12:25 Limerick

Thursday 26 December 2019

All12:2512:5513:3014:0514:4015:1515:50

Guinness 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 12:26 | Winning time: 4m 24.0s

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Selected odds by:

Anuas Ar An Bpost²¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: C A Landers⁽⁵⁾| T: K Purcell

100/1

€1,200 yearling by Elusive Pimpernel ; 9th foal; brother to useful 2m hurdle winner Elusive Belle, half-brother to winners Bellini Bliss (Ire/US 1m) and Lonely Star (German 7f/1m). Looks up against it on hurdling introduction.

Form:

Bajan Excell¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: M A Enright| T: G P Cromwell| C

8/1

Modest 63-rated handicapper on the Flat winning one of his 10 starts. Ran a pleasing race on hurdling debut in a Gowran Park maiden last month before unseating at the third earlier this month at Cork. Better than that effort suggests.

Form: 3U

Bear Claws^t⁷⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: C P McNamara⁽⁷⁾| T: E McNamara

14/1

Colt by Mukhadram out of a Dr Fong mare. Dam placed in Listed company in France over 1m3f. Market likely to reveal expectations on hurdling debut.

Form:

Cafe Con Leche²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: P T Enright| T: D Hogan

7/1

Camacho gelding out of a Giant's Causeway mare. No match for the Joseph O'Brien pair A Wave Of the Sea and Cerberus on debut at Fairyhouse earlier this month on hurdling debut. Potential to improve here.

Form: 6

Global Quality³⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: J W Kennedy| T: G Elliott

33/1

Showed little of note in three Flat races for Charlie Hills before pulling up on hurdling debut at Punchestown last month when tailed off. Looks a tall order.

Form: P

Instant Return¹²

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: P D Kennedy| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 114

11/4

Well held in a couple of starts on the Flat with Ger Lyons. Far from disgraced in four career maiden hurdle appearances since October. Makes more appeal than most in this contest.

Form: 3443

Kendancer¹⁰⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: K J Brouder⁽³⁾| T: C Byrnes

3/1

Gelding by Kendargent out of a Azamour mare. Sole success in eight career starts on the Flat came in an AW contest in France over 1m4f. Likely to be a leading contender.

Form:

King Pellinor^p⁶⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: D J McInerney| T: J P O'Brien

10/1

Off the mark on the Flat when landing a Gowran Park 1m4f maiden in October. First start over hurdles for new connections since a switch from Smith/Tabor/Magnier and trainer Aidan O'Brien.

Form:

La Capacite⁶¹

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: A McCurtin⁽⁵⁾| T: S J Mahon

100/1

Poor efforts on the Flat have been followed by a couple of desperate starts over hurdles, failing to complete on each occasion. Others make more appeal.

Form: PU

Little Stone¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: S J Gray⁽³⁾| T: G T Lynch

100/1

Started at 100/1 on both of his maiden hurdles starts before running accordingly on each occasion. Needs to show more spark before coming in for consideration.

Form: 0F

Moghram¹⁸³

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Jordan Williams⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott

33/1

Gelding by Sir Percy out of a Silver Hawk mare. Four-race maiden on the Flat with a fast ground second of 12 over 1m3½f his best effort. Market likely to be the best guide on hurdling debut.

Form:

Ozone¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: S A Shortall| T: J P O'Brien

10/3

Ready winner when last seen demolishing a 14 runner field over 1m4f on the AW at Dundalk earlier this month. Two race maiden over timber, the Camelot gelding is likely to go close in this company.

Form: 74

Royal Aide^t²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: P J Cawley⁽⁷⁾| T: D Hogan

20/1

Useful 85-rated handicapper on the Flat for trainer Joseph O'Brien. Needs to step up on a couple of poor efforts so far over hurdles.

Form: 9

Miss Oriental⁴³⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 10-7| J: Gary Brian Noonan⁽⁷⁾| T: E McCarthy

33/1

Filly by Arcano out of a Sakhee mare. Well held on sole start on the Flat for trainer Kevin Prendergast. Best watched on hurdling and stable debut.

Form:

Forecasts

Instant Return (11/4), Kendancer (3/1), Ozone (10/3), Cafe Con Leche (7/1), Bajan Excell (8/1), King Pellinor (10/1), Bear Claws (14/1), Royal Aide (20/1), Moghram (33/1), Miss Oriental (33/1), Global Quality (33/1), Little Stone (100/1), Anuas Ar An Bpost (100/1), La Capacite (100/1)

The Joseph O'Brien-trained KING PELLINOR looks an interesting hurdling recruit and can get off to the best possible start in this contest. The three-year-old has recently switched from owners from Smith/Tabor/Magnier and trainer Aidan O'Brien. Stablemate Ozone was a ready winner when last seen demolishing a 14 runner field over 1m4f on the AW at Dundalk earlier this month and can emerge as the biggest danger while the Charles Byrnes-trained Kendancer can make his presence felt on Irish debut. The more experienced Instant Return and Bajan Excell should not be underestimated.