15:35 Thurles

Thursday 30 November 2023

All12:1012:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:35

Horse & Jockey Handicap Hurdle (80-95)

Off time: 15:35 | Winning time: 4m 12.0s

Herculaneum^b⁷^{(ex 7)}

Age: 6| Weight: 12-6| J: Mr O McGill⁽⁷⁾| T: N C Kelly| OR: 94| CD

9/4

Career best when winning 15-runner handicap hurdle at this course (16.2f, soft, 13/2) 7 days ago, driven out. Carries penalty. Merits consideration.

Form: 075321

Hazran^t²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: E M O'Sullivan| OR: 95| D

25/1

Latest win in chase at Worcester in June 2022. Lightly raced and well held since, failing to come on for his reappearance spin on the Flat when pulled up in handicap hurdle (33/1) at Cork (20f, soft) 25 days ago, pulled up 2 out.

Form: 2/1400-P

Port Rashid^p,t⁴⁹

Age: 12| Weight: 11-10| J: Miss J Townend| T: T Townend| OR: 91| CD

12/1

Veteran C&D winner. Seventh of 10 in handicap hurdle (6/1) at Tramore (16f, heavy) 49 days ago. Cheekpieces back on and not out of things on pick of his form.

Form: 149-527

Out Of The Park⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: John Aherne⁽⁷⁾| T: A O'Grady| OR: 90

20/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 33/1, creditable sixth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (2m, heavy) 9 days ago, doing best of those held up having met trouble. Possible she will yet have more to offer on that evidence.

Form: P00-86

County Graduate¹⁷⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: W J Austin| OR: 89

40/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. 200/1, bit below form tenth of 18 in novice hurdle at Listowel (2m, good) in June. Goes handicapping now following 6 months off and more needed.

Form: 0-080

Askwell⁴⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: C P McNamara| T: E McNamara| OR: 88

28/1

Thrice-raced maiden. 250/1, eighth of 18 in novice hurdle at Limerick (16f, heavy) 40 days ago. Switch to handicaps rates a plus now at least but pedigree suggests she will be suited by longer trips in due course.

Form: 008

Junot^p1⁹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: John Shinnick⁽⁷⁾| T: M Winters| OR: 87

40/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Pulled up in handicap hurdle (40/1) at Ballinrobe (22.1f, good to soft) 94 days ago, pulled up early final circuit. Back down in trip. Cheekpieces on for 1st time.

Form: 7-08P

Mighty Oak Lad¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Donagh Meyler| T: K Thornton| OR: 87

18/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 40/1, fourteenth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Navan (20f, heavy) 12 days ago, racing off the pace and never landing a blow. Needs to show more before becoming of interest.

Form: 0080-0

On The Banks²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Phillip Enright| T: R Tyner| OR: 87

50/1

Placed on 2 of 3 starts in points. Thrice-raced maiden over hurdles. 150/1, eleventh of 15 in novice hurdle at this course (16.1f, soft) 28 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Open to improvement.

Form: 334-000

Romella^p,t⁴²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: Brendan Walsh| OR: 87| D

10/1

Eleven runs since last win in 2021. Respectable fourth of 12 in handicap hurdle at this course (15.9f, soft, 7/1) 42 days ago. No forlorn hope.

Form: 8P-P854

Cafe Del Mar²²³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: D Robinson| T: David J Phelan| OR: 86| C

18/1

Course winner. 13/2, respectable third of 16 in handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan (24f, good to soft) in April. This marked drop in trip may well be on the short side back from 7 months off.

Form: P08963-

Restless Son³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: A McCurtin| T: N Lee| OR: 86

66/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Ninth of 10 in novice hurdle (300/1) at Clonmel (16.6f, heavy) in October. Makes handicap hurdle debut following 5 weeks off but only market support would make him of interest.

Form: 909

Be My Hero⁷⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 85| BF

11/2

Remains a maiden after 18 NH runs. 7/2, respectable eighth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Navan (15.6f, good to soft) 75 days ago. Balance of his form for this yard gives him claims.

Form: 628528

Macs Lady^t¹⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: B W Harvey⁽³⁾| T: S K Ryder| OR: 85| BF

9/1

4/1 and tongue strap on for 1st time, ninth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Sligo (19.9f, good) 144 days ago, folding between last 2. Something to prove back from a break.

Form: 000-2P9

Woodstream Lad^b¹⁰⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Miss P Elvin⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 85

13/2

Respectable sixth of 13 in handicap hurdle (6/1) at Downpatrick (17.3f, good) 109 days ago. First run for yard after leaving R. K. Watson.

Form: 8770-36

Katzoff⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: T P Harney⁽⁷⁾| T: J Morrison| OR: 80

17/2

40/1, eighth of 14 in handicap at Dundalk (12f) 6 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. 7/10 on last chase outing.

Form: 0P-8877

Miala Araya¹¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: E M O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: Jayne Hearne| OR: 80

16/1

Tenth of 13 in handicap hurdle (22/1) at Kilbeggan (16f, good to soft) 110 days ago. First run for yard after leaving Mark Cahill. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 42FP-00

Non-Runners

Always Enchanting⁹

Weight: 11-4| Age: 6

T: E J O'Grady J: Reserve 1

Leylani⁵⁹

Weight: 11-3| Age: 5

T: L Fowler J: Reserve 2

Prince Quattro⁴⁹

Weight: 11-0| Age: 4

T: P J Rothwell J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Herculaneum (9/4), Be My Hero (11/2), Woodstream Lad (13/2), Katzoff (17/2), Macs Lady (9/1), Romella (10/1), Always Enchanting (11/1), Port Rashid (12/1), Miala Araya (16/1), Cafe Del Mar (18/1), Mighty Oak Lad (18/1), Out Of The Park (20/1), Leylani (20/1), Hazran (25/1), Askwell (28/1), Prince Quattro (33/1), Junot (40/1), County Graduate (40/1), On The Banks (50/1), Restless Son (66/1)

HERCULANEUM confirmed the promise of his recent hurdle runs when coming out on top under a well-judged ride here 7 days ago and he could be the way to go under a penalty. Be My Hero for Gordon Elliott and Port Rashid are others to consider, whilst Out of The Park also makes some appeal on just her second start in handicaps.