12:10 Leopardstown

Sunday 29 December 2024

All12:1012:4513:2013:5514:3015:0515:40

Grant Fit Out Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 12:10 | Winning time: 4m 53.20s

Argento Boy³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| BF

8/13

Winner in bumper at Fairyhouse in January. Shaped with plenty of encouragement on hurdling debut when second of 12 in maiden at Punchestown (21.7f, good to soft, 11/10) 5 weeks ago, clear of rest. Winner that day has won a Grade 2 novice since, so he's strongly fancied to go one better.

Form: 106-2

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Bossofthebrownies³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: M F Morris| OR: 116

14/1

Made a satisfactory return to action after 10 months off when second of 8 in maiden hurdle (4/1) at Thurles (22.9f, good to soft) 30 days ago.

Form: 933-2

Harbour Highway^t²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Mark Walsh| T: E Mullins| BF

20/1

Bumper winner. 11/4 and tongue strap on for 1st time, failed to meet expectations when ninth of 25 in maiden at Fairyhouse (16f, good) on hurdles bow 29 days ago. Up in trip. Clearly thought capable of better.

Form: 110-9

I Am Lorenzo⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell| BF

9/1

2/1, improved on debut form from 10 months earlier upped markedly in trip when second of 7 in maiden hurdle at Galway (21.4f, heavy) 9 weeks ago, clear of rest. He's a useful stayer in the making.

Form: 6-2

Jocker Du Moulin²³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Jordan Gainford| T: G Elliott

100/1

Went backwards from hurdling bow when pulled up in novice hurdle (33/1) at Killarney (17f, good to soft) when last seen 7 months ago. Faces another struggle.

Form: 39-P

Minella Post¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Kieren Buckley| T: T Gibney

12/1

Placed both starts in bumpers. Promise when never-nearer fifth of 19 in maiden at Punchestown (19.1f, soft, 50/1) on hurdles bow 19 days ago.

Form: PU23-35

Port Joulain¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| BF

14/1

Useful winner at 18f in bumpers. Evens, suffered overreach when pulled up in maiden at Punchestown (16.6f, soft) on hurdles bow 19 days ago. Up in trip. Remains with potential.

Form: 110-P

Slieve Annilog²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: O R Brown⁽⁵⁾| T: R Dunne

150/1

Mount Nelson gelding. Dam unraced half-sister to fairly useful hurdler/useful chaser (stayed 2½m) Rinroe. Off mark in points at third attempt (Dec 1). Faces a stiff task first time up.

Form: 84-1

The Enabler²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Sam Ewing| T: G Elliott

4/1

Fairly useful hurdler. Improved when second of 25 in maiden hurdle at Navan (16f, soft, 9/2) just over 3 weeks ago, giving an exciting prospect a real scare. Back up in trip. Likely to continue in form.

Form: 115-2P2

Weston⁸⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Ricky Doyle| T: H Rogers

80/1

Useful handicapper on Flat (stays 2½m) but faces a stiff task in this field on hurdling debut.

Form:

Forecasts

Argento Boy (8/13), The Enabler (4/1), I Am Lorenzo (9/1), Minella Post (12/1), Port Joulain (14/1), Bossofthebrownies (14/1), Harbour Highway (20/1), Weston (80/1), Jocker Du Moulin (100/1), Slieve Annilog (150/1)

Willie Mullins took this last year with the outstanding Ballyburn and he can repeat the trick with ARGENTO BOY, who shaped with plenty of encouragement when runner-up on hurdling debut at Punchestown 5 weeks ago. The main danger may emerge from The Enabler, who took his form up a notch when second in a big-field maiden at Navan earlier this month, with I Am Lorenzo and Harbour Highway another couple fancied to be involved, too.