Grafton Barbers Rated Novice Hurdle

Off time: 16:06 | Winning time: 3m 57.9s

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Selected odds by:

Lucky Icon¹²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: D J Mullins| T: T Mullins| OR: 116| D

10/1

50/1 Ballinrobe juvenile hurdle winner in May but he hasn't made the frame in any of his other nine starts over jumps/on Flat. Fourth in a Listowel handicap two starts ago best run since but failed to back it up at Galway.

Form: 14646

Bold Gesture^h⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 112

7/2

Improved with experience and ran best race to date latest as he finished a close second at Naas in a maiden on yielding ground in December. Not as good since at Tramore. Must bring his best stuff.

Form: P-74825

Mandarin Monarch^p¹⁰⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: D P Maxwell⁽⁷⁾| T: A McNamara| OR: 111| CD

4/1

Fair sort, 2-4 over hurdles this season including C&D success. Off since Wexford win in October and 5lb higher returning, so more needed.

Form: 78/9511

The Long Mile³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: L P Dempsey| T: J P Dempsey| OR: 111

7/2

Has beaten home his fair share of rivals in three maiden hurdles to this point without looking like winning one. Drops in distance and not discounted.

Form: 554

Big Ego^t¹⁰⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Mr L J McGuinness⁽⁷⁾| T: K Thornton| OR: 107

25/1

Dual purpose performer, just 1-19 across both codes however. Best effort (from three) over timber came at Gowran Park (2m, heavy) when 10L second in maiden company. One to pay attention to for new handler.

Form: 27-9

Stormy Tale¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-8| J: D J McInerney⁽³⁾| T: M Mulvany

5/1

Three Flat wins achieved a modest level. Three starts so far in this sphere and there have been some building blocks with which to work, including when fifth of 24 in 2m Naas maiden last month. Considered.

Form: 575

Quantatmental¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-4| J: J M Moore| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 112

4/1

New Approach gelding, fair on the Flat winning on three occasions. Has shown promise in three maiden hurdles and has to be respected on these terms as such.

Form: 407

Non-Runners

Diamond Kut¹¹⁹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 6

T: J Nash J: P Townend

Forecasts

The Long Mile (7/2), Bold Gesture (7/2), Quantatmental (4/1), Mandarin Monarch (4/1), Stormy Tale (5/1), Diamond Kut (7/1), Lucky Icon (10/1), Big Ego (25/1)

It would be brave to cross any of these off readily. Mandarin Monarch has won his last two, including over C&D but seems to have more on his plate now while Ballinrobe winner Lucky Icon needs to start running with a bit of consistency in order to earn a vote. Ex-Flat winner Stormy Tale and Diamond Kut – in that order – make some appeal but QUANTATMENTAL has shaped well in three starts over timber and can make the most of receiving weight now.