15:42 Navan

Saturday 20 January 2024

All12:4513:2013:5514:3015:0515:4216:15

Gormanlough Handicap Chase (0-102)

Off time: 15:42 | Winning time: 7m 4.1s

Carrolls Cottage³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Niall Moore⁽⁷⁾| T: P Fenton| OR: 102| D

12/1

Unreliable sort. Twenty-two runs since last win in 2021. Respectable fifth of 9 in handicap chase (13/2) at this course (20.4f, heavy) 34 days ago. Chance if rediscovering old form.

Form: 56P-355

Eagle Terrace^p,t²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr D McGill⁽⁷⁾| T: N C Kelly| OR: 102

15/2

Career best when winning 13-runner handicap chase at Down Royal (20f, soft, 6/1) 25 days ago, driven out. Enters calculations.

Form: 145441

Rochestown¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: Brendan Walsh| OR: 97| D

9/2

Career best when winning 8-runner handicap chase (5/2) at Tramore (22.8f, heavy) 19 days ago by 11 lengths from Mahler Appeal, soon clear. Up 8 lb but couldn't rule out all the same.

Form: 3167-21

Hot As Pepper^p1,t⁵³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: B W Harvey| T: J C McConnell| OR: 96| D

33/1

Fair winner at 20f over hurdles. Eleventh of 15 in novice chase at Tramore (21.4f, soft, 12/1) on debut over fences 53 days ago. Cheekpieces on for 1st time. Makes handicap chase debut.

Form: 1-955P0

Hutchie⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: J J Slevin| T: Stephen Gerard Carey| OR: 96

15/2

25/1, respectable fifth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (16.2f, soft) 5 days ago, inadequate test. Switches from hurdles to chase and significantly up in trip. Makes handicap chase debut.

Form: 991205

Diegos Way^p⁶²

Age: 11| Weight: 11-7| J: E Walsh| T: C Collins| OR: 95| D

33/1

9/2, seventh of 8 in handicap chase at Cartmel (25.5f, good to soft) on latest start under Rules 6 months ago. Since failed to complete on 3 of his 4 starts between the flags.

Form: 47U7PP

St Denis's Well^t²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Jack Kennedy| T: Ian Donoghue| OR: 91| C

13/2

Creditable fifth of 14 in handicap hurdle (9/2) at Limerick (19f, heavy) 22 days ago. Back up in trip for this chase debut.

Form: 49P-145

One Horse Army³⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Peter Smithers⁽⁷⁾| T: P Roche| OR: 90

40/1

300/1, last of 6 in novice chase at Punchestown (23.7f, heavy) 39 days ago. Makes handicap chase debut.

Form: 0/839-P6

Ballydangan^p1²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Alex Harvey⁽⁷⁾| T: D Harvey| OR: 88

16/1

13¾ lengths sixth of 13 to Eagle Terrace in handicap chase at Down Royal (20f, soft, 12/1) on debut over fences 25 days ago, running on. Cheekpieces on 1st time.

Form: 020506

Mahler Appeal^p¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Danny Mullins| T: G J Power| OR: 88| D

11/2

Creditable 11 lengths second of 8 to Rochestown in handicap chase (11/4) at Tramore (22.8f, heavy) 19 days ago. Live each-way chance.

Form: 339-342

Fox Le Bel^b,t⁶⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁵⁾| T: Liz Doyle| OR: 86| BF

12/1

Remains a maiden after 28 NH runs. Respectable fourth of 11 in handicap chase at Punchestown (24.7f, soft, 4/1) 65 days ago. Blinkers and tongue strap back on. Has good chance on pick of form.

Form: 323-U34

Starlight Cato²²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: D King⁽³⁾| T: D Howard| OR: 83

20/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Respectable fourth of 11 in handicap chase (28/1) at Limerick (22.6f, heavy) 22 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: P3F-704

Tangental³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: Brian Hayes| T: Colm Murphy| OR: 83| D

9/2

11/1, eleventh of 12 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (23.2f, heavy) 35 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase. Open to improvement on handicap debut in this sphere.

Form: 5122-30

Forecasts

Tangental (9/2), Rochestown (9/2), Mahler Appeal (11/2), St Denis's Well (13/2), Eagle Terrace (15/2), Hutchie (15/2), Fox Le Bel (12/1), Carrolls Cottage (12/1), Ballydangan (16/1), Starlight Cato (20/1), Hot As Pepper (33/1), Diegos Way (33/1), One Horse Army (40/1)

TANGENTAL offered little on his sole previous start over fences back in 2021 but he looked better than ever over hurdles last spring and he could be worth chancing. Indeed, the 8-y-o returns to this sphere on a potentially handy mark and should be all the better for his reappearance spin at Fairyhouse. Fox Le Bel is a much-respected main danger, while Eagle Terrace also merits respect on the back of his Down Royal success. Tramore 1-2 Rochestown and Mahler Appeal need considering, too.