14:33 Down Royal

Monday 26 December 2022

All11:4012:1312:4813:2313:5814:3315:08

McMahon McKay Hospitality And Leisure Hunters Chase

Off time: 14:35 | Winning time: 6m 34.08s

Coastal Tiep^t⁷²

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr S Connor⁽⁷⁾| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 125| D

20/1

10-y-o who was pulled up in the Ulster National when last seen under Rules at Downpatrick in spring 2020. However, finished close second to Vaucelet in points on return in October so not out of things.

Form: P6312/2

Dorking Cock^t²⁴¹

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr B G Crawford⁽⁷⁾| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 129| C| D

17/2

Useful chaser. Course winner. Five wins from 18 NH runs. Latest win in chase here in December. 9/1, third of 5 in hunter chase at Punchestown (24f, good to soft) in April. Warrants respect on return.

Form: 02/3113-

Down The Highway^b¹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr T J Love⁽⁷⁾| T: Ciaran Murphy| OR: 118| D

50/1

Fair chaser. 17/2 and blinkered for 1st time, didn't need to improve to win 5-runner hunter chase at Cork (20f, heavy). Off 8 months. Uphill task.

Form: F1301-6

Dylrow^p1,t²²

Age: 12| Weight: 12-0| J: Miss A L Fitzgibbon⁽⁷⁾| T: D M Christie| OR: 130| C| D

50/1

Fairly useful chaser. Course winner. Creditable fourth of 14 in hunter chase at Punchestown (24.6f, good to soft, 125/1) in April 2021. Cheekpieces on for 1st time. Pulled up in point latest.

Form: 4/222-3P

Samurai Cracker^t³⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr N McParlan| T: Caroline Mccaldin| OR: 124| C| D

33/1

Fairly useful chaser. Course winner. Twelfth of 15 in handicap chase at Fairyhouse (21f, soft, 12/1). Off 10 months. Well held in point latest.

Form: 2740-45

Snow Falcon⁴³

Age: 12| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Pat Taaffe⁽⁷⁾| T: N Meade| OR: 139| C| D

9/1

Useful chaser. Course winner. Fifteen runs since last win in 2019. 18/1, fell in handicap chase at Aintree (25.8f, heavy) 12 months ago. Placed in couple of recent points. Enters calculations.

Form: 297U-32

The Storyteller²²

Age: 11| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr J J Codd| T: G Elliott| OR: 163| CD

11/10

Multiple winning hurdler/chaser who has won all 3 starts between the flags this term. The one to beat.

Form: 57/P-111

Vaucelet⁷²

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr B O'Neill| T: D M Christie| OR: 130| C| D

2/1

Promising sort who made it 5 wins from 7 starts over fences when taking 9-runner hunter chase at Stratford (27.5f, good to soft) in May. Won point in October and likely has more to offer under Rules.

Form: 3112-11

Non-Runners

Brain Power¹⁵

Weight: 12-0| Age: 11

T: Warren Ewing J: Mr D McGill

Singing Banjo³⁶

Weight: 12-0| Age: 12

T: B J Walsh J: Mr B J Walsh

Forecasts

The Storyteller (11/10), Vaucelet (2/1), Singing Banjo (6/1), Dorking Cock (17/2), Snow Falcon (9/1), Brain Power (10/1), Coastal Tiep (20/1), Samurai Cracker (33/1), Down The Highway (50/1), Dylrow (50/1)

THE STORYTELLER was clearly the best of these under Rules and arrives on the back of a hat-trick of victories in points. He is preferred to the progressive Vaucelet, who boasts an excellent strike rate over fences. Brain Power is also respected.