16:20 Navan

Sunday 19 March 2017

All14:1014:4015:1015:4516:2016:5517:25

Irish Stallion Farms E.B.F. Novice Handicap Chase Final (Grade B)

Off time: 16:20 | Winning time: 7m 3.7s

Settings

Selected odds by:

Jetstream Jack^t²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: D F O'Regan| T: G Elliott| OR: 140

5/1

Winner at Tipperary in October, struggled in better company since including over this C&D last month in a race won by Acapella Bourgeois. Yard are flying.

Form: 127F53

Oscar Knight⁸²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: L P Dempsey| T: T Mullins| OR: 136

6/1

Has plenty of experience over fences having had 11 starts and won two of those this season including at this venue over 2m4f on his penultimate outing. Subsequently finished third in a valuable handicap at Leopardstown over this sort of trip in December and should go well again.

Form: 525-171

Kilcarry Bridge^t⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-10| J: D Meyler⁽³⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 126

10/1

Scored in good style at Gowran Park last weekend to land a valuable handicap chase pot. 6lb higher now but clearly got on well with talented young rider.

Form: 457212

Retour En France⁴³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 125

5/2

Mare got off the mark at the third time of asking at Fairyhouse last month over 2m5f in testing conditions. Has been odds-on all three starts in this country and should have more to offer.

Form: 2/22154-

Mick The Jiver²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-1| J: D E Splaine| T: E O'Grady| OR: 117

3/1

Scored second win in four outings last time at Naas, coming away to win well over 3m. Remains prone to the odd jumping error and will have to defy career-high mark for this.

Form: 210-094

Carrigeen Acebo^h²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Miss E A Lalor⁽⁵⁾| T: R H Lalor| OR: 116

25/1

Caused a 50/1 shock to score at Thurles last month over 3m1f, race rather fell apart however and requires plenty more to win again on handicap debut.

Form: 443P01

Presenting Mahler¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-13| J: A E Lynch| T: J P Ryan| OR: 115

25/1

Beat Retour En France at Sligo in September but form in eight outings since strongly suggests that form is going to be reversed now.

Form: B68558-

Skellig Rocks^p¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-10| J: Ms L O'Neill⁽⁵⁾| T: A L T Moore| OR: 111

8/1

Doesn't make great appeal at these weights but has been hovering on the premises in two recent outings over shorter trips and cannot be ruled out entirely.

Form: 740043

Carole Rose²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-10| J: P T Enright| T: L Casey| OR: 108

33/1

Landed a Wexford beginners' chase last summer for Mouse Morris but struggled to back it up. 25L last of three finishers at Thurles on recent stable debut in a race won by Carrigeen Acebo.

Form: 403P16-

Forecasts

Retour En France (5/2), Mick The Jiver (3/1), Jetstream Jack (5/1), Oscar Knight (6/1), Skellig Rocks (8/1), Kilcarry Bridge (10/1), Carrigeen Acebo (25/1), Presenting Mahler (25/1), Carole Rose (33/1)

OSCAR KNIGHT ran a fine race at Leopardstown over Christmas to finish 5L third behind Noble Endeavour. He's 6lb higher for this contest but that form looks promising given the winner's excellent effort at Cheltenham this week off an 11lb higher mark. With winning form at this track already this season, he's fancied to carry on what has already been an excellent week for owner JP McManus. Retour En France got off the mark at the third time of asking recently and the mare should be capable of better but, having twice been beaten at short prices already, she is overlooked here. Kilcarry Bridge is respected too after last week's Gowran Park success while Jetstream Jack should go well for the Elliott team. Mick The Jiver has plenty on his plate but should give his running while Skellig Rocks would be preferred to last time out winner Carrigeen Acebo for place money.