12:50 Leopardstown

Saturday 28 December 2024

All12:2012:5013:2014:0014:3515:0515:40

Mercedes Benz South Dublin Handicap Hurdle (80-116)

Off time: 12:50 | Winning time: 4m 57.6s

Cave Court⁹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr O McGill⁽⁷⁾| T: N C Kelly| OR: 115| D

14/1

1 win from 3 runs this season. Latest win in hurdle at Ballinrobe in July. 6/1, last of 7 in handicap hurdle at Perth (16.2f, soft) 94 days ago. Back up in trip. Merits consideration.

Form: B00-177

Heliko Conti²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: P Nolan| OR: 114

16/1

Eleven runs since last win in 2023. 16/1, below form eleventh of 24 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (20.2f, good) 28 days ago. Looks competitive on form.

Form: 2680-60

Starman^h¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: A McCann| OR: 112| D

80/1

33/1, seventh of 10 in handicap chase at Navan (16f, good to soft) 13 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Back up in trip. Others more persuasive.

Form: 43-4657

Pax^t1³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Mark Walsh| T: Colm Murphy| OR: 111

25/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Pulled up in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (19.4f, soft, 16/1) 35 days ago, pulled up before last. Tongue strap on 1st time.

Form: 8640-P

Grappa Nonino^p³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Jordan Gainford| T: D K Weld| OR: 109

50/1

Thirteenth of 19 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (19.4f, soft, 22/1) 35 days ago. Others have achieved more.

Form: 0015/0-0

His Nibs¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 109

5/1

Below form fifth of 18 in novice hurdle (4/1) at Cork (16.2f, soft) 15 days ago, unable to sustain effort. Up in trip. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Should progress.

Form: 33-3075

Jolie Jewel^h⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Jake Coen⁽³⁾| T: B McMahon| OR: 109

9/1

Winner in hurdle at Cork in May. Creditable third of 19 in handicap hurdle (14/1) at Navan (20.2f, good to soft) 42 days ago, running on.

Form: 0-15503

Penny Jar^p,t⁴¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Patrick M O'Brien⁽⁷⁾| T: P Downey| OR: 108| D

25/1

14/1, below form fifteenth of 23 in handicap hurdle at Navan (22.4f, good to soft) 41 days ago.

Form: 4F-5720

Swelltime⁷²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Carl Millar⁽⁵⁾| T: W J O'Doherty| OR: 107| D

50/1

Latest win in hurdle at Killarney in August. Sixteenth of 19 in handicap at the Curragh (14f, good to soft, 125/1) 72 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Poor on last hurdle run.

Form: 908410

Winding River^b,t²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Phillip Enright| T: O McKiernan| OR: 107

14/1

Latest win in chase at Clonmel in October. Good second of 13 in handicap chase (10/1) at Thurles (18.3f, good to soft) 29 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles.

Form: 262152

Cozone^t¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: J Smith⁽⁷⁾| T: M J Smith| OR: 106| D

25/1

25/1, tenth of 13 in handicap hurdle at Navan (16f, good to soft) 13 days ago. Back up in trip.

Form: 732700

Down Around^p²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Tiernan Power Roche⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 106| D

12/1

7/2, career best when winning 15-runner handicap hurdle at Thurles (20.2f, good to soft) 29 days ago, always holding on. Should remain competitive up 7 lb.

Form: P-69021

Portarlington^p,t¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr J H Williamson⁽⁷⁾| T: Ian Donoghue| OR: 106| D

7/1

3 wins from 8 runs this season. 6/5, career best when winning 12-runner handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (20f, good to soft) 14 days ago, kept up to work. Can make presence felt.

Form: 058111

Stay Gold³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: L A McKenna⁽⁵⁾| T: Colm Murphy| OR: 106

6/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Good fifth of 19 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (19.4f, soft, 8/1) 35 days ago. Should have more to offer.

Form: 7645

Lady Rose Hackett^h,t1²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 105

12/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. 13/2 and hooded for 1st time, creditable fourth of 18 in maiden hurdle at Clonmel (19.4f, soft) 25 days ago. Tongue strap on 1st time. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Interesting runner.

Form: 15-324

Voice Of Reason²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: P Cleary⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 105

80/1

28/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, last of 18 in handicap hurdle at Cork (20f, soft) 20 days ago. Trainer going well.

Form: 605300

Giant Haystacks²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: T P Harney⁽⁷⁾| T: R O'Sullivan| OR: 104| BF

15/2

Lightly-raced maiden. 4/6, creditable second of 14 in novice hurdle at Clonmel (16.4f, soft) 25 days ago, running on. Up in trip.

Form: 55-0342

Useta Lover⁴⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: S Fitzgerald| T: Colm Murphy| OR: 101

40/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 14/1, 19 lengths eleventh of 14 to Portarlington in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (20.2f, good) 46 days ago, unsuited by way race developed.

Form: 0-670

Aurea Fortuna¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: D King| T: A J Martin| OR: 99

17/2

Fair maiden hurdler/chaser. Good second of 19 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (23.8f, soft, 9/2) 18 days ago, no match for winner.

Form: 086542

Freddie Robdal^t³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 99

25/1

17/2, creditable fourth of 8 in handicap chase at Thurles (16.6f, good) 37 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Up in trip. Should continue to give a good account.

Form: 441564

Dragon's Pass^b¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: Danny Gilligan| T: Mrs D Foster| OR: 94| D

80/1

Bit below form 25 lengths seventh of 12 to Portarlington in handicap hurdle (14/1) at Fairyhouse (20f, good to soft) 14 days ago. Blinkers back on.

Form: 0799-97

Ladiam¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Donagh Meyler| T: N Lee| OR: 94

33/1

50/1, good 12½ lengths third of 12 to Portarlington in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (20f, good to soft) 14 days ago.

Form: 25-70P3

Cruisin Susan³²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-4| J: Mr J P Berry⁽⁷⁾| T: J A Berry| OR: 91| D

66/1

Below form eighth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Tramore (21f, heavy, 28/1) 32 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 963508

Non-Runners

Arch Enemy²

Weight: 11-3| Age: 5

T: P Magee J: E Walsh

Whatsyourstatus¹³

Weight: 10-10| Age: 11

T: G O'Loughlin J: Non Runner

Doyen For A Drink¹

Weight: 10-8| Age: 7

T: Gerard O'Leary J: Thomas O'Connor

Rideau Canal¹⁸

Weight: 10-0| Age: 9

T: Mrs D Foster J: M M McDonagh

Forecasts

His Nibs (5/1), Stay Gold (6/1), Portarlington (7/1), Giant Haystacks (15/2), Arch Enemy (8/1), Aurea Fortuna (17/2), Jolie Jewel (9/1), Down Around (12/1), Lady Rose Hackett (12/1), Doyen For A Drink (12/1), Cave Court (14/1), Winding River (14/1), Heliko Conti (16/1), Cozone (25/1), Pax (25/1), Freddie Robdal (25/1), Penny Jar (25/1), Whatsyourstatus (25/1), Ladiam (33/1), Rideau Canal (33/1), Useta Lover (40/1), Swelltime (50/1), Grappa Nonino (50/1), Cruisin Susan (66/1), Voice Of Reason (80/1), Dragon's Pass (80/1), Starman (80/1)

A chance is taken on handicap newcomer LADY ROSE HACKETT for last year's winning trainer/jockey combination of Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore. His Nibbs is another who appeals as a likely improver in handicaps and also makes the shortlist along with the thriving Portarlington and the other de Bromhead runner Freddie Robdal.