14:57 Clonmel

Thursday 7 December 2023

All12:0212:3713:1213:4714:2214:5715:32

Thank You Martin O'Gorman M.R.C.V.S. Novice Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:59 | Winning time: 5m 32.10s

Midnight It Is²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 112| BF| C

9/2

Course winner in October. 6/1, shaped as if still in good form when 12 lengths fourth of 12 to Chosen Diamond in handicap chase at Naas (20f, soft) 25 days ago.

Form: 873714

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Captains Nephew^t²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 111| C

3/1

Below form back over hurdles when eighth of 11 in handicap at Down Royal (16.9f, soft, 12/1) 26 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase. Makes handicap chase debut and is open to improvement in this sphere.

Form: 66-0538

Chosen Diamond^p²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Jordan Gainford| T: E Cawley| OR: 103

7/2

7/1, wasted no time proving himself a better chaser than hurdler when winning 12-runner handicap chase at Naas (20f, soft) on debut over fences 25 days ago, leading before last. Should have more to offer.

Form: 80558-1

Danny The Fence^t¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Donagh Meyler| T: K Thornton| OR: 97

12/1

15/2 and tongue strap on for 1st time, showed much improved form when winning 14-runner handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (23.5f, heavy) 13 days ago, suited by increase in trip. Back down in distance for his chase debut and interesting to see how he fares in the market.

Form: 00/0B6-1

Lovely Reaction⁵⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Simon Torrens| T: T Mullins| OR: 97

3/1

9/1, shaped well after 6 months off when fourth of 10 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (16.2f, good to soft) just over 8 weeks ago. Makes chase debut and certainly worth a market check given connections.

Form: 801P3-4

Mac's Xpress²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: J G Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Gilligan| OR: 97

17/2

Shaped well in a more competitive handicap than he'd been contesting sixth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (16.4f, soft, 33/1) 20 days ago, not ideally placed. Makes chase debut.

Form: F53326

Kilashee⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Daniel King⁽³⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 84

12/1

Unreliable sort. Twenty-nine runs since last win in 2021. 10/1, ran badly when pulled up in handicap chase at Tramore (21.4f, soft) 9 days ago, dropping away quickly 5 out. Must bounce back.

Form: 54F2UP

Non-Runners

Time Marches On⁵³

Weight: 11-9| Age: 7

T: J Motherway J: Danny Gilligan

Natural Ability²¹

Weight: 10-4| Age: 5

T: A J Martin J: Phillip Enright

Forecasts

Captains Nephew (3/1), Lovely Reaction (3/1), Chosen Diamond (7/2), Time Marches On (4/1), Midnight It Is (9/2), Mac's Xpress (17/2), Kilashee (12/1), Danny The Fence (12/1), Natural Ability (20/1)

CAPTAINS NEPHEW was a wide-margin winner over hurdles on his previous visit to this venue earlier in the year, and with better to come in this sphere, Philip Rothwell's 6-y-o is fancied to open his account over the larger obstacles now sent down the handicap route. Chosen Diamond made a winning chasing debut at Naas last month, so he's put forward as the main threat, with Time Marches On and Midnight It Is also considered.