13:40 Limerick

Saturday 28 December 2019

All12:3013:0513:4014:1514:5015:2515:55

Parkway Shopping Centre Handicap Hurdle (80-102)

Off time: 13:40 | Winning time: 5m 53.1s

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Selected odds by:

Seskinane²⁰

Age: 13| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr E Mahon⁽⁷⁾| T: B McMahon| OR: 102

9/1

Likable veteran but generally well held looking one paced on more than one occasion in half dozen starts since the turn of the year. Others preferred.

Form: 66404-9

Isabel's Gold¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Brian Hayes| T: J Queally| OR: 101| D

10/1

Distance winner, ran well in defeat to finish second of 12 beaten 15L in a Tramore handicap hurdle earlier this month. Not to be underestimated.

Form: 7-50502

Araukan³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: I J McCarthy| T: S Curling| OR: 100

50/1

Had shaped with promise on more than one occasion over timber prior to winning Wexford maiden hurdle over 2m4f on good ground in May. Mid-division when falling three out on return to action last month.

Form: 404-41F

Eagle Roque^b1¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Sean O'Keeffe⁽⁵⁾| T: P Nolan| OR: 98| BF

5/1

Posted a career best effort when finishing second of 25 runners at Naas earlier this month on his fifth handicap hurdle start. Another bold bid expected in first-time blinkers.

Form: 00086-2

Likable Chancer²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Miss C Daffy⁽⁷⁾| T: D Howard| OR: 95| BF

8/1

Gold Well gelding. Has been fairly consistent over hurdles without threatening to win in a number of starts since August. Beaten favourite on latest start and needs to start stepping it up sooner rather than later.

Form: 065533

Monty's Mission^t¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: E Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Mangan| OR: 95

14/1

Five-race maiden. The daughter of Arctic Cosmos has been well beaten in a number of starts since last month and looks no nearer to breakthrough success.

Form: 18-F046

All About Alfie^b,t¹²

Age: 11| Weight: 11-1| J: P E Corbett| T: T Foley| OR: 91| C

16/1

Sparked by the first-time blinkers the veteran won for the fourth time over hurdles when landing a Naas handicap hurdle over 2m3f off a 6lb lower mark earlier this month at odds of 16/1. More likely than some to run her race.

Form: 038-601

Direct Image¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: J S McGarvey| T: R Tyner| OR: 91

25/1

Still looking for a first win in four starts over hurdles following a number of wretched efforts since her debut in October. Best watched on first start in a handicap unless the market says otherwise.

Form: 110697

An Marcach¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: B Browne⁽⁵⁾| T: D Donovan| OR: 90

14/1

Nine-race maiden posted a career best effort at Cork over 2m4f on soft ground earlier this month. That run, however, is surrounded by a number of dismal efforts since October. Faces a tough ask in this company.

Form: 9-99020

Ballea Fox^t²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: B J Foley⁽⁵⁾| T: S Spillane| OR: 89| C

16/1

Solid record of a win and a place from four starts at this track. Pulled up on latest start but may be more suited by the drop in trip on return to this venue.

Form: 1U3/00P

Clonguile Way^p¹⁰⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: D J McInerney| T: W J O'Doherty| OR: 89

33/1

Three-race maiden hurdler, well held and never a factor on handicap debut at this track over 3m when last seen in September. Needs to improve on even his best form to land a blow here.

Form: F20067

The Reaping Race³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: C P McNamara⁽⁷⁾| T: E McNamara| OR: 88| BF

13/2

Never a factor when returning from long absence at Gowran Park in October before a similar effort last month in a Thurles maiden hurdle over 2m6f. Well below par form looks set to continue.

Form: 000-988

Frere Fontaine^p1³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Phillip Enright| T: T O'Brien| OR: 91

3/1

Has shaped well in a couple of handicap hurdle spins at Clonmel and Thurles recently hitting the frame on each occasion. No surprise to see a big run in first time cheekpieces.

Form: 80-8F32

Need For Gold⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: C J Orr⁽⁵⁾| T: E Cawley| OR: 86

6/1

Finished half-way in a Punchestown 3m handicap hurdle on soft ground last month on his first appearance since March. Hard to fancy and plenty to prove.

Form: 0/800P-0

Northern Emperor^t²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: T Ryan⁽⁷⁾| T: V T O'Brien| OR: 86

16/1

Took advantage of lenient mark to score well at Ballinrobe in August when landing a 13 runner handicap off 6lb lower. Beaten since and may need a few to falter.

Form: 457167

Dreal Deal²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-8| J: M Hamill⁽³⁾| T: R McNally| OR: 88

20/1

Well held and never a factor in three career maiden hurdle starts so far. Others look more convincing at this level.

Form: 3-2000

Non-Runners

Whoyakodding²⁹

Weight: 11-0| Age: 8

T: G Ahern J: Jodie Townend

Mattie's Mountain¹²

Weight: 10-10| Age: 4

T: E McCarthy J: C A Landers

The Grey Guy³⁰

Weight: 10-8| Age: 12

T: B O'Keeffe J: Reserve 1

Duhallow Paddy⁶²

Weight: 10-7| Age: 6

T: William Cronin J: Reserve 2

Sea Scorpion²³

Weight: 10-7| Age: 8

T: Miss E Doyle J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Frere Fontaine (3/1), Eagle Roque (5/1), Need For Gold (6/1), The Reaping Race (13/2), Likable Chancer (8/1), Seskinane (9/1), Isabel's Gold (10/1), Duhallow Paddy (10/1), Whoyakodding (10/1), An Marcach (14/1), Monty's Mission (14/1), Northern Emperor (16/1), All About Alfie (16/1), Ballea Fox (16/1), Dreal Deal (20/1), Mattie's Mountain (20/1), Sea Scorpion (20/1), Direct Image (25/1), The Grey Guy (25/1), Clonguile Way (33/1), Araukan (50/1)

The Paul Nolan yard have proved they are in good form right now, with Fitzhenry and Valentina Lady placing in big fields yesterday along with Tucanae winning at this venue on St Stephens Day. The Youmzain gelding EAGLE ROQUE can continue her improvement in this company for the yard seeing off the attentions of potential dangers in the shape of Frere Fontaine in first-time cheekpieces and last time out beaten favourite Likable Chancer. Any market move for the Robert Tyner-trained Direct Image should be noted.