12:35 Leopardstown

Monday 27 December 2021

All12:0512:3513:1013:4514:2014:5515:30

Paddy Power Games Beginners Chase

Off time: 12:35 | Winning time: 4m 19.0s

Gentleman De Mee^h,t²²

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

5/1

Useful hurdler. Fifth in a 15-runner beginners' chase won by smart prospect Ferny Hollow on chase debut at Punchestown (17f, good to soft, 11/1) 22 days ago. Likely to improve.

Form: 22/107-5

Global Society^h¹⁸⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: S Fitzgerald⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs P Dobbs| OR: 125| D

33/1

Useful hurdler. Career best when winning 9-runner handicap hurdle at Worcester (20f, good, 7/1), driven out. More needed now switched to fences for new connections.

Form: P4/837-1

Mt Leinster^h³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: W P Mullins| BF| C

9/2

Promising type. Creditable second of 5 in novice chase (1/2) at Navan (17f, good) 36 days ago, going with enthusiasm. Hood back on. May well do better. Yard also saddles Haut En Couleurs.

Form: 134/6-32

Tullyhogue Fort³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr P J O'Neill⁽⁷⁾| T: John F O'Neill| OR: 81

150/1

Modest hurdler. Fourteenth of 20 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (21.7f, good to soft, 9/1) 34 days ago, racing closer to pace than ideal. Looks up against it on chase debut.

Form: 747100

A Cheap Thrill¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: Brian Hayes| T: E Mullins

150/1

Modest hurdler. 250/1, tenth of 14 in novice chase at Fairyhouse (16f, soft) on debut over fences 16 days ago. Readily passed over.

Form: P09080

Hardy Bloke¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: D E Mullins| T: E Mullins

150/1

Fair hurdler. 200/1, below form sixth of 14 in novice chase at Fairyhouse (16f, soft) 16 days ago. Big step forward needed.

Form: P09306

Haut En Couleurs²⁴⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins

1/3

Useful hurdler. 2¼ lengths third of 9 to Jeff Kidder in AES Champion Four Year Old Hurdle (15/8) at Punchestown (16f, good to soft) when last seen in May. Potentially exciting recruit to this sphere.

Form: 133-

Non-Runners

Thedevilscoachman²²

Weight: 12-0| Age: 5

T: N Meade J: Mark Walsh

Forecasts

Haut En Couleurs (1/3), Thedevilscoachman (11/4), Mt Leinster (9/2), Gentleman De Mee (5/1), Global Society (33/1), Hardy Bloke (150/1), Tullyhogue Fort (150/1), A Cheap Thrill (150/1)

Successful on his sole start in France, HAUT EN COULEURS was placed in Grade 1 events at major festivals during the spring, efforts which were all the more meritorious given his lack of experience. Providing his jumping passes the test, he will prove hard to beat. Stablemate Mt Leinster should be involved, but Thedevilscoachman is feared most on the back of a promising chase debut at Punchestown.