12:35 Leopardstown

Sunday 26 December 2021

All12:0012:3513:1013:4514:2014:5515:30

Thorntons Recycling Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 12:36 | Winning time: 4m 5.40s

Ash Tree Meadow²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott

6/1

Winning pointer who posted promising third of 15 in novice hurdle (11/1) at Fairyhouse (16f, good) on NH debut 29 days ago. Should be more to come and merits consideration.

Form: 61-3

Bright Flame²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Dillon Maxwell⁽⁷⁾| T: W J Martin| D

250/1

Modest Flat winner. Twice-raced maiden over hurdles. Last of 14 in novice hurdle at Clonmel (19.1f, soft, 250/1) 24 days ago.

Form: 00

Corbin²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: T N Brett⁽⁷⁾| T: S M Duffy

150/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. 22/1, fifteenth of 16 in novice hurdle at Clonmel (16.2f, soft) 24 days ago.

Form: 57-50

Don't Tell Allen⁶⁵²

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: J B Foley⁽⁵⁾| T: J Queally

40/1

Twice-raced maiden. Fourth of 11 in bumper at Navan (16f, heavy, 5/2). Off 21 months. Makes hurdles debut. First run for yard after leaving W. P. Mullins.

Form: 24/

Ferrum³³

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: R Monaghan⁽⁷⁾| T: J C McConnell

200/1

Modest maiden on the Flat. Twice-raced maiden. Twentieth of 22 in novice hurdle (250/1) at Punchestown (16f, good to soft) 33 days ago.

Form: 00

Goven^t1⁴⁰⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Mark Walsh| T: W P Mullins

6/1

Won 9-runner bumper at Nantes (11.9f, heavy) 13 months ago. Makes hurdles debut. Significantly up in trip. Must be of interest on debut for Willie Mullins. Wears tongue strap.

Form: 11-

Grain De Folie^h1¹⁹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: J M Moore| T: J C McConnell

150/1

Once-raced maiden. 12/1, last of 15 in bumper at Kilbeggan (16f, good) on NH debut. Off 6 months. Makes hurdles debut.

Form: 4/2-0

Happaugue⁸⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Simon Torrens| T: J C McConnell

125/1

Fair Flat winner. Once-raced maiden over hurdles. Thirteenth of 15 in novice hurdle at Gowran (16f, good, 18/1) on NH debut 86 days ago.

Form: 0

Highland Charge²²

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| D

22/1

Bumper winner who improved from hurdling debut when creditable second of 17 in novice at Navan (20f, good to soft, 7/2) 22 days ago. One of the likelier contenders.

Form: 14-62

Kudbegood¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: P J Carberry| T: M J Smith| BF

80/1

Fair Flat winner, making GB/IRE jumps debut. 4/1, second of 14 in handicap at Dundalk (8f) 11 days ago.

Form:

Machine Learner²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: L P Dempsey| T: J F Levins

100/1

Fair Flat winner. Twice-raced maiden over hurdles. Fair winner at 14f on flat. 40/1, eighth of 14 in novice hurdle at Clonmel (19.1f, soft) 24 days ago.

Form: 78

Moulane West⁹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Shane Fitzgerald⁽⁵⁾| T: R A Foley| BF

50/1

Promising type. Winner in bumper at Killarney in July. Third of 10 in novice hurdle at Listowel (16f, good to soft, 2/1) on hurdles bow 95 days ago. Likely to improve.

Form: 05-6183

Mr Macphisto

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: H Morgan⁽³⁾| T: E Griffin

250/1

Sageburg gelding. Dam unraced out of hurdles/chase winner up to 3m Orthez.

Form:

No Trouble^t¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Brian Hayes| T: J C McConnell

50/1

Once-raced maiden over hurdles. 3/1, won 14-runner handicap at Dundalk (12f) 11 days ago, forging clear. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Tongue strap on for 1st time in this code.

Form: P-

Silverstrand⁸⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: C L Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: J C McConnell

200/1

Making GB/IRE jumps debut. 66/1, thirteenth of 15 in handicap at Thurles (16f, good to soft) 80 days ago.

Form:

Sir Gerhard²⁴²

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

2/9

£400,000 point recruit who won 3 of his 4 starts last term, notably Champion Bumper at Cheltenham Festival. Looks the one to beat on hurdling bow.

Form: 1/1113-

Whowonthetoss^t1³²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Keith Donoghue| T: A L T Moore

16/1

Promising individual. Very good second of 16 in novice hurdle (8/1) at Fairyhouse (16f, heavy). Off 10 months. Tongue strap on 1st time. Should progress.

Form: 2/432-

Rhyme'n Rhythm²⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: C F Hart⁽⁷⁾| T: D Hogan

200/1

Modest hurdler. Fourteenth of 15 in novice hurdle at Punchestown (16f, good to soft, 300/1). Off 8 months. First run for yard after leaving P. A. Fahy.

Form: 26/7600-

Non-Runners

Kinch¹¹

Weight: 12-0| Age: 5

T: G B Caldwell J: J G Gilligan

Meet And Greet⁵⁰

Weight: 12-0| Age: 5

T: O McKiernan J: B Browne

Forecasts

Sir Gerhard (2/9), Ash Tree Meadow (6/1), Goven (6/1), Whowonthetoss (16/1), Meet And Greet (16/1), Highland Charge (22/1), Don't Tell Allen (40/1), Moulane West (50/1), No Trouble (50/1), Kudbegood (80/1), Machine Learner (100/1), Happaugue (125/1), Corbin (150/1), Grain De Folie (150/1), Rhyme'n Rhythm (200/1), Ferrum (200/1), Silverstrand (200/1), Kinch (200/1), Bright Flame (250/1), Mr Macphisto (250/1)

SIR GERHARD looks likely to take high rank in the novice hurdle division this season and can make a winning start here. Ash Tree Meadow and Whowonthetoss rate the principal dangers.