Racing Again January 25th Flat Race

Off time: 16:02 | Winning time: 4m 36.6s

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Selected odds by:

Stansfield¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr A M Dodds⁽⁷⁾| T: Paul Traynor

14/1

Third in a Punchestown bumper on soft in November, and bettered that next time in a Listed contest. However, returns to this sphere after being well beaten over hurdles last time and looks vulnerable.

Form: FUP-368

Stowaway John

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr J W O'Neill⁽⁷⁾| T: R O'Neill

20/1

Not sold €9,500 May 2017. Ninth foal. Half-brother to four winners, including one of a 2m3f hurdle. Dam an unraced half-sister to Champion Hurdler Sublimity. Trainer 0-24 in bumpers since May 2015. Nice pedigree, but probably one to watch on debut.

Form:

Jimmy Jimmy⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr P J Vaughan⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott

9/2

Nibbled at in the market when 12-1 on debut in a bumper here last month (yielding/soft). Promising run that day to be 16L sixth. Plenty of bumper success in his pedigree, and no surprise to see him go close for trainer who is 21% over five seasons.

Form: 6

Railway Hurricane¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr D O'Connor| T: G P Cromwell

7/1

Point winner on debut in November (soft). Raced keenly on rules debut in a Down Royal bumper on Boxing Day, when 23L fourth (behind easy winner). Should come on for that, but probably playing for minor honours.

Form: 14

Stattler

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins

8/13

€22,000 yearling, £59,000 3yo. Half-brother to a bumper winner, who scored over both hurdles and fences, Binge Drinker. Represents a top stable in great form, and who are 31% in this sphere over five season. Should go well on debut.

Form:

Take All

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr L J McGuinness⁽⁷⁾| T: S Fahey

66/1

Fourth foal of a 2m hurdle winner, whose sister also obliged over hurdles. Trainer 7% in this discipline over past five seasons. Looks one to watch first time.

Form:

Ultima Thule⁷³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr B O'Neill| T: R Donohoe

7/1

Lord Shanakill gelding out of a half-sister to useful hurdler chaser Spirit of Adjisa. 16-1 on debut and ran well at Down Royal (soft) to be a clear second. Can build on that promising effort and is not ruled out.

Form: 2

Yabo³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr F Maguire⁽³⁾| T: Miss E Doyle

16/1

Showed improved form last time out (third start), when she tried to make most to win at Tramore, only cracking in the latter stages to be 4L third. Bare form of that, while promising, will demand a significant further improvement to win this.

Form: 5-63

Forecasts

Stattler (8/13), Jimmy Jimmy (9/2), Ultima Thule (7/1), Railway Hurricane (7/1), Stansfield (14/1), Yabo (16/1), Stowaway John (20/1), Take All (66/1)

Jimmy Jimmy showed promise on debut and experience is not to be sniffed at in these contests, so those with positive form such as Ultima Thule and Railway Hurricane can't easily be ruled out. However, given the stable's current form and their record in this discipline, it is still probably worth siding with the Willie Mullins team's STATTLER, to succeed on debut.