuredjockeys.com Beginners Chase

Off time: 12:00 | Winning time: 5m 36.2s

Ain't That A Shame²⁸⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: D Robinson| T: H De Bromhead

14/1

Thrice-raced winner over hurdles. Fairly useful winner at 23f over hurdles. Won 16-runner novice hurdle (5/4) at Thurles (23.4f, heavy), driven out. Off 9 months. Makes chase debut.

Form: 2/531-

Baptism Of Fire²²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Mike O'Connor⁽⁵⁾| T: H De Bromhead

20/1

Fairly useful hurdler. Winner at Punchestown in October 2020. Eighteenth of 25 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (24f, good to soft, 28/1). Off 7 months ahead of this chase debut.

Form: 13P000-

Column Of Fire^p⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: L P Dempsey| T: G Elliott

40/1

Smart hurdler. Last of 18 in novice chase (28/1) at Navan (20f, good to soft) 7 days ago. Fair bit to prove at present.

Form: 13F/0-80

Farceur Du Large²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: E Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: N Meade

12/1

Fairly useful chaser. 16/1, fourth of 13 in novice chase at Punchestown (19.7f, good to soft) 28 days ago. This stiffer test should help and he's one for the shortlist.

Form: 1224-F4

Fighter Allen^t1²²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: B J Cooper| T: W P Mullins

11/2

Useful hurdler. Seventh of 11 in minor event hurdle (6/1) at Punchestown (20.6f, good to soft), weakening quickly. Off 7 months ahead of this chase debut and tongue strap on for 1st time.

Form: 1P3307-

Gars De Sceaux²⁷³

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Mark Walsh| T: G Elliott

2/1

Thrice-raced winner over hurdles, including a Navan novice (23f, heavy, 9/4) when last seen 9 months ago. This former point winner is of strong interest now switched to fences.

Form: 1/211-

Glenloe⁷¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: J S McGarvey| T: G Elliott| OR: 131

40/1

Useful hurdler. Eleven runs since last win in 2016. Useful winner at 23f over hurdles. Creditable fourth of 16 in handicap chase (10/1) at Limerick (19.7f, heavy). Off 23 months.

Form: 554534/

Mercury Lane^t²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: P Nolan

40/1

Promising type. 40/1, tenth of 18 in novice chase at Gowran (20f, good to soft) 21 days ago. Open to improvement.

Form: 2221-C0

Outside The Door⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: P Roche

50/1

Fair hurdler. 7/1, career best when winning 20-runner handicap hurdle at Down Royal (24.1f, soft) 43 days ago, staying on well. Big step forward now tackling the larger obstacles.

Form: 403511

Portstorm⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: D F O'Regan| T: C A McBratney| OR: 120| D

50/1

Promising type. Fairly useful winner at 21f over hurdles. Sixth of 11 in handicap chase (33/1) at Carlisle (20f, soft) on debut over fences 41 days ago. First run for yard after leaving Ian Duncan.

Form: 24/124-6

Stattler²²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| C

5/4

Useful hurdler. Latest win in hurdle at Leopardstown in December. Off 7 months. Big chance if taking to fences at the first attempt.

Form: 2/31343-

Thunderosa^p,t²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: P J O'Hanlon⁽⁷⁾| T: D A McLoughlin

66/1

Promising sort. Latest win in hurdle at Wexford in May. Fourteenth of 20 in handicap hurdle (22/1) at Punchestown (23.9f, good to soft) 27 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase. Should progress.

Form: 81-1040

General Counsel¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: R Deegan⁽³⁾| T: P A Fahy

200/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. 40/1, seventh of 9 in novice chase at this C&D (good) on debut over fences 14 days ago. RESERVE.

Form: 22/467

Non-Runners

Exchange Rate¹⁸

Weight: 12-0| Age: 9

T: J J Hanlon J: Shane Fenelon

Father Ailbe²⁷

Weight: 12-0| Age: 6

T: Peter Fahey J: K C Sexton

The Last Throw⁴²⁴

Weight: 12-0| Age: 5

T: M F Morris J: Reserve 2

Forecasts

Stattler (5/4), Gars De Sceaux (2/1), Fighter Allen (11/2), Farceur Du Large (12/1), Father Ailbe (12/1), Ain't That A Shame (14/1), Baptism Of Fire (20/1), Exchange Rate (25/1), The Last Throw (33/1), Glenloe (40/1), Mercury Lane (40/1), Column Of Fire (40/1), Portstorm (50/1), Outside The Door (50/1), Thunderosa (66/1), General Counsel (200/1)

GARS DE SCEAUX didn't achieve as much as Stattler over hurdles last season, but he looked potentially smart in winning 2 of his 3 starts and was successful on his sole start between the flags in 2020. Gordon Elliott's charge is an exciting recruit to this sphere and gets the nod ahead of Stattler, who is a much-respected main danger. Ain't That A Shame and Farceur Du Large are others to consider.