13:33 Limerick

Tuesday 26 December 2023

All12:2512:5813:3314:0814:4015:1515:50

Lyons Of Limerick Jaguar Land Rover Novice Hurdle (Grade 2)

Off time: 13:33 | Winning time: 6m 51.6s

Search For Glory^p,t¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Sam Ewing| T: G Elliott| OR: 137

11/4

Useful hurdler. 7/4 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, didn't need to improve to win 5-runner Gr 3 hurdle at Cork (24f, heavy) 16 days ago by 3 lengths from Solitary Man, running on. Yard has won 3 of the last 4 runnings of this and he's high on the shortlist.

Form: 3P7-131

Answer To Kayf²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: John Shinnick| T: T O'Brien| OR: 128| C

4/1

Lightly-raced winner under NH rules. 1 win from 3 runs this season. Excellent second of 11 in novice hurdle (5/1) at Fairyhouse (19.8f, soft) 24 days ago, going with enthusiasm. Solid each-way chance.

Form: 23-812

Dreamings Free²⁴⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: Mr P J O'Neill| T: John F O'Neill

200/1

Twice-raced maiden. Last of 16 in bumper at Punchestown (16.4f, good to soft, 125/1), dropping away quickly. Off 8 months. Makes hurdles debut and steps significantly up in trip.

Form: 80-

Dripsey Moon⁷⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: J S McGarvey| T: J C McConnell| BF

33/1

Twice-raced winner over hurdles. 4/5, second of 7 in novice hurdle at Kelso (20.9f, soft) 79 days ago, going with enthusiasm. Open to progress but this assignment demands a sizeable step forward.

Form: 3211-12

Loughglynn⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: W P Mullins

9/4

Lightly-raced winner under Rules. 2/5, career best when winning 8-runner novice hurdle at Punchestown (20.8f, soft) on hurdles bow 40 days ago, easily. Remains open to improvement for top yard, which saddled the winner of this in 2016 and 2017.

Form: 6/19-1

Stellar Story¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Donagh Meyler| T: G Elliott| BF

3/1

Promising sort. 1 win from 2 runs this season. 5 lengths third of 5 to Slade Steel in Navan Novices' Hurdle (11/8) at Navan (20f, heavy) 17 days ago. Helps give his yard a strong hand (also represented by Search For Glory) and he's open to improvement.

Form: 1/511-13

Banprionsa^t1²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Mike O'Connor| T: H De Bromhead

10/1

Twice-raced winner over hurdles. 2/5, won 10-runner novice hurdle at Tramore (21f, soft) 28 days ago, pushed out. Trainer going well. Tongue strap on 1st time. This is much tougher but she's bred to be smart and is well worth her place in the line-up.

Form: 1-21

Non-Runners

Cloudy Tuesday²³

Weight: 11-3| Age: 8

T: T O'Connor J: Mr Turlough O'connor

Forecasts

Loughglynn (9/4), Search For Glory (11/4), Stellar Story (3/1), Answer To Kayf (4/1), Banprionsa (10/1), Dripsey Moon (33/1), Cloudy Tuesday (50/1), Dreamings Free (200/1)

Gordon Elliott boasts a good recent record in this race and saddles two strong candidates in STELLAR STORY and Search For Glory. The vote goes to the former, who was a beaten favourite in a Grade 2 at Navan recently but he should have more to offer now faced with a stiffer test. Search For Glory did the job well in a Cork Grade 3 with first-time cheekpieces enlisted and another bold show is anticipated. Loughglynn and the mare Banprionsa are other promising types to consider.