12:02 Navan

Sunday 15 December 2024

All12:0212:3513:1013:4514:2014:5515:25

Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Hurdle (80-116)

Off time: 12:03 | Winning time: 4m 2.7s

Brave Troop¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: J Smith⁽⁷⁾| T: C Byrnes| OR: 111| C| D

13/8

Promising type. First run since leaving A. McIntyre when career best when winning 18-runner handicap hurdle at Thurles (16.2f, good, 11/4) 17 days ago, plenty in hand. Should progress.

Form: 007/F-1

Portnacoo⁶⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: T P Harney⁽⁷⁾| T: R O'Sullivan| OR: 110

4/1

3 wins from 5 runs this season. 9/4, career best when winning 7-runner handicap hurdle at Downpatrick (17.3f, good to soft) 65 days ago, pushed out. First run for yard after leaving Harry Smyth.

Form: 9-65111

Doctor Nightingale¹⁸⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Cian Cullinan⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Hayes| OR: 109| D

66/1

Winner in hurdle at Limerick in April. Unseated rider in claiming hurdle (28/1) at Sligo (18.4f, good to soft). Off 6 months. First run for yard after leaving Gordon Elliott. Others more persuasive.

Form: 861-69U

Lady Bresil²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 109| D

11/2

Lightly-raced winner under NH rules. 7/2, good third of 8 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (16.8f, good to soft) 21 days ago. Considered.

Form: 0/41-3

Luimneach^h³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Mark Walsh| T: D McDonogh| OR: 109| D

8/1

Unable to recover from blunder 2 out when ninth of 12 in handicap hurdle (6/1) at Punchestown (15.5f, good to soft) 30 days ago. Posted good placed efforts prior to that. Respected.

Form: 58/5239

Lygon Lad¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Sam Ewing| T: G Elliott| OR: 109

18/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Fifth of 18 in novice hurdle at Clonmel (19.4f, soft, 14/1) 12 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Should have more to offer for top yard.

Form: 735

Cozone^t¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Keith Donoghue| T: M J Smith| OR: 107| D

25/1

28/1, twentieth of 24 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (20.2f, good) 15 days ago. Back down in trip.

Form: 073270

Torquay Road¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: B W Harvey| T: C Collins| OR: 107

66/1

Twenty third of 24 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (20.2f, good, 40/1) 15 days ago. Back down in trip.

Form: 515000

Aine's Lad^h,t²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Danny Gilligan| T: M J Smith| OR: 106

28/1

20/1, eleventh of 19 in handicap hurdle at this course (20.2f, good to soft) 29 days ago. Back down in trip. Easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 5-44340

Mary's Pride¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Kieren Buckley| T: E Cawley| OR: 104| D

40/1

Latest win in hurdle at Tipperary in July. 40/1, twenty first of 24 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (20.2f, good) 15 days ago. Back down in trip.

Form: 140900

Nathaniel's Dream^t⁷⁶³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: D King| T: A J Martin| OR: 97

66/1

Winner in hurdle at Galway in July 2022. 12/1, respectable seventh of 22 in handicap hurdle at this course (22f, soft), needing stiffer test. Off over 2 years. Can only watch after such a long time off.

Form: 24P517/

Prince Quattro^p¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-3| J: P Hanlon⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 88| D

5/1

Winner in hurdle at Limerick in November. Good 5¾ lengths third of 18 to Brave Troop in handicap hurdle (4/1) at Thurles (16.2f, good) 17 days ago. Enters calculations.

Form: 5-93813

Drum Roll⁵⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Jordan Gainford| T: P Nolan| OR: 87

100/1

Fourteenth of 17 in handicap at the Curragh (10f, soft, 50/1) on IRE flat debut 54 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Poor on last hurdle outing. Plenty to find on form.

Form: 7U8-7P0

Forecasts

Brave Troop (13/8), Portnacoo (4/1), Prince Quattro (5/1), Lady Bresil (11/2), Luimneach (8/1), Lygon Lad (18/1), Cozone (25/1), Aine's Lad (28/1), Mary's Pride (40/1), Doctor Nightingale (66/1), Torquay Road (66/1), Nathaniel's Dream (66/1), Drum Roll (100/1)

BRAVE TROOP had any amount in hand when making successful handicap hurdle debut for new trainer Charles Byrnes at Thurles and even a 16 lb rise doesn't look enough to stop him with further improvement likely. Second choice is Luimneach who had an excuse at Punchestown last time and had been in good form prior to that. Lady Bresil and Gordon Elliott handicap newcomer Lygon Lad complete the shortlist.