13:05 Gowran Park

Thursday 25 January 2024

All13:0513:4014:1514:5015:2516:0016:30

Langtons Kilkenny Handicap Hurdle (80-102)

Off time: 13:05 | Winning time: 4m 47.5s

Champagne Mahler⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 102| BF

14/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 4/1, disappointed when twelfth of 20 on handicap hurdle debut at Cork (20f, heavy) 46 days ago. Exploits in novice hurdles contained promise and he's not one to write off for powerful yard.

Form: 8-P530

Listenheretomejack²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Shane O'Callaghan⁽⁵⁾| T: E Doyle| OR: 102| CD

13/2

C&D winner. 12/1, bit below form seventh of 16 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (20.6f, heavy) 24 days ago. Should be sharper given that was his first start for 11 months and worth noting he won second time out last season.

Form: 65/010-7

Star Official²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Danny Mullins| T: R Donohoe| OR: 102| D

10/1

Winner in hurdle at Thurles in October. 18/5, creditable fourth of 9 in handicap hurdle at Tramore (16.8f, heavy) 24 days ago.

Form: 021424

Zeeband^t³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: J G Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Gilligan| OR: 100| D

28/1

Useful winner at 17f on flat. Lightly raced maiden over hurdles. Eighteenth of 23 in handicap hurdle (66/1) at Leopardstown (16f, good to soft) 30 days ago, doing too much too soon.

Form: 98-750

Diamond Dollar³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Philip Byrnes⁽⁵⁾| T: C Byrnes| OR: 99

33/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Seventh of 18 in novice hurdle at Limerick (16f, heavy, 150/1) 30 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Likely to improve and worth noting if market speaks in his favour for very shrewd stable.

Form: 007

Young Darleen^h¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Sean Flanagan| T: R P Cody| OR: 98

14/1

Hooded for 1st time, respectable seventh of 18 in handicap hurdle at Naas (19.1f, soft, 33/1) 13 days ago. Down in trip now.

Form: 54-8247

Derridae⁴²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁵⁾| T: M McCabe| OR: 97| D

25/1

Unseated rider in handicap chase (22/1) at Naas (16f, soft) 42 days ago, in touch when unseating 4 out. Bit to prove in any case back over timber judged on balance of recent exploits.

Form: 2P-909U

Fassbender^t¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: A P Heskin| T: M M McNiff| OR: 97

50/1

Eleven runs since last win in 2022. Seventh of 10 in handicap hurdle (28/1) at Clonmel (20f, heavy) 14 days ago.

Form: 023397

New Barn Lane^t²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: R Deegan| T: E McCarthy| OR: 96| BF

11/1

9/2, creditable third of 16 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (16f, heavy) 29 days ago, kicking on long way out. Remains low-mileage in handicaps and he's not out of things.

Form: 455-723

The Truant²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: E A Fitzgerald⁽⁷⁾| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 96

7/1

Remains a maiden after 18 NH runs. 6/1, good second of 16 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (16f, heavy) 29 days ago, finishing well. Enters calculations.

Form: 5666-62

Granpa Ger¹⁰⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Conor Clarke⁽⁷⁾| T: A Mullins| OR: 95

50/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Below form fifth of 9 in novice hurdle at Tramore (16f, heavy, 15/2) 105 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Should progress.

Form: 0855

Bite That⁴⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Gary Noonan⁽⁵⁾| T: P J Flynn| OR: 94| D

40/1

One win from 25 NH runs. Sixth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Clonmel (19.1f, heavy, 9/1) 49 days ago, not seen to best effect having raced well clear early on. Not one to write off.

Form: 0-73396

Kilbarry Saint^t²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Danny Gilligan⁽⁵⁾| T: C O'Keeffe| OR: 93

20/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Bit below form fifth of 10 in handicap hurdle at Tramore (21.6f, heavy, 10/1) 24 days ago. Down in trip. Booking of Gilligan a plus.

Form: 3P-8565

Le Fanu²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Phillip Enright| T: Brendan Walsh| OR: 93

20/1

Third of 14 in novice hurdle at Limerick (19f, heavy, 28/1) 27 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Open to progress.

Form: 745F-93

Kuriosa²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Conor Smithers⁽⁷⁾| T: P Nolan| OR: 92

50/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 50/1, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Limerick (21f, heavy) 28 days ago. Back down in trip.

Form: 0080P

The Lucky Lobster¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr J M Fennell⁽⁷⁾| T: D Queally| OR: 92

80/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Eighth of 14 in novice hurdle at Clonmel (16.5f, heavy, 150/1) 14 days ago, in touch 3 out but unable to sustain effort. Too soon to be writing him off now getting a chance in handicaps but would need to see market confidence behind him.

Form: U0P68

Backinabit^p1,t1⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽³⁾| T: J P Dempsey| OR: 91

28/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 19¾ lengths twelfth of 17 to Cristiano Marealdo in handicap hurdle at Naas (16f, soft, 28/1) 42 days ago, ridden 2 out and never involved. Blinkers/tongue fitted and worth noting if market speaks in his favour. Engaged 3.50 Fairyhouse Wednesday.

Form: 0400

Benjis Benefit⁸²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Donagh Meyler| T: E Mullins| OR: 91

4/6

18/1, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan (19f, good to soft) 9 months ago, dropping away quickly. Every chance when fell last sole start in points in November. First run for yard after leaving James Joseph Mangan. One to monitor in the betting.

Form: 09F7P-F

Non-Runners

Uncle Gerhard⁸⁴

Weight: 11-12| Age: 9

T: C O'Dwyer J: C G O'Dwyer

Intersky Sunset¹⁴

Weight: 11-9| Age: 7

T: D Queally J: Mr J W Hendrick

Joeswayornoway¹³

Weight: 11-3| Age: 8

T: E Sheehy J: Reserve 1

Moulane West¹³

Weight: 11-3| Age: 8

T: M M McNiff J: Reserve 2

Cristiano Marealdo¹³

Weight: 11-1| Age: 6

T: P J Rothwell J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Benjis Benefit (4/6), Intersky Sunset (5/1), Listenheretomejack (13/2), The Truant (7/1), Star Official (10/1), New Barn Lane (11/1), Champagne Mahler (14/1), Young Darleen (14/1), Kilbarry Saint (20/1), Le Fanu (20/1), Uncle Gerhard (20/1), Derridae (25/1), Zeeband (28/1), Backinabit (28/1), Diamond Dollar (33/1), Bite That (40/1), Kuriosa (50/1), Fassbender (50/1), Granpa Ger (50/1), The Lucky Lobster (80/1)

Loads to consider in this big-field opener with the narrow vote in favour of INTERSKY SUNSET. A winner over further here in November, she again shaped well whilst arguably left with too much to do when third at Clonmel 2 weeks ago and she remains of interest from this sort of mark. The Truant and Benjis Benefit are others of interest, with Champagne Mahler and Diamond Dollar another couple to note.