16:23 Thurles

Thursday 22 February 2024

All13:5314:2314:5315:2315:5316:2316:53

Connolly's RED MILLS Ladies Handicap Hurdle (80-102)

Off time: 16:23 | Winning time: 4m 29.0s

Bloomhill¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Ms S Verling⁽⁷⁾| T: P Fenton| OR: 102

13/2

Lightly-raced maiden who failed to improve switched to a handicap when tenth of 16 at Fairyhouse (19.8f, heavy, 12/1) 15 days ago.

Form: 116-370

Star Official^p¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Miss G Benson⁽⁴⁾| T: R Donohoe| OR: 101| CD

5/1

C&D winner in October who again ran creditably when fourth of 10 in handicap hurdle at Naas (15.8f, heavy) 12 days ago. Cheekpieces on for 1st time over jumps. One to consider.

Form: 142454

Lake Chad⁵⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Ms H Phillips⁽⁷⁾| T: P Fenton| OR: 99| D

7/1

Followed a good run with a below-par one when seventh of 12 in handicap chase (12/1) at Leopardstown (21.3f, soft) 55 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Down in trip.

Form: 242327

Premier Queen¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Sarah Kavanagh⁽⁴⁾| T: Mrs P Dobbs| OR: 95| D

25/1

Struggling for form at present, beating only one home in 16-runner handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (19.8f, heavy, 22/1) 15 days ago.

Form: 0P-P8P0

The Virginian^t⁷⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Miss A B O'Connor| T: P Roche| OR: 92

9/1

Fair winner at 12f on flat. Sixth of 16 in handicap chase at Naas (16f, soft, 25/1) on debut over fences 70 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles.

Form: 00-5496

Joeswayornoway²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Miss C Butler⁽⁷⁾| T: E Sheehy| OR: 90| D

11/1

Unreliable individual. Twelfth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (16f, heavy, 10/1) 23 days ago.

Form: 65-0530

Queensteel⁷⁵¹

Age: 12| Weight: 11-2| J: Ms C L McGoldrick⁽⁷⁾| T: L Whitmore| OR: 90

28/1

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles. Tenth of 14 in handicap hurdle (25/1) at Limerick (21f, soft). Off over 2 years. Down in trip.

Form: P57150/

Port Rashid^p,t⁹

Age: 13| Weight: 11-1| J: Miss J Townend| T: T Townend| OR: 89| CD

15/2

C&D winner. Creditable fourth of 10 in handicap chase (11/1) at this course (16.3f, soft) 9 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Cheekpieces back on. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 9-52774

Smallcraftwarning^t¹³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Miss T Quail⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss E McCutcheon| OR: 88

40/1

33/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, again showed little when2 eleventh of 14 in handicap hurdle at Cork (19f, good to soft) 130 days ago.

Form: 8-479P0

Mullins Cross³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: Caragh Monaghan⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 87

8/1

Latest win in hurdle at Bangor in December. 25/1, tenth of 13 in handicap hurdle at Leicester (20.5f, heavy) 30 days ago.

Form: 245100

Navy Waves⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Miss A L Fitzgibbon⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs J Cashin| OR: 86| CD

12/1

Course winner. 16/1, ninth of 18 in handicap hurdle at this course (22.4f, soft) 9 days ago. Back down in trip.

Form: 000009

Robindevidastar^b⁴²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Miss J Walton⁽²⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 86

17/2

Latest win in hurdle at Downpatrick in August. Good second of 12 in handicap hurdle (11/2) at Clonmel (16.5f, heavy) 42 days ago. In the mix with a repeat.

Form: 510922

Future Proof^p³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-10| J: Anna McGuinness⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 84| D

11/1

Thirty two runs since last win in 2020 but took a step back in the right direction when sixth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (16.2f, soft, 14/1) 38 days ago. Merits consideration.

Form: 504066

Likable Chancer^b,t²³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-6| J: Miss L Costello⁽⁷⁾| T: D Howard| OR: 80

8/1

One win from 41 NH runs. 10/1, fifth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (16f, heavy) 23 days ago. Entitled to be sharper for the run.

Form: P22535

Forecasts

Star Official (5/1), Bloomhill (13/2), Lake Chad (7/1), Port Rashid (15/2), Likable Chancer (8/1), Mullins Cross (8/1), Robindevidastar (17/2), The Virginian (9/1), Joeswayornoway (11/1), Future Proof (11/1), Navy Waves (12/1), Premier Queen (25/1), Queensteel (28/1), Smallcraftwarning (40/1)

STAR OFFICIAL deserves full marks for consistency and could well be up to doubling his tally if the fitting of cheekpieces can eke out a bit of improvement. Veteran Port Rashid and Future Proof head the opposition.