Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Chase

4YO plus | 3m 90y | Good to Yielding | 7 Runners | Turf

Ceroc^b,t¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Eoin Staples⁽²⁾| T: A Slattery| OR: 109| D

Moody sort who snapped a long losing run in 5-runner event at Wexford in July by 11 lengths from Dorans Law. Creditable placed efforts on both subsequent starts so should be in the shake-up again provided he's on his best behaviour.

Form: 6-2P132

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Ad Caelum^t¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Alan O'Sullivan⁽²⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 98| D

10/1

Fairly useful hurdler, landing a Kilbeggan handicap (3m) in June. However, she's still looking for a first win over fences and there's been little in her recent performances in this sphere to suggest one is imminent. Significantly back up in trip.

Form: 5PP5P4

Schiehallion^v²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: Alix Balfe⁽⁴⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 96| D

4/1

Matched the pick of his hurdling efforts as he finally got off the mark in good style in 14-runner handicap at Downpatrick (3m, good to soft) last month, drawing clear before last and just kept up to work. 8 lb higher here but the manner of that success suggested he can follow up.

Form: P5P041

Andyourbirdcansing¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: Michael Kenneally| T: J P Ryan| OR: 90

14/1

Took advantage of reduced mark over hurdles in July before bounced back to form when winning 21f handicap chase at Sligo in late-September. Merely underlined inconsistency back hurdling there 11 days ago and she's not one to trust.

Form: 510017

Mistyburn^p,t⁵³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Ross Sugrue⁽⁴⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 88| D

3/1

Fortunate winner of Kilbeggan handicap hurdle in April but produced his best effort to date over fences when coming from a long way back to finish third of 18 in handicap at Galway in early-August. Placed again at Ballinrobe since and he's getting the hang of chasing now.

Form: 31-6632

Hit The Frame^b,t¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-1| J: Patrick M O'Brien| T: J P Flavin| OR: 84

13/2

Wexford chase winner last season but has largely struggled since, most recently when tailed off at Clonmel 12 days ago.

Form: 4F7-4U9

Urbs Intacta Manet^p³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Jordan Canavan⁽⁴⁾| T: J P Flavin| OR: 78

7/2

First form when mid-field in a Ballinrobe handicap hurdle in August and left his chasing debut effort well behind when third of 15 in handicap chase at Killarney (23f, good to soft) last month, likely to have finished even closer but for a mistake 2 out. 5 lb out of the weights here.

Form: 06-0883

Forecasts

Schiehallion (1/1), Ceroc (4/1), Urbs Intacta Manet (7/1), Mistyburn (8/1), Andyourbirdcansing (10/1), Ad Caelum (12/1), Hit The Frame (16/1)

He may have taken a long time to get off the mark, but the manner of his recent Downpatrick win suggests SCHIEHALLION can make light of an 8 lb rise and go back-to-back. The enigmatic Ceroc has found some consistency of late, so he's put forward as the main danger back up in trip, with Mistyburn completing the shortlist.