18:48 Clonmel

Thursday 15 May 2025

All17:1017:4518:1818:4819:1819:4820:18

Talbot Hotel Clonmel Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 18:50 | Winning time: 4m 42.40s

Answering⁴⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr D Doyle⁽⁷⁾| T: T Doyle| OR: 109

25/1

Fell in novice chase at this course (16.4f, good to soft, 33/1) 49 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles and he wouldn't be without each-way hope if on-song.

Form: 8/6000F-

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Duke Otto⁴⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Peter Smithers⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Flynn| OR: 108

8/1

8/1, eleventh of 13 in handicap on the Flat at Dundalk (2m) 48 days ago. Produced a career best when winning on latest outing in this sphere at Wexford (2m, good to soft) in March and, with a 4 lb rise fair, he has to enter calculations.

Form: 0/02351-

Qaasid²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Paddy Hanlon⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 105

9/1

Highly promising type. Useful winner at 11f on the Flat. Below form ninth of 18 in novice hurdle at Cork (24f, good to soft, 11/1) 24 days ago but has the look of a major improvement now pitched into a handicap in this sphere.

Form: U649-

Walk Away Harry^p,t⁷⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Gavin Brouder⁽³⁾| T: Ian O'Connor| OR: 104

6/1

Below form ninth of 15 in handicap hurdle at this course (18.9f, heavy, 7/1) 77 days ago, better placed than most. Cheekpieces and tongue strap now refitted and would have a chance if he puts his best foot forward.

Form: 698049-

Story Rory^p1,t⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-5| J: Phillip Enright| T: Brendan Walsh| OR: 102

66/1

Last of 13 in handicap hurdle (80/1) at Cork (20f, good) 5 days ago. Cheekpieces on for 1st time.

Form: 80FP0-0

Colleen Danu^t1¹⁵⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Simon Torrens| T: P T Foley| OR: 101| BF| D

6/1

One win from 3 runs last season. Successful at Gowran in November. 11/2, below form eleventh of 22 in handicap hurdle at Cork (20f, soft) 158 days ago, finding little. Tongue strap on 1st time.

Form: 000/610-

Order Of The Dance^p1²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: E J O'Grady| OR: 99

3/1

Lightly-raced maiden under Rules. 16/1, second of 14 in handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan (15.5f, good) 21 days ago. Up in trip and cheekpieces on 1st time, this 5-y-o looks a serious contender.

Form: 90802-

Mega Speculator²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Niall Moore⁽⁵⁾| T: M A Gunn| OR: 94

28/1

Ninth of 13 in novice hurdle (33/1) at this course (19.9f, good) 28 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Others more persuasive.

Form: 0/06P59-

Zolpharine⁷⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: J P Ryan| OR: 89

4/1

One win from 23 NH runs. Nineteen runs since last win in 2023. 9/1, fell in handicap chase at this course (23f, heavy) 77 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Others preferred.

Form: 76075F-

Jekiki^t⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: R Deegan| T: E McCarthy| OR: 88

20/1

Tongue strap on for 1st time, tenth of 16 in handicap hurdle (50/1) at Limerick (19f, good) 44 days ago.

Form: 37/9800-

Chapter Thirty^h1²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-4| J: Gary Noonan⁽⁵⁾| T: E McCarthy| OR: 87

100/1

Lightly-raced maiden under Rules. 100/1, last of 11 in handicap hurdle at this course (17f, good) 28 days ago. Hood on 1st time.

Form: 00400-

Spellacy's Cross⁶³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: K Callaghan⁽⁵⁾| T: J Barcoe| OR: 83| BF

6/1

10/3, pulled up in handicap chase at Limerick (22.8f, good to soft) 63 days ago, pulled up before 2 out. Was knocking on the door prior to that (including in this sphere) and he's an each-way player.

Form: PP332P-

Forecasts

Order Of The Dance (3/1), Zolpharine (4/1), Colleen Danu (6/1), Spellacy's Cross (6/1), Walk Away Harry (6/1), Duke Otto (8/1), Qaasid (9/1), Jekiki (20/1), Answering (25/1), Mega Speculator (28/1), Story Rory (66/1), Chapter Thirty (100/1)

QAASID hasn't set the world alight in a handful of maiden hurdles but, given his useful Flat, it's not hard to envisage this 7-y-o taking a big step forward on his handicap debut in this sphere, off what could turn out to be a very lenient mark. It'll be no easy ride, though, particularly if Order of The Dance is able to build on the improvement he showed on his first run in a handicap at Kilbeggan three weeks ago. Duke Otto and Spellacy's Cross complete the shortlist.