16:25 Listowel

Wednesday 22 September 2021

All13:4014:1014:4515:2015:5516:2517:0017:35

Guinness Kerry National Handicap Chase (Grade A)

Off time: 16:25 | Winning time: 5m 50.8s

Settings

Selected odds by:

Brahma Bull⁵⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: S F O'Keeffe| T: W P Mullins| OR: 154| C| D

40/1

Eight wins from 17 NH runs. 1 win from 2 runs this season. 22/1, fifteenth of 22 in handicap chase at Galway (22.5f, good) 56 days ago. Something to find on form.

Form:

Annamix^t⁵⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: P Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 150| BF

16/1

Smart chaser. Third of 5 in minor event chase (7/4) at Galway (22.5f, good) 54 days ago. Can give a good account.

Form:

Darasso^b,t⁵⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: L P Dempsey| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 150| C

10/1

Course winner. 2 wins from 4 runs this season. Creditable fifth of 22 in Galway Plate handicap chase (22.5f, good, 20/1) 56 days ago. Expected to give another good account.

Form:

Farclas^t¹⁶⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: J C Gainford⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 148

6/1

Classy grey (Triumph Hurdle winner in 2018). Held his own in top handicap chases last season, going well for a long way when fifth in Grand National before stamina run dry. One to consider.

Form:

Home By The Lee^p1⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: H Morgan⁽³⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 148

28/1

Latest win in chase at Naas in February. Nineteenth of 22 in handicap chase (14/1) at Galway (22.5f, good) 56 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form:

Assemble^t⁵⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: S Fitzgerald⁽⁷⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 147

9/1

Creditable seventh of 22 in Glaway Plate handicap chase (22.5f, good) 56 days ago, no extra from home turn. Steps up in trip now.

Form:

Conflated^h²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: J W Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 145

4/1

Smart chaser who landed a Naas Grade 3 Chase (20.4f) back in the spring. Likely his Flat return effort 3 weeks ago was needed and better showing anticipated here.

Form:

Modus⁵⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 10-13| J: D J O'Keeffe| T: E Bolger| OR: 143

9/1

Ten wins from 34 NH runs. 20/1, creditable third of 22 in handicap chase at Galway (22.5f, good) 56 days ago, hampered and losing momentum slightly 2 out. Not dismissed out of hand.

Form:

Top Moon^p1,t⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 142

20/1

Latest win in chase at Wexford in July. Below form twelfth of 22 in handicap chase (15/2) at Galway (22.5f, good) 56 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time.

Form:

Ben Dundee^t⁵⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: R A Doyle| T: G O'Loughlin| OR: 141

20/1

Thirteen runs since last win in 2018. Second of 5 in minor event chase at Galway (22.5f, good, 11/2) 54 days ago, just failing. Not ruled out if he can build on that run here.

Form:

Snow Falcon^p⁵⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 10-11| J: S W Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 141| CD

18/1

C&D winner. Thirteen runs since last win in 2019. 33/1, bit below form ninth of 22 in handicap chase at Galway (22.5f, good) 56 days ago. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form:

Aramax^t⁵⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: M P Walsh| T: G Elliott| OR: 140

17/2

18/1, creditable 4¼ lengths third of 19 to Born By The Sea in handicap chase at Galway (22.5f, good) 54 days ago, faring best of those held up. Still fairly low mileage and not ruled out.

Form:

Koshari^b⁵⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-10| J: B Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 140

14/1

Latest win in hurdle at Punchestown (20f) in May. Last of 5 in minor event chase at Galway (22.5f) 54 days ago, not for the first time failing to convince with his jumping. That a concern here.

Form:

A Wave Of The Sea^b1⁵⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: S D Torrens| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 139

33/1

Five wins from 18 NH runs. Respectable 15¼ lengths tenth of 19 to Born By The Sea in handicap chase (20/1) at Galway (22.5f, good) 54 days ago. Blinkers on 1st time.

Form:

The Big Lense^p,t⁵⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: J S McGarvey| T: G Elliott| OR: 139| C

25/1

Made light of a 12-month absence to land Midlands National at Kilbeggan in July. Not disgraced when sixth behind Born By The Sea at Galway (22.5f) since and he should give another good account.

Form:

Born By The Sea³²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: J G Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Gilligan| OR: 138| D

16/1

Latest win in chase at Galway in July. Respectable tenth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Killarney (22f, good, 16/1) 32 days ago. Return to chasing rates a likely plus now.

Form:

Shady Operator^b⁵⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Miss A B O'Connor⁽⁵⁾| T: E Bolger| OR: 138

25/1

1 win from 3 runs this season. 9/1, 32 lengths fourteenth of 19 to Born By The Sea in handicap chase at Galway (22.5f, good) 54 days ago, hampered 3 & 2 out. Headgear back on now.

Form:

Robin Des Foret^t³²

Age: 11| Weight: 10-7| J: R Deegan⁽⁵⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 137| C

66/1

Course winner. Latest win in chase at Clonmel in March. 22/1 and tongue strap on for 1st time, eighth of 9 in handicap chase at Killarney (20f, good) 32 days ago. Others make more appeal.

Form:

Non-Runners

Fairyhill Run³³

Weight: 10-7| Age: 6

T: J P Ryan J: Reserve 1

Karl Der Grosse³³

Weight: 10-7| Age: 7

T: W P Mullins J: Reserve 2

Waitnsee³²

Weight: 10-5| Age: 7

T: J P Ryan J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Conflated (4/1), Farclas (6/1), Fairyhill Run (8/1), Aramax (17/2), Assemble (9/1), Modus (9/1), Darasso (10/1), Karl Der Grosse (12/1), Koshari (14/1), Annamix (16/1), Born By The Sea (16/1), Snow Falcon (18/1), Ben Dundee (20/1), Top Moon (20/1), Shady Operator (25/1), Waitnsee (25/1), The Big Lense (25/1), Home By The Lee (28/1), A Wave Of The Sea (33/1), Brahma Bull (40/1), Robin Des Foret (66/1)

Gordon Elliott holds a strong hand here and it may pay to side with one of his 4 representatives in the shape of FARCLAS. He acquitted himself with plenty of credit in top-end handicaps last term, finishing a creditable fifth in the Grand National when his stamina appeared to run dry late on. He's expected to go close, with Conflated, Aramax and Darasso others fancied to be in the mix.