BoyleSports Handicap Chase (Grade B)

Off time: 16:35 | Winning time: 4m 2.50s

Unexcepted⁴⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr H C Swan⁽⁷⁾| T: P Roche| OR: 142| D

9/2

Off 6 months, 10/1, first run since leaving W. P. Mullins when 7¾ lengths fifth of 8 to Espion Du Chenet in handicap chase at Punchestown (16f, good) 48 days ago. Potentially well handicapped if building on that.

Form: 168/P7-5

Vado Forte¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Corey McGivern⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 140

22/1

Eleventh of 16 in handicap hurdle (20/1) at Bellewstown (16.8f, good) 13 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase. Could go well under capable conditional.

Form: P4/15-50

Espion Du Chenet^t³⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Phillip Enright| T: Louise G Lyons| OR: 133| CD

8/1

C&D winner. Three wins from 12 runs last season. Latest win in chase at Punchestown in May. Third of 4 in minor event chase at Listowel (19f, soft, 8/1) 39 days ago. Career-high mark to overcome back in handicap.

Form: 3105-13

Defan⁷³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 129| D

3/1

Off 4 months, career best when winning 11-runner handicap chase at Ballinrobe (17f, good, 7/1) 73 days ago, having run of race (The Dara Man fifth). This is tougher but he's going the right way.

Form: 0319F-1

Timoteo⁵⁶⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: Sean Flanagan| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 123| D

16/1

Fairly useful handicap chaser. Off 18 months. First run for yard after leaving Gordon Elliott. On a good mark if ready to go.

Form: 18P540/

Ferdia³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Philip Donovan⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 118| D

5/2

Creditable second of 5 in minor event chase at Roscommon (16.2f, good, 7/2) 31 days ago, flattered by proximity. Makes handicap chase debut. Poor strike rate and mark looks fair enough.

Form: 3-53322

The Dara Man⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Danny Mullins| T: J P Ryan| OR: 118| D

7/2

14/1, creditable fourth of 11 in handicap hurdle at Sligo (16.9f, good to soft) 5 days ago. That was a more encouraging effort and he can go well back over fences.

Form: 25-5944

Forecasts

Ferdia (5/2), Defan (3/1), The Dara Man (7/2), Unexcepted (9/2), Espion Du Chenet (8/1), Timoteo (16/1), Vado Forte (22/1)

John Ryan is enjoying a good run and his THE DARA MAN looks interesting. There were better signs over hurdles last time and he still might be capable of better over fences remembering his emphatic win at Limerick in March. Unexcepted lurks on a handy mark and could go well. Defan has more on his plate after his Ballinrobe romp but clearly can't be dismissed.