15:30 Leopardstown

Monday 4 March 2024

All14:2515:0015:3016:0016:3017:0517:35

QuinnBet Mares Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:31 | Winning time: 5m 33.70s

Champella³⁵⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: T P Harney⁽⁷⁾| T: R O'Sullivan| OR: 116| D

22/1

Latest win in hurdle at Wexford in October 2022. Below form sixth of 11 in handicap hurdle at Thurles (24f, heavy, 9/2). Off 11 months. Claims if ready to roll.

Form: 313156-

Optional Mix^t⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Shane O'Callaghan⁽⁵⁾| T: E Doyle| OR: 116| D

28/1

Thirteenth of 16 in handicap hurdle (50/1) at Naas (15.6f, heavy) 8 days ago. Back up in trip.

Form: 268630

Bella Bliss^t¹²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Brian Hayes| T: J C McConnell| OR: 113

40/1

3 wins from 9 runs this season. Fairly useful winner at 23f in chases. 15/2, below form twelfth of 19 in handicap chase at Cheltenham (25f, good to soft) 129 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles.

Form: 011230

Malina Girl²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Conor Stone-Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 113| D

9/4

Smart chaser. Respectable 7½ lengths second of 5 to Carole's Pass in listed chase at Exeter (24.2f, heavy, 7/2) 22 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Has a much lower mark in this sphere. Gets the vote.

Form: P-01F72

Bestaline^p¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 111

12/1

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, good third of 19 in handicap hurdle at Gowran (20.1f, heavy, 22/1) 16 days ago. Looks competitive on form.

Form: 399333

Doyenna⁶⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: J J Slevin| T: L Fowler| OR: 106

10/1

Shaped better than the result when tenth of 21 in C&D handicap hurdle (50/1) 67 days ago, still plenty to do 2 out and not knocked about. No surprise to see her go well.

Form: 185-P60

Ballycashin^h¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Danny Mullins| T: A Mullins| OR: 103

9/2

Eleven runs since last win in 2022. Creditable fifth of 12 in handicap hurdle (11/1) at Punchestown (22.8f, heavy) 15 days ago.

Form: 874P55

Circus Act^b¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁵⁾| T: J Nash| OR: 100

9/1

13/2 and blinkers on for 1st time in this code, respectable eighth of 14 in handicap at Dundalk (16f) 19 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Good on last hurdle run.

Form: 45-7802

Pipers Boreen^p²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: C P McNamara| T: S Nolan| OR: 100

7/1

Career best when winning 9-runner handicap hurdle (6/1) at Punchestown (23.7f, soft) 28 days ago, rallying. Should remain competitive up 8 lb.

Form: 200821

Lovely Reaction⁶³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Mark Walsh| T: T Mullins| OR: 97

6/1

Respectable sixth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (20.6f, heavy, 5/1) 63 days ago.

Form: 1P3-446

Magic Conqueror¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Alan O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: M Kennedy| OR: 95

18/1

Pulled up in handicap hurdle (7/1) at Clonmel (18.9f, heavy) 18 days ago, pulled up before last. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 20-223P

Blossom De Mai^p,t1⁵³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Conor Owens⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 86

18/1

Won on Tramore reappearance in November. Fair fifth at Navan next time but ran no sort of race when pulled up at Clonmel (20f, heavy) 53 days ago. Has a tongue strap added on the back of that.

Form: 700-15P

Non-Runners

Game And Glory⁵⁰

Weight: 10-6| Age: 8

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

Forecasts

Malina Girl (9/4), Ballycashin (9/2), Lovely Reaction (6/1), Pipers Boreen (7/1), Circus Act (9/1), Doyenna (10/1), Bestaline (12/1), Blossom De Mai (18/1), Magic Conqueror (18/1), Champella (22/1), Optional Mix (28/1), Game And Glory (33/1), Bella Bliss (40/1)

MALINA GIRL might have needed her first outing for 6 months when only mid-division over hurdles at Punchestown back in October and is given another chance off what could be a lenient mark in this sphere judged on her smart chase form. Bestaline has been third in her last 3 handicaps and should figure again, while Doyenna is an interesting runner after catching the eye here last time.