15:55 Clonmel

Tuesday 20 February 2018

All13:5014:2014:5015:2515:5516:3017:00

MicrodogID Beginners Chase

Off time: 15:57 | Winning time: 5m 56.9s

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Selected odds by:

Golan Lodge²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: K C Sexton| T: P Nolan

10/1

Fell on chasing bow but ran a fair race last time, travelling well for much of the way before being outpaced over an inadequate trip. Extra half mile a big help and definitely enters calculations.

Form: 8/0-07F4

Johnny Sue^t⁵¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: A E Lynch| T: William P Murphy| BF

14/1

Won two point-to-points this autumn but fell over hurdles at Limerick in December. Not a bad effort last time over timber and might pay these larger obstacles more respect.

Form: 0-1F1F5

Lyreen Lad⁶⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Donagh Meyler| T: A J Martin

25/1

Landed 3m Tipperary maiden hurdle last April but hasn't looked in lover with chasing in two starts this term since tackling fences. Trainer respected, but hasn't done enough to score on evidence to date.

Form: 0921-85

Monbeg Chit Chat⁷⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: D N Russell| T: H De Bromhead| BF| C

3/1

Connections gave £200,000 for him after he won a maiden hurdle here last March. Suffered overreach when promising runner-up on chasing debut at Cork, but pulled up latest after losing touch. Has potential and may bounce back.

Form: 3214-2P

Veneziano Springs²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: D E Splaine| T: T O'Brien

9/4

Maiden hurdler but looks the type to do better over fences. Placed in last two chased without threatening to win but shouldn't be too far away once more.

Form: 4-66923

Winter Breeze⁴⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: B J Foley⁽⁵⁾| T: M Winters

33/1

Landed a maiden and a handicap hurdle last summer but not in great form in four runs over timber this term. Chasing bow here, handles ground, but not in best of shape on recent evidence.

Form: 11/89-59

Doldido⁸⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Brian Hayes| T: M Winters| C

10/1

Won Clonmel maiden hurdle on second of three starts so far and pulled too hard when well beaten on handicap bow at Thurles latest. Connections waste no time going over fences and remains something of a dark horse.

Form: 3-10

Ballykea Star¹¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: I J McCarthy| T: F J Flood

50/1

Regressive maiden handicap hurdler who has been out of sorts for some time. Chasing debut here but on balance looks up against it.

Form: 5-P700P

Fintara^t¹⁰³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington

7/1

Looks ready for this switch to chasing having won Punchestown bumper last January but become frustrating over hurdles. Ground a concern but represents top team and won't be too far away with a clear round.

Form: 4-42904

Freeway Space⁵³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: J J Slevin| T: D M O'Brien

5/1

Placed a number of times under rules without winning. Landed point-to-point in November but after satisfactory chase debut at Fairyhouse in December ran poorly last time. Has a point to prove.

Form: 2F5-13P

Robbina³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: T Ryan⁽⁷⁾| T: W Harney

25/1

22 races without success and set impossible task in Grade 2 on chasing bow last time when pulled up. This more her level but has to prove she can handle larger obstacles.

Form: 243PP-P

Forecasts

Veneziano Springs (9/4), Monbeg Chit Chat (3/1), Freeway Space (5/1), Fintara (7/1), Doldido (10/1), Golan Lodge (10/1), Johnny Sue (14/1), Lyreen Lad (25/1), Robbina (25/1), Winter Breeze (33/1), Ballykea Star (50/1)

MONBEG CHIT CHAT is a tentative choice in a puzzling beginners' chase. An expensive purchase after winning a maiden hurdle, he was unlucky on his chasing bow and ran no race last time. He's given a chance to bounce back. Golan Lodge is a danger on the balance of his form and after hinting at better to come last time, while Fintara, Doldido, Veneziano Springs, and Lyreen Lad are other possible players.