15:40 Limerick

Sunday 13 March 2022

All13:2013:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:25

Croom Handicap Hurdle (80-95) (Div 2)

Off time: 15:40 | Winning time: 6m 15.40s

Battle Of Benburb⁷⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: J B Foley⁽⁵⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 94

10/1

Below form sixth of 12 in handicap hurdle at this course (19f, heavy, 28/1) 74 days ago. Booking of Foley a plus.

Form: 945096

Mammy Shark^t³³²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: A McCurtin⁽³⁾| T: J J Walsh| OR: 94

40/1

Minor promise in maiden hurdles but ran poorly when pulled up on handicap debut here over 1f when last seen in April. Likely best watched on return now.

Form: 77594P-

Roped In^t1⁵⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Richard Condon⁽⁷⁾| T: D G Murphy| OR: 94

10/1

Seventeenth of 22 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (24.2f, heavy, 6/1) 55 days ago, struggling soon after 4 out and never landing a blow. Must bounce back.

Form: 05-3620

Ask And Answer^p,t¹⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: E Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: S Aherne| OR: 93

6/1

Latest win in hurdle at Navan in February. 15/2, carried out in handicap hurdle at Clonmel (24f, heavy) 10 days ago looking set to go close. Booking of Walsh a plus. Merits consideration.

Form: 8P571C

Iridescent³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: M P Fogarty| T: J Fogarty| OR: 89

9/4

Creditable second of 18 in handicap hurdle at Thurles (23f, good to soft, 13/2) 31 days ago, unlcuky to bump into a very well-handicapped one.

Form: 662-8F2

The Ballyboys^b⁵⁵

Age: 12| Weight: 11-7| J: L C Kavanagh⁽⁷⁾| T: R Hackett| OR: 88| C

66/1

Course winner. Twenty runs since last win in 2018. Pulled up in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (24.2f, heavy, 66/1) 55 days ago, tailing off before 3 out.

Form: 2572/7P

Extreme Cacao⁴⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Phillip Enright| T: R Tyner| OR: 86

11/1

22/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, sixteenth of 20 in handicap hurdle at Gowran (16f, soft) 45 days ago. Significantly up in trip.

Form: 900-000

Lightning Star⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: J P Shinnick⁽⁷⁾| T: A Leahy| OR: 86

20/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Creditable sixth of 14 in handicap hurdle (16/1) at this course (16f, soft) 40 days ago. Significantly back up in trip.

Form: 5-P006

Boogily Lane^p³⁷³

Age: 11| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr M McConville⁽⁷⁾| T: S McConville| OR: 85

28/1

16/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, career best when winning 14-runner handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (20f) when last seen 12 months ago. Worth a look given he's gone well after an absence previously

Form: 222971-

Journey West^p1¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: R P Treacy| T: C A McBratney| OR: 85

20/1

12/1, respectable 18¼ lengths seventh of 18 to Ask And Answer in handicap hurdle at Navan (21f, heavy) 19 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time. Others more persuasive.

Form: 5P08F7

Captain Jimmy^b¹²²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: Philip Donovan⁽⁵⁾| T: P G Kelly| OR: 84

16/1

Winner in chase at Galway in October. 9/2, below form fifth of 16 in handicap chase at Clonmel (20.7f, heavy) 122 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles.

Form: 004515

Holiday In Kerry¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: C P McNamara| T: E McNamara| OR: 84

9/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 12/1, fifth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Clonmel (24f, heavy) 10 days ago, no extra from the last. Still low mileage and this slightly shorter trip may help now.

Form: 00075

Royal Rhythm^p¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽⁵⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 84

7/1

Creditable fourth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (23.3f, soft, 16/1) 15 days ago, keeping on. Each-way claims if building on that now.

Form: 40P404

Ballea Fox^t⁴¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁵⁾| T: S Spillane| OR: 83| C

33/1

Course winner. Bit below form eighth of 21 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (23.9f) 41 days ago, ridden from 2 out but fading. Needs to step up on recent efforts to play a meaningful role here.

Form: PF-00P8

Rosfoyle^p²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-1| J: Gary Noonan⁽⁷⁾| T: B O'Keeffe| OR: 82

25/1

Twelfth of 21 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (23.5f, heavy, 66/1) 28 days ago, never landing a blow. Cheekpieces refitted now but others make much more appeal.

Form: 7-60860

Cahirmee¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: J S McGarvey| T: B O'Keeffe| OR: 81

40/1

33/1, twelfth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (20.4f, heavy) 18 days ago, dropping away between last 2. Hard to fancy.

Form: 0607-00

Non-Runners

Getaway Missile¹⁹

Weight: 12-0| Age: 5

T: P Fenton J: H Morgan

Oisin James¹⁰⁰⁰

Weight: 10-13| Age: 12

T: Miss D O'Shea J: Mike O'Connor

Forecasts

Iridescent (9/4), Ask And Answer (6/1), Royal Rhythm (7/1), Holiday In Kerry (9/1), Battle Of Benburb (10/1), Roped In (10/1), Extreme Cacao (11/1), Captain Jimmy (16/1), Getaway Missile (16/1), Journey West (20/1), Lightning Star (20/1), Rosfoyle (25/1), Boogily Lane (28/1), Ballea Fox (33/1), Oisin James (33/1), Cahirmee (40/1), Mammy Shark (40/1), The Ballyboys (66/1)

A winner at Navan on his penultimate start, ASK AND ANSWER was still in front and yet to be asked for his effort when carried out by a loose horse after 2 out at Clonmel 10 days ago and he could be worth siding with to gain compensation now. Iridescent, Holiday In Kerry and Boogily Lane, back from an absence, head up the dangers.