13:45 Leopardstown

Tuesday 26 December 2023

All12:0012:3513:1013:4514:2014:5515:30

careers at dornangroup.com Novice Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:45 | Winning time: 3m 57.30s

Black Bamboo⁷²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: J J Murphy| OR: 121| D

13/2

4/9, didn't need to improve to easily win 14-runner maiden hurdle at Cork (20.4f, good to soft) 10 weeks ago. Down in trip. Makes handicap hurdle debut and could have more to offer.

Form: 83-2351

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Striking³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Conor Smithers⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 121| D

16/1

1 win from 3 runs this season. Returned from 5 months off with his best effort yet over hurdles when third of 10 in handicap (11/1) at Punchestown (16.7f, soft) 31 days ago.

Form: 952-213

My Gaffer²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Liam Quinlan⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 116| D

14/1

Latest win in hurdle at Limerick in May. Faced a stiff task from 3 lb out of the handicap when thirteenth of 19 at Fairyhouse (16f, soft, 12/1) 23 days ago.

Form: 5-19740

Top Speed^t³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 116

14/1

1 win from 3 runs this season. Shaped as if better for the run after 6 months off when fifth of 10 in handicap hurdle (7/1) at Punchestown (16.7f, soft) 31 days ago.

Form: 864-155

Clonshire River²⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Keith Donoghue| T: E & P Harty| OR: 115

16/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Tongue strap on for 1st time, twelfth of 25 on handicap hurdle debut (18/1) at Punchestown (16.2f, good to soft) when last seen 8 months ago.

Form: 1/4390-

Timourid^t³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Ben Kennedy⁽⁷⁾| T: P W Flynn| OR: 115| D

66/1

Won maiden hurdle at Roscommon in July. Thirteenth of 14 in handicap (40/1) at Dundalk (10.7f) 39 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Tailed off on last hurdle outing.

Form: U/1360

Dollar Nolimit⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: D A Jacob| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 112

11/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. Confirmed the improvement shown previously when third of 15 in maiden hurdle (6/1) at Thurles (15.9f, good to soft) 9 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 37-343

Lazer Wolf¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Conor Stone-Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 112| BF

6/1

Promising sort. Again shaped as if still in good form when fourth of 17 in handicap hurdle (9/2) at Punchestown (19.2f, heavy) 2 weeks ago, not ideally placed. Enters calculations.

Form: 4-44324

Ataboycharlie²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: J J Slevin| T: E Cawley| OR: 111

17/2

Took a step back in the right direction when seventh of 24 in maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, soft, 66/1) 24 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 277

Park Of Kings^t⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Mark Walsh| T: P Nolan| OR: 111| BF| D

6/1

2 wins from 4 runs this season, latest at Punchestown in October. 5/2, produced another good effort following a further 8-lb rise in the weights when third of 10 in handicap hurdle at Gowran (16f, heavy) 45 days ago. Merits consideration.

Form: 98-0113

Showman³⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: E A Fitzgerald⁽⁷⁾| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 111| D

22/1

Winner in hurdle at Roscommon in September. Below form when twelfth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (16.4f, soft, 14/1) 39 days ago.

Form: R7-4120

New Year Honours^p1,t²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 110| D

16/1

Good second of 11 in handicap (8/1) at Dundalk (16f) 25 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Cheekpieces on 1st time. Fairly useful hurdler, well held on last outing.

Form: 00-1230

Pro Bono^t⁸⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Cian Cullinan⁽⁷⁾| T: P W Flynn| OR: 110

50/1

Ran creditably from a 5 lb higher mark when fifth of 14 in handicap (11/2) at Dundalk (12f) 3 months ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. First run for yard after leaving C. W. J. Farrell. Creditable on last hurdle outing.

Form: 2-51554

Ballycallan King^h³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Sean Cleary-Farrell⁽⁷⁾| T: Barry J Fitzgerald| OR: 109

28/1

7/2 and hooded for 1st time, creditable second of 14 in maiden hurdle at Limerick (16f, heavy) 5 weeks ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 4/25242

Barometer³⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: B W Harvey| T: J J Murphy| OR: 107| D

66/1

Lightly-raced maiden over hurdles. 28/1, tailed-off last of 17 on handicap hurdle debut at Cheltenham (16.4f, soft) 39 days ago.

Form: 4F6-20

Ca Plane Pour Moi³²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Brian Hayes| T: Colm Murphy| OR: 104

28/1

Caught the eye under very tender handling when third of 7 in maiden hurdle (80/1) at Fairyhouse (23.5f, heavy) 32 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 3003

Zeeband^b⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Danny Gilligan⁽⁵⁾| T: P J Gilligan| OR: 102| D

66/1

Useful winner at 17f on Flat. Blinkered for 1st time, out of his depth in first-time blinkers when tailed off in novice hurdle (150/1) at Thurles (23f, good to soft) 9 days ago

Form: 98-75

Derry Lad^h⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-4| J: A P Heskin| T: Kevin Coleman| OR: 99

28/1

Lightly-raced maiden over hurdles. Dual winner on Flat this summer. In rear until falling 2 out in handicap hurdle (9/1) at Gowran (16f, heavy) 45 days ago. Hood back on.

Form: 607-F

Riyami^p,t⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-4| J: J M Sheridan| T: D Hogan| OR: 99| D

22/1

Fair winner at 16f on Flat. Won 14-runner handicap at Dundalk (16f, 6/1) 4 days ago, shaken up to assert. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 009-

Belgoprince^t³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: P J Carberry| T: A J Martin| OR: 97

9/2

Did well to get involved given how the first half of his race had gone when seventh of 17 in handicap hurdle (7/1) at Cheltenham (16.4f, soft) 39 days ago, pulling hard and making bad mistake last. Has good chance on form.

Form: 39092/7

Sidiriya^p1³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-1| J: Simon Torrens| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 96

125/1

Lightly-raced maiden over hurdles. Fairly useful winner at 12F on Flat. 33/1, ninth of 14 on handicap hurdle debut at Cork (16f, heavy) 30 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time.

Form: 9499

Woodstream Lad^b²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: Conor Owens⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 96| D

20/1

Showed improved form to get off the mark on first run since leaving R. K. Watson when winning 17-runner handicap hurdle at Thurles (16.5f, good to soft, 13/2) 26 days ago, readily. Could kick on now up and running.

Form: 770-361

Makfils³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: K Callaghan⁽⁵⁾| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 95

16/1

Remains a maiden after 18 NH runs. Ran up to something like his best back under his regular rider after 10 weeks off when second of 22 in handicap hurdle (6/1) at Navan (16f, heavy) 37 days ago.

Form: 63-5482

Forecasts

Belgoprince (9/2), Park Of Kings (6/1), Lazer Wolf (6/1), Black Bamboo (13/2), Ataboycharlie (17/2), Dollar Nolimit (11/1), My Gaffer (14/1), Top Speed (14/1), Makfils (16/1), Clonshire River (16/1), Striking (16/1), New Year Honours (16/1), Woodstream Lad (20/1), Riyami (22/1), Showman (22/1), Ca Plane Pour Moi (28/1), Derry Lad (28/1), Ballycallan King (28/1), Pro Bono (50/1), Zeeband (66/1), Barometer (66/1), Timourid (66/1), Sidiriya (125/1)

Several in with a shout but the vote goes to BELGOPRINCE, who did well to get involved given how hard he pulled early when seventh at Cheltenham last month and Tony Martin's 6-y-o can open his account over hurdles back on these shores. Lazer Wolf, Park of Kings, Dollar Nolmit and Woodstream Lad are just a handful of others all capable of getting involved, too.