15:30 Leopardstown

Tuesday 26 December 2023

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

Race And Stay Flat Race

Off time: 15:31 | Winning time: 3m 59.0s

Brave Crogha⁵⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Miss A B O'Connor⁽³⁾| T: I Madden

150/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. Sixth of 9 in bumper at Galway (16.4f, heavy, 125/1) 59 days ago.

Form: 90476

Cantico²⁸²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins

5/4

€45,000 3-y-o, Diamond Boy gelding. Dam (c128/h126), 2m hurdle/chase winner in France, sister to fairly useful hurdler/useful chaser in France (17f-2½m winner) Rhode Island. Won sole start in points and is worth chancing to defend his unbeaten record.

Form: 1-

Dairy Force

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr Pat Taaffe⁽⁷⁾| T: A Mullins

28/1

Workforce gelding. Dam little show sole start in bumper/over hurdles.

Form:

Goldinthemountains²⁴¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr P A King⁽⁵⁾| T: M Brassil

10/1

Once-raced maiden. Fourth of 16 in bumper at Punchestown (16f, good to soft, 7/2) on NH debut. Off 8 months. First run for yard after leaving P. M. J. Doyle. Could do better.

Form: 4-

He's Gorgeous

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr S Cavanagh⁽⁷⁾| T: P A Fahy

66/1

Kayf Tara gelding. Dam bumper/fairly useful 2½m hurdle winner. Not an obvious sort on paper.

Form:

His Nibs²³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr A Jones⁽⁷⁾| T: G P Cromwell

33/1

Twice-raced maiden. 40/1, first run since leaving Peter John Flood when fourth of 10 in bumper at Fairyhouse (16f, soft) 23 days ago, would have benefited from stronger handling.

Form: F-44

Iamagetaway²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr J Dunne⁽⁷⁾| T: J Fahey

125/1

Once-raced maiden. Fourth of 6 in bumper at Fairyhouse (16f, soft, 80/1) on NH debut 24 days ago, not ideally placed.

Form: 6F3-554

Mywayofthinkin

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr D O'Connor| T: G P Cromwell

3/1

Flemensfirth gelding. Half-brother to numerous winners, including fairly useful hurdler/smart chaser Limerick Lace, stays 3m. One to note if the market speaks in his favour.

Form:

Our Soldier

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr H Hunt⁽⁷⁾| T: E J O'Grady

33/1

€25,000 3-y-o, Soldier of Fortune gelding. Dam (h88), bumper winner, sister to top-class hurdler/very smart chaser (stayed 3¼m) Time For Rupert and useful hurdler/chaser (stayed 25f) Minella Fair.

Form:

Prends Garde A Toi³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr H C Swan⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| BF

6/1

Runner-up in a point and filled same position in 8-runner bumper (5/6) at Punchestown (16.9f, soft) on NH debut 30 days ago, going with enthusiasm. Trainer going well.

Form: 2-2

Sky Lord

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr D G Lavery| T: Peter Fahey

11/2

€75,000 3-y-o, Blue Bresil gelding. Half-brother to fairly useful hurdler/very smart chaser Le Milos and 2¼m bumper winner/useful hurdler Kid Commando. Not discounted.

Form:

Tommies Call³⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr D Doyle⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Fahey

33/1

Twice-raced maiden. 11/1, last of 7 in bumper at Navan (16f, heavy) 38 days ago. Needs to bounce back.

Form: 3-7

Non-Runners

Kinbara Firstdraft³⁸

Weight: 11-10| Age: 4

T: S R B Crawford J: Mr T Hamilton

Moonlight Jazz

Weight: 11-10| Age: 4

T: H De Bromhead J: Mr J L Gleeson

Forecasts

Cantico (5/4), Mywayofthinkin (3/1), Sky Lord (11/2), Prends Garde A Toi (6/1), Goldinthemountains (10/1), Moonlight Jazz (12/1), Dairy Force (28/1), Our Soldier (33/1), His Nibs (33/1), Tommies Call (33/1), Kinbara Firstdraft (50/1), He's Gorgeous (66/1), Iamagetaway (125/1), Brave Crogha (150/1)

CANTICO has been acquired by top connections on the back of a point win and he's a likely candidate to make a successful start under Rules acknowledging Prends Garde A Toi sets a reasonable standard. Mywayofthinkin is worth considering if strong in the betting.