14:33 Down Royal

Sunday 26 December 2021

All12:1312:4813:2313:5814:3315:0315:35

Metcollect Metal Recycling Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:33 | Winning time: 4m 41.80s

Itsalonglongroad^t¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Ben Harvey⁽⁷⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 109| D

10/1

Latest win in hurdle at Downpatrick in June. Tenth of 12 in handicap (40/1) at Dundalk (10.7f) 18 days ago. Switches from Flat to chase. Pulled up on last chase outing. Plenty to find on form.

Form: 3-4177P

Ricky Langford^t⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽⁵⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 100| BF| D

3/1

Latest win in chase at Ballinrobe in September. 16/5, creditable second of 8 in handicap chase at Thurles (18f, good to soft) 7 days ago, travelling strongly. Has to be taken seriously.

Form: 512332

It's Only A Number⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Mike O'Connor⁽⁵⁾| T: F J Flood| OR: 99| C

9/4

Course winner. One win from 26 NH runs. Good fourth of 15 in handicap chase (16/1) at Navan (20f, good to soft) 8 days ago. Merits consideration.

Form: 756U84

School Lane⁴³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: Sam Ewing⁽³⁾| T: L Lennon| OR: 90

6/1

Remains a maiden after 25 NH runs. Below form eighth of 13 in handicap chase at Downpatrick (23.5f, soft, 16/1). Off 7 months. Down in trip.

Form: 5P-9811

Drummullagh Rocky^t⁴⁵

Age: 12| Weight: 10-3| J: C D Maxwell| T: S McParlan| OR: 86| C

17/2

Course winner. Latest win in chase at Downpatrick in August. Below form seventh of 16 in handicap chase at Clonmel (20.7f, heavy, 25/1) 45 days ago, finding test too much.

Form: 34P137

Rolling Revenge^t¹⁰

Age: 12| Weight: 10-1| J: Shane O'Callaghan⁽⁷⁾| T: Thomas Coyle| OR: 84

11/1

Twelve runs since last win in 2020. 10/1, below form sixth of 17 in handicap chase at Naas (16f, soft) 10 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 953U46

Hollybank King¹⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 9-12| J: T Ryan⁽⁵⁾| T: S McConville| OR: 76

11/2

Creditable second of 17 in handicap chase (16/1) at Naas (16f, soft) 10 days ago.

Form: 9P4222

Non-Runners

Serpolette¹⁰

Weight: 10-13| Age: 6

T: E D Delany J: J J Slevin

Benefit North¹⁵

Weight: 10-12| Age: 10

T: C A McBratney J: D F O'Regan

Forecasts

It's Only A Number (9/4), Ricky Langford (3/1), Hollybank King (11/2), School Lane (6/1), Drummullagh Rocky (17/2), Itsalonglongroad (10/1), Rolling Revenge (11/1), Benefit North (16/1), Serpolette (16/1)

RICKY LANGFORD arrives in a rich vein of form and is fancied to gain a third success of the campaign. It's Only A Number was back on song when fourth at Navan recently and will be a big threat if showing up in similar form. Drummullagh Rocky will find this trip more suitable than the extended 2½m he ran over at Clonmel last time and is also on the shortlist.