12:58 Limerick

Monday 26 December 2022

All12:2512:5813:3314:0814:4015:1515:50

Signsplus Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 12:58 | Winning time: 4m 17.04s

Benaud²³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Brian Hayes| T: J P O'Brien

8/1

Useful Flat winner. 15/2, fourth of 18 in novice hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, soft) 23 days ago. Should progress, not least when handicapping in this sphere.

Form: 44

Dante's Pass⁶⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: R Deegan| T: J P O'Brien| C

66/1

Closely related to useful hurdler Chief Justice. Fairly useful on Flat, stays 1m, run best excused last time.

Form:

Fireworks³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Kieren Buckley⁽⁵⁾| T: J J Hanlon

100/1

Fairly useful winner at 9f on Flat. 150/1, first run since leaving Fabrice Chappet when fifth of 8 in minor event hurdle at Gowran (16f, heavy) on NH debut 30 days ago.

Form: 5

Noble Crusade²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Alex Harvey⁽⁷⁾| T: J C McConnell

100/1

Fair Flat winner. 100/1, sixteenth of 20 in novice hurdle at Punchestown (16.3f, good to soft) on NH debut 27 days ago.

Form: 0

Whatcouldhavebeen⁵⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Fahey

40/1

Fair stayer on Flat, has won 2 of last 3 starts, improving again on latest. Starts out over hurdles in a deep contest.

Form:

Ages Of Man²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: Richard Condon⁽⁵⁾| T: A McCann| OR: 112

28/1

Fair hurdler. 12/1, creditable fourth of 15 in novice hurdle at Thurles (15.9f, good to soft) 25 days ago.

Form: 730-F64

Ceroc²⁴⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: Philip Donovan⁽⁵⁾| T: E J O'Grady

80/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. Off 8 months. Switches from bumpers to hurdles. Entitled to need this.

Form: 3459-

Doctor Brown Bear^t²⁸⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: Ricky Doyle| T: M Brassil| OR: 121

7/1

Fairly useful hurdler. Too lit up in first-time tongue strap when twelfth of 21 in Fred Winter at Cheltenham when last seen in March. Can surely win races in this sphere.

Form: 423440-

Hands Of Gold²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: Kevin Sexton| T: A L T Moore

33/1

Twice-raced maiden. Fell fourth in novice hurdle (6/1) at Thurles (15.9f, good to soft) 25 days ago. Had shaped well first time up at Down Royal.

Form: 4F

Harvard Guy²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: B J Cooper| T: E & P Harty

100/1

€85,000 3-y-o, Telescope gelding. Eleventh of 23 in novice hurdle at Navan (20f, heavy, 80/1) on debut 29 days ago, not knocked about.

Form: 0

Raglan Road

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: Derek McGrath⁽⁷⁾| T: H De Bromhead

33/1

€36,000 3-y-o, Soldier of Fortune gelding. Dam, 13f winner, half-sister to useful hurdler Aklan (stayed 2½m).

Form:

Royal Moon¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: C P McNamara| T: E J O'Grady

16/1

Promising sort. Third of 18 in novice hurdle at Clonmel (19.1f, heavy, 33/1) 18 days ago. Showed plenty to work on there and leading claims with more to come.

Form: F-3

Vulture Peak²⁴⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: Daniel King⁽⁵⁾| T: D Hogan

125/1

Well held in Flat maidens. Off 8 months.

Form:

Bynx³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-6| J: Phillip Enright| T: M Hassett| OR: 107

25/1

33/1, below form fourth of 8 at Gowran (16f, heavy) 30 days ago, finishing with running left. Has races in her.

Form: 7233-64

Flemensreva

Age: 4| Weight: 10-6| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: P Nolan

100/1

€12,500 3-y-o, Flemensfirth filly. Dam, fair hurdler (19f winner), from family of top-class chaser Strong Promise.

Form:

Foxy Girl²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-6| J: Mike O'Connor⁽⁵⁾| T: H De Bromhead

7/4

Fairly useful hurdler. Off 20 months, 10/3, first run since leaving David Cottin when second of 15 in novice hurdle at Thurles (15.9f, good to soft) 25 days ago, left behind by useful-looking winner from last. Has more to offer and set to go well.

Form: 2-2

Out Of The Park¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-6| J: Philip Byrnes⁽⁵⁾| T: E O'Grady

150/1

Thirteenth of 22 in novice hurdle at Cork (16.8f, soft, 125/1) 15 days ago.

Form: P0

In Excess⁶³²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: K Callaghan⁽⁷⁾| T: W P Mullins

11/8

Second of 10 in bumper at Moulins (11.9f, good to soft) only start 21 months ago. Makes hurdles debut for top yard. Interesting if getting a run. RESERVE.

Form: 2/

Non-Runners

He's Ultimate²⁵⁴

Weight: 10-13| Age: 4

T: G Elliott J: Jordan Gainford

Birdie Or Bust

Weight: 10-6| Age: 4

T: H De Bromhead J: Reserve 2

Phils Choice³⁴

Weight: 10-6| Age: 4

T: P J Rothwell J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

In Excess (11/8), Foxy Girl (7/4), He's Ultimate (11/2), Doctor Brown Bear (7/1), Benaud (8/1), Phils Choice (11/1), Birdie Or Bust (11/1), Royal Moon (16/1), Bynx (25/1), Ages Of Man (28/1), Hands Of Gold (33/1), Raglan Road (33/1), Whatcouldhavebeen (40/1), Dante's Pass (66/1), Ceroc (80/1), Harvard Guy (100/1), Fireworks (100/1), Flemensreva (100/1), Noble Crusade (100/1), Vulture Peak (125/1), Out Of The Park (150/1)

This has the look of a useful 4-y-o maiden, with FOXY GIRL taken to strike. She made a very pleasing start for Henry de Bromhead back from 20 months off at Thurles and is a good prospect. Royal Moon offered plenty at Clonmel and will improve. Doctor Brown Bear was last seen in the Fred Winter, pulling far too hard, and has shown more than enough to win a maiden. He's Ultimate is a fascinating newcomer, while all 3 reserves are interesting.