13:00 Navan

Sunday 16 December 2018

All12:0012:3013:0013:3014:0514:3515:10

Tara Handicap Hurdle (Grade B)

Off time: 13:00 | Winning time: 4m 59.6s

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Selected odds by:

De Plotting Shed^b,t⁸⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: K M Donoghue| T: G Elliott| OR: 143| C| D

22/1

Returned to hurdles last two runs following a spell chasing but losing run building up and doesn't look to have the scope for improvement of some of today's rivals.

Form: 2P-F444

Ball D'Arc²⁹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: P J Vaughan⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 140| BF| C| D

20/1

Smart hurdler when last seen over the smaller obstacles in 2016. Chasing since and finished lame when last seen in February and others likely to be sharper today.

Form: 33/31U5-

Walk To Freedom^h,t²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 138| C| D

8/1

Showed the benefit of his comeback run after a long absence and a first time tongue tie when beating a bang in-form rival over 2m6f here last month. Drop down 2f shouldn't be a problem and 7lb rise looks fair. Obvious claims.

Form: 144/5-01

Squouateur^p1,t²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: B J Geraghty| T: G Elliott| OR: 134| D

16/1

First run over hurdles since April 2016 and plenty of form over fences in the meantime. Leniently treated if able to recapture his old form and cheek pieces on for the first time. Any market move would be worth noting.

Form: 303BP-P

Plinth^b,t¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: M P Walsh| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 132| C| D

16/1

Keeps strong handicap company and even though he hasn't won since July 2017 he showed he still retains ability on recent efforts before last week. Does go well for today's rider.

Form: 004240

Dinaria Des Obeaux^t³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: J W Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 131| D

8/1

Won a Grade 3 over hurdles in February 2017 as a juvenile but generally seen over fences since. On a fair mark reverting now to the smaller obstacles and trainer has won this race for the last two years.

Form: 1325-23

Cliff House⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: C J Orr⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs D A Love| OR: 129

50/1

Had a spin on the Flat last week but but generally struggling over fences and hurdles and not hard to look elsewhere.

Form: P-34863

Salty Boy²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: D E Mullins| T: Ms M Mullins| OR: 128| D

11/2

Lightly raced but already building up a consistent profile. Has work to so to reverse recent form with Walk To Freedom and place claims probably at best.

Form: 1-34313

Stooshie¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: D F O'Regan| T: G Elliott| OR: 128

14/1

Plenty of placed efforts since winning last Christmas but needs to improve for this step up from 2m to trouble the best of these.

Form: 3-32369

Calie Du Mesnil⁶³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 127| D

9/2

Galway win at this trip in the summer and following a below par effort there, got back on track when chasing home a shock winner at Limerick last time. Could improve now going into handicaps and looks a likely player.

Form: 24/1132

Forever Gold^p⁴²

Age: 11| Weight: 10-5| J: M A Enright| T: E Cawley| OR: 126| C

50/1

Better known as a long distance chaser and is unlikely to have the necessary speed over this back over hurdles.

Form: 2UP3U-0

Dromore Lad²⁹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: C D Maxwell| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 125| D

25/1

Vastly improved when rattling off a quick hat-trick in the mud last winter but found this mark beyond him when last seen and needs to return at his best. Any rain would be in his favour.

Form: 121118-

Elusive Theatre²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: P E Corbett⁽³⁾| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 123| C

20/1

Still 3lb above his mark for last success at Ayr in January and likely this company is a bit too hot for him.

Form: 223P-45

Law Girl⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: P D Kennedy| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 123

25/1

Below par when last seen over hurdles. Has shown decent form in top notch handicaps on the Flat for Willie Mullins this summer but surprising she only fetched €3,000 at the sales last month.

Form: 41395-

Conright Boy^t²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: R C Colgan| T: Mrs C O'Leary| OR: 121

25/1

Doesn't take much racing but not disgraced at Cork last month and if able to build on that could go well at a price.

Form: 010/P0-5

Golden Jewel^t¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-13| J: B Hayes| T: E Cawley| OR: 120| D

12/1

Showed the ability is still there over fences last time and interesting now back over hurdles. Tongue-tie, worn only once before when winning back in May, now reapplied and makes each way appeal.

Form: 199503

Mastermind^h²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-13| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: C O'Brien| OR: 124

16/1

Front-runner who has something to prove going beyond 2m but interesting jockey booking and if staying has the form to play a part.

Form: 3120-39

Russian Bill³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 9-13| J: S W Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 120| D

16/1

Returning from a long absence when ninth of 15 at Naas last month. Entitled to strip fitter now and has the form from the past to be a contender if building on that.

Form: 25009/9

Jack Fiasco^p¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: S F O'Keeffe⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 118| D

10/1

Running creditably in lesser grade and cheek pieces retained after his third last time. Untried since Bumper run on softer than good so presumably any rain would be a concern.

Form: 710623

Roseriver Has^t¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-10| J: J M Moore| T: N Meade| OR: 117

25/1

Still a maiden after nine attempts over hurdles and needs to take a big step forward to get off the mark in such a hot contest.

Form: 3-34436

Non-Runners

Orion D'Aubrelle²⁸

Weight: 10-9| Age: 5

T: W P Mullins J: P Townend

Rooster Byron²⁸

Weight: 10-9| Age: 7

T: P Nolan J: B J Cooper

Forecasts

Calie Du Mesnil (9/2), Salty Boy (11/2), Walk To Freedom (8/1), Dinaria Des Obeaux (8/1), Jack Fiasco (10/1), Golden Jewel (12/1), Rooster Byron (12/1), Stooshie (14/1), Orion D'Aubrelle (14/1), Russian Bill (16/1), Mastermind (16/1), Squouateur (16/1), Plinth (16/1), Ball D'Arc (20/1), Elusive Theatre (20/1), De Plotting Shed (22/1), Dromore Lad (25/1), Law Girl (25/1), Conright Boy (25/1), Roseriver Has (25/1), Cliff House (50/1), Forever Gold (50/1)

Plenty can be fancied in a valuable handicap but the way he won last time suggests WALK TO FREEDOM could remain a step ahead of the assessor and he can shrug off the 7lb rise. Calie Du Mesnil is interesting for her top connections and at a big price it wouldn't surprise to see Golden Jewel outrun his odds.