14:50 Naas

Sunday 5 January 2020

All12:5013:2013:5014:2014:5015:2015:50

I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 14:51 | Winning time: 3m 56.7s

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Selected odds by:

Allez George⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: T N Brett⁽⁷⁾| T: J Barcoe

100/1

Well held when never a factor in three career bumper starts so far; beating only one rival home. Has plenty to prove going over timber for the first time.

Form: 0-86

Asterion Forlonge⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| D

15/8

A £290,000 buy after winning maiden point-to-point in February 2018, races in the colours of Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo and winning start in Thurles bumper in November. Likely sort for champion trainer on hurdles bow.

Form: 1/1

Ballyallaght²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: C P McNamara| T: D M Christie

100/1

Struggled on his debut at Navan (2m) last month as he came home at the rear of eight runners as a 66/1 shot. Will need to take a big step forward on that outing to be in the mix now jumping hurdles.

Form: 8

Blue Markie²⁰³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: J M Moore| T: D M Christie

40/1

Got off the mark in a point-to-point at Necarne (3m) back in May. Has produced two modest performances under rules since, including when he was fifth of nine on his hurdles debut at Downpatrick (2m5½f) last time. Others are preferred.

Form: 7P5-145

Born In Galway⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Phillip Enright| T: K Purcell

100/1

Gelding by Milan has four wide-margin defeats in bumpers on his CV so far and may prove best watched on first attempt over jumps.

Form: 0-847

Fairway Finder

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: A Leahy

28/1

Gold Well gelding. Dam, unraced, sister to smart hurdler/fairly useful chaser (stayed 2m6f) Minella Forfitness. Looks one of the lesser lights in this field on first start.

Form:

Pencilfulloflead²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: R M Power| T: G Elliott| D

5/4

Cost €42,000 as a three-year-old. Winner on debut in a 2m Down Royal bumper on soft ground in November and run well in Listed Navan event since. Should have a leading say on hurdling introduction.

Form: 14

Resurrected Duke²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: J J Slevin| T: T J Taaffe

40/1

Promising start last February in bumper won by Fury Road at Fairyhouse but hasn't finished within hailing distance of winners in four starts since; three of them in maiden hurdles since late October.

Form: 3-0080

Shannon Fields²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: M P Walsh| T: E McNamara

50/1

66-1 chance in a Navan maiden hurdle last month on debut (2m, soft) and was 59L off the winner in the end. Looks one for longer term on that evidence.

Form: 0

Village Mystic⁷⁰¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| D

7/1

Winning start in a Leopardstown bumper in 2016 for Willie Mullins; then missed two years and tailed off at Leopardstown in a Grade 2 for Noel Meade. Another long absence to defy on hurdles bow, though interesting these connections are persisting.

Form: 118/

Bold Enough⁷⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead

7/1

A £65,000 buy after finishing runner-up on completed start in points; he makes his debut for the in-form Henry De Bromhead/Rachel Blackmore axis and commands a close look in the betting.

Form: P-P2

Dya Understand¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: A W Short⁽³⁾| T: D Wall

100/1

Tailed off on debut in Navan maiden hurdle (2m, soft; 100-1) last month and then didn't get beyond the first flight at Leopardstown on St Stephen's Day. Watching brief.

Form: 0F

Kalakhan^t1

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: S A Shortall| T: J P Dempsey

100/1

Kalanisi gelding is a brother to fair hurdler Kalarika and half-brother to a winner on Flat. Wears tongue-tie on first outing and market should reveal expectations.

Form:

Schedar⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: C A Landers⁽⁵⁾| T: M J McDonagh

100/1

100-1 chance in maiden hurdles at Cork and Punchestown in November and achieved nothing in either run to suggest he'll play a forward role now.

Form: 0P

Thousand Tears¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: M P Burke⁽⁷⁾| T: J M Burke

33/1

Improved in three hurdles start in the early summer and would have made frame but for last-flight fall at Roscommon in June. Well held in maidens at Cork and Leopardstown last month after a break and exposed look now.

Form: 7-U5F00

Time Goes By

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: J S McGarvey| T: E J O'Grady

20/1

Milan gelding, brother to fair 2m5f hurdle winner Getting Late and half-brother to fair 2m hurdle winner Time Please. Trainer without a win since November but has had some near misses.

Form:

Corus Girl¹⁷⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: M J Bolger| T: W J McLernon

100/1

Easily fended off in summer maidens over timber at Down Royal and Cork; off the track since and likely best watched here unless market vibes are positive.

Form: 1/PPF-08

Ladymorata³³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: D P Maxwell⁽⁷⁾| T: A McNamara

100/1

By top-sire Scorpion a half-sister to 2m4f hurdle and 3m chase winner Baku Bay; out of an unplaced mare. Detached from half-way on debut in C&D maiden hurdle when last seen in February and has relocated since.

Form: 0-

Mama Tried²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Sean O'Keeffe⁽⁵⁾| T: Charlie Keegan

100/1

Best effort on seven rules start in January 2019 when fourth over C&D in maiden hurdle (100-1). Missed 344 days and tailed off back here last month and likely best watched on that showing.

Form: 5/P964-0

Royal Alto⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: T Ryan⁽⁷⁾| T: V T O'Brien

100/1

Lightly-raced, 45-rated handicapper on the Flat; didn't get beyond the third flight as 100-1 chance on hurdling bow at Limerick's Christmas Festival. Plenty to be worked on.

Form: U

Jimli⁸²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: P J O'Hanlon⁽⁷⁾| T: R K Watson

100/1

100-1 chance and tailed off on debut in a maiden hurdle at Punchestown (2m4f, good to yielding) in October; will need dramatic step forward on that form.

Form: 0

Non-Runners

Goaheadwiththeplan²⁹

Weight: 11-10| Age: 5

T: N Meade J: Sean Flanagan

Forecasts

Pencilfulloflead (5/4), Asterion Forlonge (15/8), Village Mystic (7/1), Bold Enough (7/1), Goaheadwiththeplan (8/1), Time Goes By (20/1), Fairway Finder (28/1), Thousand Tears (33/1), Resurrected Duke (40/1), Blue Markie (40/1), Shannon Fields (50/1), Schedar (100/1), Ladymorata (100/1), Kalakhan (100/1), Mama Tried (100/1), Born In Galway (100/1), Corus Girl (100/1), Allez George (100/1), Royal Alto (100/1), Ballyallaght (100/1), Jimli (100/1), Dya Understand (100/1)

Asterion Forlonge made a winning start in a Thurles bumper in November. He should improve but the form doesn't amount to a lot and he may well have to step up considerably on his first outing over timber to get the better of PENCILFULLOFLEAD. Gordon Elliott's charge also scored in a Down Royal bumper on his first start and has since run well in Listed company at Navan, ensuring he goes jumping with decent prospects. It's of some interest that Gigginstown retain faith in Village Mystic, while his stablemate Goaheadwiththeplan and the De Bromhead newcomer Bold Enough are possible each-way alternatives to the likely market principles.