14:00 Leopardstown

Sunday 12 February 2017

All13:3014:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:3017:00

1888 Restaurant Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:01 | Winning time: 4m 4.4s

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Selected odds by:

Jeannot De Nonant¹⁵⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: J W Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 138

25/1

Picked up some valuable prizes in France last year over hurdles, making first appearance for this trainer / in Ireland and, while handicap mark makes it tough, would be noted if the money goes down.

Form: 4P0738-

Velvet Maker³³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: D F O'Regan| T: A Fleming| OR: 130

8/1

Not run since the Grand Annual at Cheltenham last spring, switches back to hurdles having been chasing. Novice form over timber merits plenty respect off this rating if fit enough to do it justice.

Form: 1320/30-

Conright Boy^h,t⁴²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: P E Corbett⁽³⁾| T: Mrs C O'Leary| OR: 127

10/1

By no means a reliable performer but won a Fairyhouse handicap hurdle over two-miles in good style on New Year's Day, up 6lb for that but remains dangerous if in the same mood.

Form: 61U14-P

Grand Partner²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: D E Mullins| T: T Mullins| OR: 125

14/1

May have needed the run in Coral Hurdle over two-miles here last month after a break, this is much less taxing on paper and should be respected.

Form: 013280-

Joshua Lane⁶³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: M P Walsh| T: E P Harty| OR: 125

13/2

Not a frequent winner over timber and seems likely to be held by the handicapper on current mark.

Form: 553220

Sound Money^h1⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: R C Colgan| T: E J O'Grady| OR: 126

16/1

Just the one success from six starts over hurdles, well held over this C&D at Christmas and is only due 2lb relief from the assessor.

Form: 6-4124

Alamein^p,t²⁶⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Rachael Blackmore⁽⁵⁾| T: M F Morris| OR: 123

11/1

Off some eight months ahead of handicap hurdle debut, form over timber would give him a squeak if fitness doesn't catch him out.

Form: 41-U371

Lagostovegas¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: S W Flanagan| T: D H Kelly| OR: 124

11/2

Consistent performer, just denied at Naas over two-miles late last month. Up 4lb but also ran well this C&D in December.

Form: P3/P624-

Voices Of Spring^h⁴⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: J S McGarvey| T: A J Martin| OR: 121

8/1

Out of form this track over 2m4f at Christmas but previous run over this trip in valuable Fairyhouse handicap hurdle would make him a notable. Trainer is going well and connections command respect.

Form: 1/05406-

Canelie³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: B J Geraghty| T: G Elliott| OR: 121

5/1

Knocking on the door all three starts over flights, second of 19 at Cork over this trip early last month. Owner's retained rider had three to choose from and choose this potentially improving mare.

Form: 221111-

Dragon Fei⁸⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: C D Maxwell| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 118

33/1

Haven't really seen his best work over jumps, though did win maiden over two-miles at Tipperary in October 2015. Last seen out of form on Flat in November, others make more appeal.

Form: 155-U

Dandridge^t⁴⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: D Meyler⁽³⁾| T: A L T Moore| OR: 113

6/1

Appears to be a better chaser than he is a hurdler, going well over the larger obstacles in recent outings and would be a threat should he transfer that with lower rating in play.

Form: 122-945

The Mooch⁵⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 9-10| J: J M Moore| T: P Nolan| OR: 105

25/1

Ran well for a long way at Tramore in December over 2m5f before backing out of it and pulled up. Drop in trip helps but form says more needed.

Form: PP0464-

Non-Runners

Runyon Rattler²²

Weight: 9-13| Age: 7

T: P J Rothwell J: A Ring

Forecasts

Canelie (5/1), Lagostovegas (11/2), Dandridge (6/1), Joshua Lane (13/2), Velvet Maker (8/1), Voices Of Spring (8/1), Conright Boy (10/1), Alamein (11/1), Grand Partner (14/1), Sound Money (16/1), Runyon Rattler (16/1), Jeannot De Nonant (25/1), The Mooch (25/1), Dragon Fei (33/1)

Velvet Maker hasn't been seen since the Cheltenham Festival and is intriguing now switched back to hurdling but fitness must be of some concern. Any market support for French import Jeannot De Nonant would be worth noting while Grand Partner should find this task more to his liking than last month's very hot handicap. The mare Canelie is the chosen mount for JP McManus' retained rider and has run with credit all three hurdles starts ahead of this handicap debut but LAGOSTOVEGAS went mightily close over this trip at Naas last month and the winner has since scored again off his new mark. He is game and can take this prize having run well over C&D previously. Dandridge is well treated for this return to hurdles, but the suspicion lingers that he's better over a fence. 1. Lagostovegas 2. Canelie 3. Velvet Maker