16:48 Thurles

Tuesday 13 February 2024

All13:3314:0314:3315:0815:4316:1516:48

John Thomas McNamara Series Flat Race

Off time: 16:48 | Winning time: 4m 9.0s

Ballygunner Castle

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Fern O'Brien| T: W P Mullins

11/4

€68,000 3-y-o, Soldier of Fortune gelding. Dam ran once in bumper, sister to high-class hurdler/chaser (stayed 25f) Yorkhill. 1 of 3 newcomers of obvious interest first time up for yard.

Form:

Coco Masterpiece⁶⁶⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr C Mullins| T: W P Mullins

4/5

€105,000 3-y-o, Authorized gelding. Dam French hurdle winner, also 9f-11f winner on Flat in France. Easily won first of 2 starts in points in 2022, runner-up next time. Long absence to overcome but clearly of interest for top yard (1 of 3 runners for them).

Form: 12/

Fishery Lane

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr S E Cahill⁽²⁾| T: W P Mullins

11/2

€67,000 3-y-o, Gemix gelding. Dam, 17f hurdle/chase winner in France, half-sister to fair hurdler/useful chaser in France (15f-2¾m winner) Saint Goustan Blue. 1 of 3 runners for yard and one to take seriously.

Form:

Helicon⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr H D O'Dwyer⁽⁴⁾| T: D A McLoughlin

100/1

Twice-raced maiden. Seventh of 9 in bumper at Down Royal (17f, soft, 28/1) 49 days ago.

Form: 57

Le Grand Peinture⁴⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Darragh Allen| T: M J Tynan

33/1

66/1, first run since leaving John Joseph Hanlon when third of 6 in bumper at Limerick (16f, heavy) 48 days ago.

Form: PP0-3

Little Eddie⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Finn Brickley⁽²⁾| T: L P Cusack

80/1

Once-raced maiden. Seventh of 9 in bumper at Limerick (18f, heavy, 50/1) on NH debut 47 days ago.

Form: 7

Ned In The Park⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr D Doyle⁽²⁾| T: T Doyle

6/1

Walk In The Park gelding. Dam unraced. 25/1, fourth of 7 in bumper at Fairyhouse (16f, heavy) on debut 43 days ago, travelling as well as any. Can do better.

Form: 4

Nelson Muntz⁶⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr A P Ryan| T: D H Kelly

50/1

Twice-raced maiden. 33/1, seventh of 10 in bumper at Navan (16f, heavy) 66 days ago.

Form: 0-7

Rodney⁴⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: P Hanlon⁽²⁾| T: J J Hanlon

50/1

Lightly-raced maiden who hinted at promise when sixth of 14 in novice at Limerick (19f, heavy, 25/1) on his hurdles bow 46 days ago. Switches from hurdles to bumpers.

Form: 8666

Dansanttothetune²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Ms J E Grant⁽⁴⁾| T: D M O'Brien

66/1

Twice-raced maiden. Seventh of 12 in bumper at Punchestown (16.2f, soft, 125/1) 29 days ago, needing stiffer test.

Form: 97

Foildarrig⁵⁵⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr J Younge⁽⁴⁾| T: J P Ryan

200/1

Once-raced maiden. 33/1, thirteenth of 14 in novice hurdle at Sligo (17.9f, good) on NH debut. Off 18 months. Makes bumpers debut.

Form: 0-

Forecasts

Coco Masterpiece (4/5), Ballygunner Castle (11/4), Fishery Lane (11/2), Ned In The Park (6/1), Le Grand Peinture (33/1), Nelson Muntz (50/1), Rodney (50/1), Dansanttothetune (66/1), Little Eddie (80/1), Helicon (100/1), Foildarrig (200/1)

This seems almost certain to go to one of the Willie Mullins' trio, with 7-y-o COCO MASTERPIECE preferred to Ballygunner Castle and Fishery Lane before market clues. Ned In The Park shaped well first time up at Fairyhouse and is the clear pick of those with bumper form.