Clonmel Oil Chase (Grade 2)

Off time: 14:40 | Winning time: 5m 7.00s

Saint Sam^h⁵⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 157| D

6/4

High-class chaser. Didn't need to be at best when winning 12-runner minor event hurdle at Auteuil (17.9f, soft, 2/1) 54 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 1P6-211

Bronn²⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: T Gibney| OR: 150| D

33/1

Useful hurdler. 16/1, pulled up in handicap chase at Naas (24.8f, heavy), tailed off when pulled up seventh. Off 8 months. First run for yard after leaving W. P. Mullins.

Form: 33/44PP-

Fakir D'Oudairies^t⁴³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: Mark Walsh| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 156| CD

10/3

Smart chaser. C&D winner. Tongue strap on for 1st time, below form seventh of 17 in handicap chase (20/1) at Listowel (23.8f, soft) 43 days ago, not knocked about. Caught the eye last time and is a definite player on form.

Form: 132/50-7

Fil Dor^t¹⁹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 149

11/2

Very smart chaser. Pulled up in William Hill Champion Chase (20/1) at Punchestown (16.4f, good to soft) won by Banbridge, outpaced from some way out. Off 6 months. Has the quality to get involved if he's back on track.

Form: 6/2273P-

Solness^p,t¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Danny Mullins| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 154| D

9/4

Smart chaser. Much improved when winning 3-runner minor event hurdle (10/11) at Sligo (17.8f, good to soft) 13 days ago, unchallenged. Switches from hurdles to chase. Deserves plenty of respect.

Form: 304-011

Influential Lady¹⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 10-10| J: Donagh Meyler| T: J Barcoe| OR: 103| D

300/1

Fair hurdler. Tenth of 11 in minor event at the Curragh (12f, soft, 150/1) 16 days ago, ridden too aggressively. Switches from Flat to chase. Poor on last hurdle run. Up against it.

Form: 631-070

Forecasts

Saint Sam (6/4), Solness (9/4), Fakir D'Oudairies (10/3), Fil Dor (11/2), Bronn (33/1), Influential Lady (300/1)

SAINT SAM looked as good as ever over fences in the summer and completed a straightforward task over hurdles in France last time, so he's the obvious one back in this sphere. Fakir d'Oudairies and Fil Dor both have the ability to trouble him if right on their game.