14:15 Clonmel

Thursday 2 March 2017

All14:1514:4515:1515:5016:2517:0017:30

Irish Stallion Farms E.B.F. Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 14:15 | Winning time: 5m 11.0s

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Selected odds by:

Without Limites⁶⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: B T O'Connell| T: Miss E Doyle

11/4

Dual Bumper winner last year, shown enough in two starts over timber this season to suggest he should take a prominent role in this contest.

Form: 11/3524-

Goaheadmakemyday⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: R Loughran| T: T Foley

25/1

Mare has run in seven bumpers, winning once and generally lacking consistency. Off the track since March and first attempt at hurdles on return.

Form: 25/9145-

Ancient Empire^t²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: J S McGarvey| T: J P O'Brien

66/1

Very limited appeal on the evidence of two hurdles starts here and at Naas so far. Failed to land a blow either time, upped in trip now.

Form: 5

Clara Sorrento¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: B J Cooper| T: N Meade

9/1

Was fancied for a Limerick maiden hurdle at Christmas, very disappointing then and just marginal improvement since at Naas. Could be capable of much better.

Form: 861307-

Lambs Lane⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Rothwell

100/1

Newcomer for a trainer with just four winners from more than 220 runners over the last 12 months, would require strong market support to get involved.

Form: 51-

Milestone Prince⁹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: D J McInerney⁽⁷⁾| T: M McCullagh

100/1

He has shown fairly limited ability in three starts over flights so far, goes up in trip again for this but hard to be confident about him currently.

Form: 07003-9

Oskar High¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: A Ring⁽³⁾| T: N Lee

100/1

Tailed off on debut at Naas last month over slightly longer trip, always in rear and quickly running out of ideas once the pace quickened.

Form: 00-8

Sharps Choice²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins

4/5

Could scarcely have gone closer on hurdles bow last month, just failing to best an odds-on favourite. The pair were a long way clear and he must hold outstanding claims of opening his account.

Form: 23247-3

Veneziano Springs^t1²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: D E Splaine| T: T O'Brien

5/1

Much improved effort when third of 17 at this venue over 2m3f in similar race last month on just second outing over timber. Entitled to get involved again.

Form: 50

Chesapeake³⁰

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

25/1

Did show some promise on hurdles debut over 2m7f at Thurles in November, since disappointed in two starts at the minimum trip, back up in distance now.

Form: 4668P7-

Drakaina^h¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Miss J M Cook⁽⁷⁾| T: Paul Power

100/1

Nothing shown in three starts under rules, two of those over hurdles, suggests the mare will play a leading role in this contest

Form: 009P-

Kilganer Queen¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Rachael Blackmore⁽³⁾| T: Miss D O'Shea

100/1

Won a point-to-point in January, since been well held in two rules starts over hurdles. Drops in trip and too soon to write her off completely.

Form: 68664-5

Non-Runners

Ballybryan¹⁵

Weight: 11-4| Age: 7

T: J Nash J: P Townend

Forecasts

Sharps Choice (4/5), Without Limites (11/4), Veneziano Springs (5/1), Clara Sorrento (9/1), Ballybryan (16/1), Goaheadmakemyday (25/1), Chesapeake (25/1), Ancient Empire (66/1), Lambs Lane (100/1), Kilganer Queen (100/1), Milestone Prince (100/1), Oskar High (100/1), Drakaina (100/1)

SHARPS CHOICE was briefly outpaced over two-miles on hurdles bow at Thurles last month before staying on strongly and would have won given an extra stride. The step up in trip should suit on that evidence and the others will have to go some to stop him opening his account. Veneziano Springs upped his game considerably at this venue last month and should be involved again if repeating that effort. Without Limites also has some place claims on what he's shown this term while Clara Sorrento and Chesapeake may be capable of better than we've seen to date. 1. Sharps Choice 2. Veneziano Springs 3. Without Limites