13:55 Thurles

Thursday 8 February 2024

All13:2013:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:50

Racing Again February 22nd Handicap Chase

5YO plus | 2m 70y | Yielding to Soft (Soft in places) | 13 Runners | Turf

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: R P Treacy| T: Louise G Lyons| OR: 109| CD

Won this in 2021. Below his useful best in the first half off the season but his mark has come down as a result. No shock were he to stage a revival back from a break.

Form: 275479

Presenting Point²⁵⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: A O'Grady| OR: 107| C

Course winner. Eleven runs since last win in 2022. 20/1, seventh of 10 in handicap chase at Limerick (25.5f, good to soft). Off 8 months. Significantly down in trip.

Form: 3337-07

McGrath From Clune^h,t²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Phillip Enright| T: R Tyner| OR: 102| C

Promising individual. Course winner. Below form seventh of 17 in handicap hurdle (9/2) at Punchestown (16.2f, soft) 24 days ago. Open to improvement back chasing. Player.

Form: 2-64147

Itsalonglongroad^p⁹⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-5| J: Shane O'Callaghan⁽⁵⁾| T: C Coakley| OR: 100| C| D

Latest win in chase at Tramore in October. 12/1, tenth of 14 in handicap chase at this course (18.3f, soft) 98 days ago. Cheekpieces back on.

Form: 632810

Joke Dancer^t1²⁶⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 11-2| J: C D Maxwell| T: P Griffin| OR: 97| D

18/1, pulled up in handicap chase at Newcastle (20.1f, good). Off 8 months. First run for yard after leaving Sue Smith. Tongue strap on for 1st time. The betting should help guide to expectations.

Form: 3056P-P

Thedancingfarrier³³

Age: 12| Weight: 11-0| J: Liam Quinlan⁽⁵⁾| T: P Kiely| OR: 95

Eleven runs since last win in 2022. 33/1, second of 10 in maiden chase at Cork (20f, heavy) 33 days ago, running on. Well treated if he can back that up.

Form: 50-0P92

We'llgowats^t⁴⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁵⁾| T: Liam G O'brien| OR: 95| D

Latest win in hurdle at Gowran in September. 10/1, seventeenth of 19 in handicap hurdle at Down Royal (17f, soft) 44 days ago. Makes chase debut.

Form: 53-1920

Port Rashid^t⁷⁰

Age: 13| Weight: 10-9| J: Miss J Townend| T: T Townend| OR: 90| CD

12/1, below form seventh of 17 in handicap hurdle at this course (16.5f, good to soft) 70 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase.

Form: 49-5277

Land Jet¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: J J Slevin| T: P Maher| OR: 84

25/1, pulled up in handicap chase at Down Royal (20.4f, heavy) on debut over fences 16 days ago, pulled up 3 out. Down in trip.

Form: 323/0-PP

Huit Reflets^p²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Conor Stone-Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: Liz Doyle| OR: 81

Remains a maiden after 16 NH runs. Cheekpieces on for 1st time, sixth of 10 in handicap chase at Punchestown (19.7f, soft, 9/2) 25 days ago.

Form: 9-39706

Added Bonus^p,t⁴¹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: Simon Torrens| T: Brendan Walsh| OR: 79| CD

C&D winner. One win from 36 NH runs. Thirteen runs since last win in 2023. Eleventh of 14 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (19f, heavy, 33/1) 41 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase.

Form: 772900

Love And Wishes^p⁴⁴

Age: 12| Weight: 10-0| J: Sam Ewing| T: Jamie Sloan| OR: 74

Remains a maiden after 16 NH runs. Pulled up in hunter chase (200/1) at Down Royal (24f, soft) 44 days ago, weakening from next. Significantly back down in trip. Makes handicap chase debut.

Form: P0/0-1PP

Glen Ali¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Reserve 1| T: C O'Connell| OR: 70

Thoroughly unreliable sort. 125/1, ninth of 14 in handicap chase at Down Royal (20.4f, heavy) 16 days ago. Back down in trip. RESERVE.

Form: 56PPF9

Non-Runners

Prince Of Air²⁸

Weight: 10-4| Age: 7

T: P J Rothwell J: P J O'Hanlon

Forecasts

McGrath From Clune (9/4), Thedancingfarrier (4/1), Prince Of Air (6/1), Espion Du Chenet (10/1), We'llgowats (10/1), Itsalonglongroad (12/1), Port Rashid (12/1), Huit Reflets (12/1), Presenting Point (16/1), Added Bonus (16/1), Joke Dancer (25/1), Land Jet (25/1), Love And Wishes (33/1), Glen Ali (66/1)

MCGRATH FROM CLUNE remains open to improvement now back chasing and can add to his course win back in November. Thedancingfarrier will be a danger if he can back up his latest runner-up effort in maiden company at Cork, while Espion du Chenet, a former winner of this race, had lost his way when last seen in the autumn but would be a threat to all if a break has had a revitalising effect.