15:05 Naas

Saturday 8 February 2025

All13:2013:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:50

Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:05 | Winning time: 3m 58.05s

Well Dressed¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Cian Cullinan| T: E & P Harty| OR: 122| D

2/1

Career best when winning 12-runner handicap hurdle (6/1) at Fairyhouse (16f, soft) 14 days ago, easily. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 442-701

Your Honor¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Peter Smithers| T: J Nash| OR: 119| D

12/1

33/1, fifth of 7 in handicap hurdle at Doncaster (19.4f, good to soft) 14 days ago. Has work to do.

Form: 19P0-75

Ballycallan King²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Sean Cleary-Farrell| T: Barry J Fitzgerald| OR: 115| D

66/1

Fourth of 5 in minor event hurdle at Clonmel (16.9f, soft, 50/1) 24 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 4510-F4

Ragmans Corner²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: T P Harney| T: G Keane| OR: 115| D

10/3

2 wins from 6 runs this season. Career best when winning 9-runner handicap hurdle at Punchestown (16.4f, soft, 11/4) 26 days ago, easily. Possibilities.

Form: 271621

Doctor Churchill^p³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Conor Smithers| T: P J Hayes| OR: 114| C| D

15/2

First run since leaving C. W. J. Farrell when improved to win 17-runner handicap hurdle at this course (18.9f, heavy, 28/1) 34 days ago, kept up to work. This is more demanding.

Form: P7/084-1

Miss Gherkin⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: H E Sexton| T: P Croke| OR: 113| D

11/1

Good fifth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Thurles (16.1f, good, 18/1) 49 days ago. Merits consideration.

Form: 259255

Bynx²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: R A Berry⁽²⁾| T: M Hassett| OR: 108

40/1

50/1, sixth of 9 in handicap hurdle at Cork (20f, soft) 22 days ago. Back down in trip and she needs to raise her game.

Form: 01U-0P6

Fairyland Opera^t³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Conor Clarke| T: L Fowler| OR: 106

9/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 40/1, eighth of 21 in novice hurdle at this course (16f, heavy) 34 days ago. Open to progress now handicapping.

Form: 8-038

Duke Of Leggagh^t¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Patrick M O'Brien| T: M Mulvany| OR: 105

11/1

Lightly-raced maiden over hurdles. Fairly useful winner at 10f on the Flat. Creditable 14 lengths third of 12 to Well Dressed in handicap hurdle (12/1) at Fairyhouse (16f, soft) 14 days ago.

Form: 7503

The Truant¹³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: Ben Kennedy⁽²⁾| T: P W Flynn| OR: 103

28/1

Eleventh of 14 in handicap at Listowel (14.2f, good to soft, 9/1). Switches from Flat to hurdles. Respectable on last hurdle run. Can give a good account without posing serious threat to principals.

Form: 9-13027

Mercury Mission^p²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Paddy Hanlon| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 102

11/2

Creditable fifth of 16 in handicap hurdle (13/2) at Punchestown (20.6f, heavy) 27 days ago, not ideally placed. Back down in trip and can make his presence felt.

Form: 805F35

Non-Runners

Master Otis⁹⁷

Weight: 11-1| Age: 6

T: T Mullins J: Niall Moore

Forecasts

Well Dressed (2/1), Ragmans Corner (10/3), Mercury Mission (11/2), Doctor Churchill (15/2), Fairyland Opera (9/1), Duke Of Leggagh (11/1), Miss Gherkin (11/1), Your Honor (12/1), Master Otis (20/1), The Truant (28/1), Bynx (40/1), Ballycallan King (66/1)

The vote goes to WELL DRESSED, who opened her account in good style in a Fairyhouse handicap a fortnight ago and while this 12 lb higher mark won't be easy to overcome, she is nevertheless expected to rise to the challenge. Fairyland Opera is a likely improver now pitched into a handicap and she is second choice ahead of Ragmans Corner.