13:25 Fairyhouse

Saturday 2 December 2023

All11:4512:1512:5013:2514:0014:3515:1015:40

Close Brothers Rated Novice Hurdle

Off time: 13:26 | Winning time: 5m 4.8s

Answer To Kayf⁴¹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: John Shinnick⁽⁷⁾| T: T O'Brien

5/1

Left hurdling debut form well behind to win 18-runner maiden hurdle at Limerick (16f, heavy, 25/1) 41 days ago, going clear. Back up in trip.

Form: 23-81

Any Road²³

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: M M McDonagh⁽³⁾| T: E J O'Grady

17/2

Fairly useful in bumpers and ran to a similar level to win 12-runner maiden at Clonmel (16.4f, heavy) on hurdles bow 23 days ago. Up in trip. Likely to improve.

Form: 4242-61

Redstone⁶¹

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell| C

7/4

Overcame inexperience to make a successful debut over hurdles in 12-runner maiden at this course (16f, soft) 61 days ago, cosily. Up in trip and could be useful.

Form: F-1

Release The Beast³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 12-0| J: Sean Flanagan| T: P Nolan

17/2

Made a winning start to his career in the style of a potentially useful prospect in 9-runner maiden at Galway (16.4f, heavy) 35 days ago, easily. Up in trip. Sure to improve.

Form: 1

Sportinthepark¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 12-0| J: Sam Ewing| T: N Meade| D

20/1

Left his sole outing in bumpers behind to make a successful hurdling debut in 12-runner maiden at Wexford (20f, heavy) 15 days ago, pushed out. Open to improvement.

Form: 2-51

Western Fold²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 12-0| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| D

8/1

Fairly useful in bumpers and ran out a comprehensive winner of 17-runner maiden at Gowran (16f, heavy) 21 days ago. Up in trip. Open to progress.

Form: 3-3U1

Ochocinco⁶⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: L A McKenna⁽⁵⁾| T: Colm Murphy| OR: 118| D

25/1

Overcame inexperience to make a winning hurdling debut at Down Royal in June. Sill needed experience pitched into a handicap when fourth of 7 at Gowran (20.3f) last time and remains unexposed.

Form: 14

Sundial^t⁶⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁵⁾| T: P Roche| OR: 118| BF

20/1

Opened his account over hurdles in a maiden at Kilbeggan in July. However, proved a disappointment at Galway the following month and fared no better back on the Flat at the Curragh last time.

Form: 6584-10

Luminous Light^h⁶⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: J J Slevin| T: A McCann| OR: 116

28/1

Fairly useful hurdler who ran out a comfortable winner of a juvenile event at Cork in April. Of a similar standard on the Flat but ran poorly at Down Royal on most recent outing in that sphere in September.

Form: 9441-U2

Stormy Judge²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Richard Condon⁽⁵⁾| T: P A Fahy| OR: 112| D

100/1

Useful chaser who looked rusty returning from 20 months off when down the field at Gowran (16f, heavy) 21 days ago. Up in trip.

Form: 1105P/7

Waterford Whispers³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Mark Walsh| T: H De Bromhead

4/1

Progressed from debut to get off the mark at the second attempt in 12-runner maiden at Galway (16.4f, heavy, 11/4) 35 days ago, pushed out. Up in trip. Trainer going well. Should have even more to offer.

Form: 7-1

Forecasts

Redstone (7/4), Waterford Whispers (4/1), Answer To Kayf (5/1), Western Fold (8/1), Release The Beast (17/2), Any Road (17/2), Sundial (20/1), Sportinthepark (20/1), Ochocinco (25/1), Luminous Light (28/1), Stormy Judge (100/1)

WATERFORD WHISPERS got the job done a shade snugly at Galway and is open to plenty more improvement now stepping up in trip, so he's the tentative vote in a competitive event. Redstone and Release The Beast both impressed on their hurdling debuts and head the opposition.