15:25 Limerick

Sunday 19 March 2017

All13:5014:2014:5015:2516:0016:3517:05

Follow Limerick Racecourse On Twitter Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:25 | Winning time: 5m 59.8s

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Selected odds by:

Oscars Den¹⁰⁶⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: R M Power| T: T M Walsh| OR: 116

11/2

Well placed by Tim Vaughan to win a bumper and two novices' hurdles in 2013, before being runner-up to the talented Garde La Victoire at Cheltenham the following April. Not seen since then, so has a three year lay-off to overcome, but looks well handicapped as a result if he is ready to go first time.

Form: 21112/

First To Boogie⁴²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Robbie Colgan| T: Madeleine Tylicki| OR: 115

14/1

Been a very consistent performer this winter, showing gradual improvement even when beaten. Won over 2m6f (soft) at Punchestown in November and only flop was in a better race than this last time. Not ruled out.

Form: 120P40-

Seskinane^b1²⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-5| J: Gary Noonan⁽⁷⁾| T: B McMahon| OR: 111

25/1

A veteran and an in and out performer who has not won for four years. One or two runs last spring would entitle him to go close, but recent efforts leave plenty to be desired.

Form: 07423-9

Boru Boy⁷¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: J J Slevin⁽⁵⁾| T: G Murphy| OR: 109

7/2

Took a while to get off the mark in point-to-points, but once he did he found some good form in 2014. Another who was then off the track for some time before returning with a win first time back at Cork in January. Given time to get over that and not clobbered by the handicapper, he has claims for the follow-up.

Form: 42112/1

He Is Top Class^p,t¹⁶⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: D E Mullins| T: D Hassett| OR: 109

16/1

Last win was over fences in November 2015 but has run well in defeat in a couple of hurdles since then. Thoroughly exposed, however, and could again go very well without winning.

Form: 4P024P-

Rightville Boy^p1¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: S G McDermott| T: P Neville| OR: 109

16/1

Won a heavy ground handicap chase here last April (2m1f) from a mark of 112 and now rated 128 in that sphere. Returns to hurdling for the first time since November 2014, but if he can transfer his chasing abilities back to this discipline he looks thrown in. First-time cheek pieces on today.

Form: 61-2524

Lasoscar²⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: D J Mullins| T: L P Cusack| OR: 108

10/1

Won back-to-back handicap hurdles at Roscommon last summer and improved a bit in defeats in the autumn. Well beaten last two runs, however, and hard to fancy against some of these today.

Form: 114207

Making Shapes²⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Mr J Mulvihill⁽⁷⁾| T: C Byrnes| OR: 108

50/1

Winner of a good ground Cork maiden hurdle (2m) last spring but unable to cope with marks of 114 and 112 thereafter. Comes back today after an eight month break with a step up in trip and pedigree suggests he is far from certain to get it.

Form: 84P-100

Stolberg^t²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: D J McInerney⁽⁷⁾| T: A J McNamara| OR: 106

12/1

Goes well here, having won over both 2m and 2m2f at the track this time last year. Not been in the same form since, but now back on that latest winning mark and with similar conditions, the door is once again open.

Form: 21-9P0P

Dontbackme¹⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 10-13| J: P D Kennedy⁽³⁾| T: P G Fahey| OR: 105

16/1

Won a Kilbeggan maiden hurdle over a similar trip (good) last year but well beaten in handicaps last twice on softer ground. Likely to encounter that again here and looks like we should take his name literally for the time being.

Form: 397P86-

Calin Des Ongrais²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 104

10/1

2lb higher than when going close at Navan in January (2m4f, soft) and not sure he stayed the extra 2f at Punchestown last time on heavy. Looks to have a bit of improving to do .

Form: 2/4927-6

Donegal Tuesday⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Paul Townend| T: M Hourigan| OR: 99

11/4

Came good under rules at the tenth attempt when taking a Gowran Park handicap hurdle last time (2m4f, soft/heavy) from a mark of 88. She has gone up 11lb for that easy 14L success, but if she is able to repeat that effort then she would be very tough to beat.

Form: 60116-9

Georgie^b,t⁸⁰

Age: 12| Weight: 9-10| J: C D Maxwell| T: M Cullinane| OR: 80

50/1

Back on his last winning mark though a long time between drinks for this veteran and precious little recent encouragement for punters.

Form: 294800

Non-Runners

Swift¹⁰

Weight: 9-10| Age: 6

T: J W Nicholson J: M A Enright

Forecasts

Donegal Tuesday (11/4), Boru Boy (7/2), Oscars Den (11/2), Lasoscar (10/1), Calin Des Ongrais (10/1), Stolberg (12/1), Swift (14/1), First To Boogie (14/1), Rightville Boy (16/1), He Is Top Class (16/1), Dontbackme (16/1), Seskinane (25/1), Making Shapes (50/1), Georgie (50/1)

DONEGAL TUESDAY spreadeagled her field when coming good at Gowran Park last time and may well be capable of defying a stiff enough 11lb rise in similar conditions here. Oscars Den is clearly very interesting given the form he showed as a youngster and money for him would be good to see for those considering a wager. Stolberg is back on a winning mark and should be involved, while Boru Boy and Rightville Boy are others to consider.