13:30 Limerick

Monday 27 December 2021

All12:2012:5513:3014:0514:4015:1515:50

Earl Of Harrington Memorial Maiden Hunters Chase

Off time: 13:30 | Winning time: 6m 32.9s

Cloudy Wednesday³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 12-2| J: Mr Turlough O'connor⁽⁷⁾| T: T O'Connor

40/1

Thrice-raced maiden under Rules. Successful between the flags last month, but subsequently well held when fourth to Lord Schnitzel in that sphere. Makes chase debut.

Form: 077P-14

Dukehill¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 12-2| J: Mr J C Barry⁽⁵⁾| T: Caroline Mccaldin

12/1

Milan gelding. Brother to fairly useful hurdler/useful chaser Mr Hendricks, closely related to 3 winners, including useful hurdler/chaser Louis' Vac Pouch. Winner of one of his 7 starts in points.

Form: P-2FF14

Exit Eleven^t¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 12-2| J: Miss E Cody⁽⁷⁾| T: S G Walsh| OR: 116

8/1

Fair hurdler. 150/1, below form sixteenth of 25 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (20.6f, good to soft) on latest start under Rules. In good form between the flags of late, successful the last twice.

Form: 90-2211

Fiston Du Mou^p²²

Age: 6| Weight: 12-2| J: Mr A Harney⁽⁷⁾| T: S Doyle

33/1

Lightly-raced maiden under Rules. Blinkers/time tongue strap on for 1st time when seventh of 15 in cross-country race at Punchestown (25f, good to firm, 12/1) in April. Pulled up in a point recently.

Form: 547-P3P

Is A Real Champ²²

Age: 7| Weight: 12-2| J: Mr J L Scallan⁽⁷⁾| T: S Doyle

11/2

Twice-raced maiden under Rules. 11/1, last of 3 in novice hurdle at Chepstow (23.6f, soft) on hurdles bow for Paul Nicholls 12 months ago. Winner of 2 of his last 3 starts between the flags.

Form: 3/3-P121

Lord Schnitzel³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 12-2| J: Mr M C O'Donovan⁽⁷⁾| T: D Queally| OR: 125

10/11

Fairly useful chaser. Has been going great guns in points in recent months, completing the hat-trick in good style last time. The one to beat.

Form: 052111

Three Loud Knocks²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 12-2| J: Miss M O'Sullivan⁽⁵⁾| T: B Mortell| OR: 89

18/1

Fair chaser. Good fifth of 13 in hunter chase (66/1) at Listowel (24f, good) on latest start under Rules. Second past the post on all 3 starts in points (twice behind Lord Schnitzel) since October.

Form: 325D22

Trojan Five^p1²²

Age: 6| Weight: 12-2| J: Mr Alan O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: E M O'Sullivan

40/1

€1,600 3-y-o, Well Chosen gelding. Dam unraced half-sister to useful chaser (3m/25f winner) Meanus Dandy. Wears cheekpieces. Hard to warm to given record between the flags.

Form: PPP2FU

Aghmorough Bridge²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr P A King⁽⁵⁾| T: William P Murphy

10/1

Once-raced maiden. 13/2, fifth of 8 in bumper at Fairyhouse (16f, good to soft) on NH debut 48 days ago. Point winner in October. Others preferred on balance.

Form: P-P153

Midway To Getaway²³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr D N Nevin⁽⁷⁾| T: Mark J Scallan| OR: 87

20/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Tenth of 12 in novice chase at Kilbeggan (19.9f, good, 150/1) in April. First run for yard after leaving P. J. Rothwell. Point winner last month.

Form: 490-P12

Nothinbuttime^p²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr J Hart⁽⁷⁾| T: P McCreery

150/1

Poor hurdler. Fourteenth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Navan (22f, good, 40/1) on latest Rules start. First run for yard after leaving John Joseph Hanlon. Well held in points the last twice.

Form: P80148

Smiths Girl^p,t²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Alex Harvey⁽⁷⁾| T: B P Galvin

14/1

Fair hurdler. 10/1, twelfth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (20f, good) in March. Wide-margin point winner this month and worth a second look on debut in this sphere for new yard.

Form: 460-231

Non-Runners

Vital Island²⁹

Weight: 12-2| Age: 9

T: R P O'Keeffe J: Mr T Power Roche

Forecasts

Lord Schnitzel (10/11), Is A Real Champ (11/2), Vital Island (13/2), Exit Eleven (8/1), Aghmorough Bridge (10/1), Dukehill (12/1), Smiths Girl (14/1), Three Loud Knocks (18/1), Midway To Getaway (20/1), Fiston Du Mou (33/1), Cloudy Wednesday (40/1), Trojan Five (40/1), Nothinbuttime (150/1)

Several of these have enjoyed success on the point circuit of late. LORD SCHNITZEL has been in particularly good order in that sphere, winning his last 3 starts, and is taken to continue the good work now pitched into a hunter chase. Vital Island, who went close in a Punchestown cross-country race in April and a winner between the flags last month, is second choice ahead of Is A Real Champ.