15:25 Fairyhouse

Saturday 4 February 2017

All13:1013:4514:2014:5015:2516:0016:30

Coolmore Leading Light & Ocovango Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 15:27 | Winning time: 4m 12.6s

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Selected odds by:

Bleu Berry³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins

7/2

Looked held when falling at the last on sole start over hurdles at Clonmel in March, needs to jump better now but an obvious contender.

Form: 27F-111

Canadian Steel²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: D E Mullins| T: B R Hamilton

100/1

Beat a good distance in all three starts over hurdles to date and has a job on to be competitive in this.

Form: 12/3249-

Catch A Lucky Star³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: P D Kennedy⁽³⁾| T: M M McNiff

100/1

Very much up against on the evidence of first two runs over timber, including when soon beaten at Navan a fortnight ago

Form: 70090-0

Glenabo Bridge⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: B Browne⁽⁷⁾| T: O McKiernan| OR: 1

100/1

Point winner in February last but form in three starts over hurdles since returning to action has been mediocre.

Form:

Jack Dillinger³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: M A Enright| T: E P Harty

4/1

Improved effort second start over timber at Leopardstown last time over 2m4f, type to do better again.

Form: 2-2744U

Mistiness²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: B M Cash| T: K H Clarke

100/1

Has really struggled in two starts over flights thus far and impossible to see how he'll unearth dramatic improvement now.

Form: /-

The Comediologist^h1,t¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade

20/1

Very lightly raced six-year-old, entitled to come on from Leopardstown debut over timber last month where he showed some promise finishing sixth of 16 runners.

Form: 4-478

Bench Marker¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: J M Moore| T: P Nolan

100/1

Very modest efforts in a pair of maiden hurdles last month and possibly one to do better when going handicapping.

Form: 869PB0-

Chirico Vallis^h1⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: M P Walsh| T: G Elliott

4/5

Twice placed in big-field maiden hurdles before Christmas, that is form that will stand him in good stead now and tops the shortlist.

Form: 233R15

Cloudybackwest²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr R W Barron⁽⁷⁾| T: P Neville

100/1

Failed to make any impression in two maiden hurdle appearances either side of the New Year, best watched until there is some sign of progress.

Form: 075-

Jouxplane¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: D J Mullins| T: H De Bromhead

25/1

Sinndar gelding is well-enough bred for the task at hand and his trainer could not be in better form, should be closely watched in the betting for debut run.

Form: 070-0

Kilfenora¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: J S McGarvey| T: E P Harty

66/1

Form in pair of maiden hurdles before Christmas not exactly screaming of potential but remains one to respect for connections.

Form: 9

Knockmaole Boy^h¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott

12/1

Fairly useful on the Flat for Jim Culloty, makes hurdles debut here on first outing since joining leading jumps trainer and has potential.

Form: 25-

Muhaafiz²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: D F O'Regan| T: V T O'Brien

33/1

Good performer on the Flat, hasn't immediately taken to jumping but some hints of ability shown in two maiden hurdle runs.

Form:

William Tyndale^t²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Donagh Meyler⁽³⁾| T: K Thornton

100/1

Third appearance in quick succession and hasn't threatened in either start so far.

Form: 0

Broadway Babe⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Robbie Colgan| T: R Tyner

50/1

Mare was decent on the Flat without shedding maiden tag, she's been away from racecourse for more than four years and makes jumps bow here for new trainer.

Form: 1/0C

Get It Back⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Keith Donoghue| T: J Fogarty

100/1

Didn't live up to expectation in bumpers and has struggled in two starts over hurdles, this is unlikely to offer much relief.

Form: 700F69-

Ballykea Star²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: G N Fox| T: F J Flood

100/1

Mare was pulled up on sole point-to-point outing and has since joined this trainer ahead of rules bow.

Form: P038

Pyrford Pippin¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: M P Fogarty| T: P Nolan

100/1

Newcomer has some promising bloodlines and any market support would be worth noting.

Form: 007P-

Charle Brune^h1,t1¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Paul Townend| T: T Shanahan

33/1

Not an obvious newcomer laden with potential but promising jockey booking suggests he may have something to offer.

Form: 976

Django Du Pecos

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Brian Hayes| T: J E Kiely

50/1

Gelding has some decent form in his pedigree over jumps in native France, could go well on debut.

Form: 00-

Fair Play To You

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: L P Dempsey| T: J E Kiely

66/1

Another of the newcomers, trainer not noted in this sphere and likely to appreciate some obstacles in his way down the line.

Form: 00-

Jefferson Davis⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: B T O'Connell| T: E Doyle

66/1

Was making a better fist of things on second start over hurdles when unseated rider at Navan last month, can progress in this.

Form: /0U081-

Look Closer⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Rachael Blackmore⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Ellmarie Holden

50/1

Former winner on the Flat but hard to see him getting involved in the finish on the strength of two maiden hurdle runs last month.

Form: 00021-1

Northern Sky²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: J J Burke| T: A Keatley

66/1

Mid-division in Ballinrobe maiden hurdle over two-miles when last sighted in September, this looks tougher on paper.

Form:

Non-Runners

Harvey Wallbanger²⁸

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: J F Robinson J: Reserve 1

Steel Shadow⁷

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: N C Kelly J: Reserve 2

Wilton Star¹⁷

Weight: 11-4| Age: 5

T: P M Cloke J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Chirico Vallis (4/5), Bleu Berry (7/2), Jack Dillinger (4/1), Knockmaole Boy (12/1), The Comediologist (20/1), Jouxplane (25/1), Muhaafiz (33/1), Charle Brune (33/1), Look Closer (50/1), Django Du Pecos (50/1), Broadway Babe (50/1), Kilfenora (66/1), Jefferson Davis (66/1), Northern Sky (66/1), Fair Play To You (66/1), Wilton Star (66/1), Harvey Wallbanger (66/1), Steel Shadow (66/1), Cloudybackwest (100/1), Bench Marker (100/1), Canadian Steel (100/1), Glenabo Bridge (100/1), Ballykea Star (100/1), Catch A Lucky Star (100/1), William Tyndale (100/1), Pyrford Pippin (100/1), Mistiness (100/1), Get It Back (100/1)

A maximum entry but the chances are a lot of these are going to struggle to land a blow. Bleu Berry was perhaps just struggling to land a blow himself on his main rival when a hot favourite at Clonmel in March before he fell at the last. He'll need to have sharpened his jumping and is vulnerable. CHIRICO VALLIS has run with credit in two similar contests to this at Clonmel and Navan, he's given a chance to make it third time lucky in a field that lacks depth. Of those boasting experience, The Comediologist must have some chance after a decent start at Leopardstown. The newcomers are led by Knockmaole Boy and Jouxplane, whose trainer is in exceptionally good form. 1. Chirico Vallis 2. Bleu Berry 3. Jouxplane