15:50 Leopardstown

Saturday 5 February 2022

All13:0513:3514:1014:4515:1515:5016:25

Paddy Power 'I'm Never Going Back To The Office' Handicap Chase (0-150) (Grade B)

Off time: 15:50 | Winning time: 4m 23.20s

Exit Poll⁴¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: J B Foley⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 144| CD

9/2

C&D winner. Five wins from 19 NH runs. Latest win in chase at Roscommon in September. Good 3¾ lengths second to Grange Walk in handicap chase at this course (17f, soft, 10/1) 41 days ago. Player.

Form: 621132

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

A Wave Of The Sea^b⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Shane Fitzgerald⁽⁵⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 142| CD

9/2

C&D winner. Did best of those held up when second in Munster National at Limerick but took a heavy fall here (24.2f, soft) 40 days ago. Back down in trip. Blinkers back on.

Form: P-5062F

Capuccimix^t²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 137| D

12/1

1 win from 3 runs this season. Made numerous mistakes before eventually departing 3 out in handicap chase at Fairyhouse. Going to need to get jumping sorted if he's to build on his Killarney success.

Form: 7769-1F

Grange Walk²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Liam Quinlan⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 137| CD

15/2

C&D winner. 3 wins from 11 runs this season. Latest win here in December. Never looked like repeating that effort after a sloppy round of jumping at Fairyhouse (17f, soft) 27 days ago.

Form: P2521F

Mt Leinster^h⁴⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 135| C

2/1

Useful winner at 14f on Flat. 9/2, respectable third of 7 in novice chase at this course (17f, soft) 40 days ago. Makes handicap chase debut. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 34/6-323

Batcio²⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-11| J: Shane O'Callaghan⁽⁷⁾| T: T M Walsh| OR: 129| D

11/1

2 wins from 6 runs this season. Latest win in chase at Killarney in August. Respectable fourth of 12 in handicap chase at Fairyhouse (17f, soft, 25/1) 27 days ago, not unduly punished. This easier.

Form: 161054

Scheu Time^p1,t²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-5| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: J Nash| OR: 123| BF

22/1

4/1, below form fifth of 10 in handicap hurdle at Cork (20f, heavy) 28 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase. Cheekpieces on 1st time. More needed.

Form: 407545

R'evelyn Pleasure^p²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-3| J: Mark McDonagh⁽⁷⁾| T: S O O'Brien| OR: 121

9/1

Prone to mistakes over fences, as shown when fifth of 8 in handicap chase at Cork (20f, heavy) 28 days ago, making a mistake at an inopportune moment. Others more persuasive.

Form: 59-P245

Stansfield¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-1| J: Sam Ewing| T: Paul Traynor| OR: 119

16/1

One win from 22 NH runs. Creditable fourth of 10 in minor event hurdle at Down Royal (16.7f, good to soft, 66/1) 11 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase. Not easy to make a case for.

Form: P2F5F4

Forecasts

Mt Leinster (2/1), A Wave Of The Sea (9/2), Exit Poll (9/2), Grange Walk (15/2), R'evelyn Pleasure (9/1), Batcio (11/1), Capuccimix (12/1), Stansfield (16/1), Scheu Time (22/1)

EXIT POLL has a bit of class about him so is taken to defy top weight after his decent second back in handicap company here on Boxing Day. Mt Leinster remains open to improvement as a chaser now handicapping so is bound to be popular for Willie Mullins, while Batcio wasn't disgraced in a better race than this at Fairyhouse last month.