15:45 Thurles

Sunday 23 January 2022

All13:0013:3014:0514:4015:1515:4516:15

BetVictor Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:45 | Winning time: 5m 43.6s

Fakir D'alene^b²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr R James⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 132

2/1

Promising individual. 2/1 and blinkered for 1st time, career best when winning 15-runner novice chase at Down Royal (20f, heavy) 28 days ago, hard held. Makes handicap chase debut. Good shout.

Form: 2-17321

Donkey Years^t²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Mark Walsh| T: E McNamara| OR: 121

4/1

Bit below form fifth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (20f, heavy, 12/1) 27 days ago, not knocked about. Switches from hurdles to chase. Booking of Walsh a plus. Can't be ruled out.

Form: 0108-65

Soldier At War^p,t²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 120

20/1

40/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, bit below form tenth of 19 in handicap chase at Leopardstown (21f, good to soft) 25 days ago. Difficult ask.

Form: 31-3F90

All The Chimneys^b¹⁵

Age: 13| Weight: 11-0| J: Shane Fitzgerald⁽⁵⁾| T: Leonard Flynn| OR: 118| C

22/1

Course winner. Latest win in chase here in November. Sixth of 8 in handicap chase (18/1) at Cork (20f, heavy) 15 days ago. Appears to be summed up by his mark.

Form: 2164F6

The Chapel Field^b1³⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-9| J: J B Foley⁽⁵⁾| T: W J Austin| OR: 113| C

8/1

Course winner. Creditable third of 8 in handicap chase (10/3) at this course (18f, good to soft) 35 days ago. Up in trip. Blinkers on 1st time. Not discounted.

Form: 4228-03

Sean Says²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Sean Flanagan| T: R Sweeney| OR: 109| C

9/2

Course winner. Latest win in chase here in December. 11/1, below form ninth of 16 in handicap chase at Limerick (22.6f, heavy) 25 days ago. May well bounce back quickly.

Form: U55619

Goodnightngodbless^b,t²³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-3| J: Simon Torrens| T: J Motherway| OR: 107

9/1

Twenty two runs since last win in 2019. Bit below form sixth of 10 in handicap chase at Punchestown (23.2f, heavy, 12/1) 23 days ago. Worth a market check.

Form: 733F36

That's Lifebuoy¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: J P Ryan| OR: 107| D

11/2

One win from 25 NH runs. Fifteen runs since last win in 2021. Bit below form fourth of 10 in handicap hurdle at Cork (20f, heavy, 9/2) 15 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase.

Form: 236424

Forecasts

Fakir D'alene (2/1), Donkey Years (4/1), Sean Says (9/2), That's Lifebuoy (11/2), The Chapel Field (8/1), Goodnightngodbless (9/1), Soldier At War (20/1), All The Chimneys (22/1)

This is a competitive field but FAKIR D'ALENE had loads up his sleeve when landing a novice at Down Royal last time and a mark of 132 may well underestimate him, so he's preferred to The Chapel Field, with Donkey Years regarded as a danger if the market speaks in his favour.