15:10 Thurles

Thursday 24 November 2022

All12:3013:0013:3514:1014:4015:1015:40

Holycross Handicap Hurdle (80-102)

Off time: 15:10 | Winning time: 4m 18.0s

Mary's Pride³²

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Phillip Enright| T: E Cawley| OR: 102| D

25/1

Lightly-raced winner under NH rules. Below form eighth of 16 in novice hurdle at Limerick (16f, soft, 16/1) 32 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 1/0P7-8

Champagne Vacation²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: S Aherne| OR: 101

16/1

7/1, first run since leaving Patrick G. Kelly when below form sixth of 11 in handicap hurdle at Wexford (20.7f, heavy) 25 days ago. Down in trip. Might come on for that run, so not completely dismissed.

Form: 0/5F82-6

Our Bobby^p²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Niall Moore⁽⁷⁾| T: J M Burke| OR: 100| D

9/2

Winner in hurdle at Wexford in July. Fell in handicap hurdle (11/4) at Wexford (16.4f, heavy) 24 days ago, would have been placed. Should go well in a race that lacks depth.

Form: 12F33F

Gendarme⁴⁹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Philip Byrnes⁽⁵⁾| T: C Byrnes| OR: 99| D

11/1

Career best when winning 18-runner handicap hurdle at Limerick (16f, good, 9/4). Off 16 months. Can get involved if hes tuned up after a long absence.

Form: P86/711-

Secret Sea^p,t²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Richard Condon⁽⁵⁾| T: E Doyle| OR: 99| D

12/1

28/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time in this code, thirteenth of 14 in handicap at Dundalk (12f) 20 days ago, not ideally placed. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Cheekpieces back on.

Form: 2941P-3

Know The Game³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Keith Donoghue| T: J T R Dreaper| OR: 98

5/1

14/1, fifth of 10 in handicap chase at Limerick (19.4f, soft) 32 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Others more persuasive.

Form: 09803-5

Peace Party^h,t¹¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: E Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: D McDonogh| OR: 98| CD

17/2

C&D winner. Eleven runs since last win in 2021. 18/1, shaped as if still in form when eighth of 23 in handicap hurdle at Navan (16f, soft) 11 days ago. Not discounted.

Form: 2947U8

Bite That²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Shane Fitzgerald⁽³⁾| T: P J Flynn| OR: 97| D

14/1

Winner in hurdle at Tramore in August. 11/1, shaped as if still in form when tenth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Clonmel (16.5f, heavy) 28 days ago. Not discounted.

Form: P06160

Fairy Tree¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Liam McKenna⁽⁷⁾| T: M J Smith| OR: 97

40/1

50/1, twelfth of 19 in novice hurdle at Navan (20f, soft) 11 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Uphill task.

Form: 0-95650

Morning Skye^p¹⁷⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Kieran Callaghan⁽⁷⁾| T: P T Foley| OR: 97

40/1

Tongue strap on for 1st time, eighth of 11 in novice chase at Tramore (21f, good to soft, 50/1) on debut over fences 174 days ago. Others preferred.

Form: 60/00-78

Oskar High⁵⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: Shane O'Callaghan⁽⁷⁾| T: N Lee| OR: 97

40/1

2 wins from 4 runs this season. Bit below form sixth of 12 in handicap hurdle (15/2) at Roscommon (23.8f, good) 59 days ago. Significantly back down in trip. Others more persuasive.

Form: 00-9116

The Virginian^p,t⁹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Peter Smithers⁽⁷⁾| T: P Roche| OR: 97

25/1

Lightly-raced maiden over hurdles. Fair winner at 12f on Flat. Eleventh of 15 in handicap (33/1) at Tipperary (12.5f, good to firm) 90 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles.

Form: 6/288-0

Boghlone Honey¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: R Deegan| T: L P Cusack| OR: 96

9/2

1 win from 2 runs this season. 7/1, unseated rider in handicap chase at Naas (20f, soft) on debut over fences 12 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Remains of interest back over hurdles.

Form: 6700-1U

Ocojohn⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Danny Mullins| T: T Cooper| OR: 96

15/2

Creditable sixth of 21 in handicap hurdle (10/1) at Punchestown (20.7f, good) 44 days ago. Back down in trip. Merits respect.

Form: 307336

Elusive Rebeldom^h²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: B J Cooper| T: T Cooper| OR: 95| D

17/2

Respectable seventh of 15 in handicap hurdle (13/2) at Clonmel (19.4f, heavy) 28 days ago, finding little. Others more persuasive.

Form: 09F-957

Mam Trasna⁸⁰⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: J J Slevin| T: P Maher| OR: 95| D

50/1

Fairly useful winner at 16f in bumpers. Tenth of 13 in novice hurdle (13/2) at Kilbeggan (19.8f, good to soft). First run for yard after leaving Gordon Elliott. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 152060/

Non-Runners

Crowsatedappletart²²⁴

Weight: 11-7| Age: 5

T: M Winters J: Reserve 1

Grand Cru Chatho⁴⁷

Weight: 11-6| Age: 6

T: E Cawley J: Reserve 2

Bella Union⁵⁵

Weight: 11-5| Age: 6

T: J C McConnell J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Boghlone Honey (9/2), Our Bobby (9/2), Know The Game (5/1), Ocojohn (15/2), Peace Party (17/2), Elusive Rebeldom (17/2), Gendarme (11/1), Secret Sea (12/1), Bite That (14/1), Champagne Vacation (16/1), Crowsatedappletart (20/1), Mary's Pride (25/1), The Virginian (25/1), Grand Cru Chatho (25/1), Bella Union (33/1), Oskar High (40/1), Fairy Tree (40/1), Morning Skye (40/1), Mam Trasna (50/1)

OUR BOBBY has been in good order lately and would probably have placed had he not fallen at Wexford last time, so he's fancied to put up a bold showing provided he's none the worse for that incident. Boghlone Honey looks the main danger and market support for the hat-trick seeking Gendarme would be notable given he's been off the track 16 months.