13:10 Navan

Saturday 18 December 2021

All11:3012:0512:3513:1013:4514:2014:5515:30

Tara Handicap Hurdle (Grade B)

Off time: 13:11 | Winning time: 5m 10.3s

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Selected odds by:

Wolf Prince²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽⁵⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 142

12/1

Latest win in hurdle at Punchestown in October. 18/1, fell 5th in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, good) 20 days ago. Back up in trip and not ruled out.

Form: 04-P21F

Any Second Now^b²⁵²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: T M Walsh| OR: 139| C

14/1

Creditable third of 40 in handicap chase (15/2) at Aintree (34.3f, good to soft). Off 8 months. Switches from chase to hurdles. Can give another good account.

Form: 1/99P13-

The Very Man¹¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: S F O'Keeffe| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 133| C| D

25/1

Useful winner at 20f in chases. Fourth of 5 in novice chase at Killarney (20f, good, 4/1) 119 days ago. Switches to hurdles on first run for yard after leaving Mrs Denise Foster with more required.

Form: 031-3U4

Ballywilliam Boy¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: D J O'Keeffe| T: M Hourigan| OR: 132

4/1

Latest win in hurdle at Galway in October. Good third of 23 in handicap hurdle (14/1) at this course (24.3f, good to soft) 14 days ago, well positioned. In the mix again.

Form: 8-25123

Sassy Yet Classy^b¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: D F O'Regan| T: G Elliott| OR: 131| CD

16/1

C&D winner. 22/1, unseated rider 1st in handicap hurdle at this course (24.3f, good to soft) 14 days ago. Sort to bounce back.

Form: 442-31U

Aldo The Apache⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: B Hayes| T: Colm Murphy| OR: 130| D

6/1

Career best when winning 18-runner handicap hurdle (10/1) at Naas (20f, good to soft) 42 days ago, responding well. Can make his presence felt again.

Form: U01011

Morosini¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: J S McGarvey| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 129| D

25/1

Below form fourth of 8 in minor event hurdle at Clonmel (24f, soft, 17/2) 16 days ago. Not taken lightly if shrugging off latest effort.

Form: 6P87-P4

Suprise Package²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: K C Sexton| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 128

11/1

Very good second of 7 in minor event hurdle at Punchestown (16f, good to soft, 13/2) 25 days ago, just failing. Makes handicap debut back up in trip now and he rates a big player.

Form: 21-24P2

Fest Deiz⁷⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: J J Slevin| T: K Purcell| OR: 127| D

33/1

2 wins from 6 runs this season. Latest win in hurdle at Roscommon in June. 20/1, good sixth of 11 in handicap hurdle at Gowran (20f, good) 78 days ago. In the picture once more.

Form: 8-11456

Botani^t1⁸⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: M P O'Connor⁽⁵⁾| T: Colm Murphy| OR: 126

20/1

Latest win in hurdle at Cork in April. 9/2, fifth of 6 in minor event hurdle at Listowel (20f, good) 84 days ago. Tongue strap on 1st time with more needed.

Form: 513-305

Feelgood Island^t⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: C A Landers| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 126

50/1

Tongue strap on for 1st time, first run since leaving Miss Elizabeth Doyle when below form fifth of 12 in handicap hurdle (16/1) at Down Royal (16.9f, soft) 49 days ago. Needs to bounce back.

Form: F132F-5

Folcano^b1¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: S Fitzgerald⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 126| D

10/3

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, respectable ninth of 23 in handicap hurdle at this course (24.3f, good to soft, 8/1) 14 days ago. Blinkers on 1st time and weighted to go well.

Form: 21U0-69

Bothar Dubh^t¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: D G Whelan⁽⁷⁾| T: D Queally| OR: 125

66/1

Twelve runs since last win in 2019. 28/1, only fifth of 8 in minor event hurdle at Clonmel (24f, soft) 16 days ago. Others appeal more.

Form: 42P-055

The Little Yank¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: L P Dempsey| T: J P Ryan| OR: 125

25/1

Fair fourth of 5 to Ginto in Navan Novices' Hurdle at this C&D (good to soft, 18/1) 14 days ago, but others are preferred at these weights.

Form: 028504

Never Do Nothing¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: J B Foley⁽⁵⁾| T: T Gibney| OR: 123

100/1

Fifteenth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Cork (16f, soft, 33/1) 13 days ago. Up in trip with work to do.

Form: 9/3580-0

Bread And Butter¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: C P McNamara| T: Ms H P Markham| OR: 119| D

25/1

Eleven runs since last win in 2020. First run since leaving Gavin Patrick Cromwell when second of 16 in handicap hurdle (50/1) at Punchestown (19.4f, good to soft) 13 days ago. Enters calculations.

Form: 25P072

Carrigeen Lotus¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: Miss E A Lalor⁽⁵⁾| T: R H Lalor| OR: 119

50/1

Tailed-off eighth of 9 to Concertista in Gr 2 chase at Cork (16.7f, soft, 50/1) on debut over fences 13 days ago. Switches to hurdles with plenty to prove.

Form: 3/147P-8

Count Simon^b²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-12| J: Sam Ewing⁽³⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 116| D

80/1

Pulled up in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (20f, good, 22/1) 21 days ago. Has questions to answer now.

Form: 670/P9P

Futurum Regem²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: N J Ryan⁽⁷⁾| T: H P Finegan| OR: 116| C

16/1

10/11, respectable sixth of 14 in handicap at Dundalk (16f) 24 days ago when left poorly placed. Switches to hurdles and needs considering.

Form: 40-3441

Gealach¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: Kevin A Murphy⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 115

50/1

Eleven runs since last win in 2019, and only eleventh of 13 in handicap hurdle (14/1) at Punchestown (19.4f, good to soft) 13 days ago. Has it to prove now.

Form: 4704U0

Sweet Sting²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-12| J: Adam Ellis⁽⁷⁾| T: L P Cusack| OR: 113| D

50/1

First run since leaving Michael J. Bowe when 21¼ lengths fifth of 13 to Futurum Regem in handicap hurdle (25/1) at this course (22f, good) 27 days ago. Easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 335-8P5

Forecasts

Folcano (10/3), Ballywilliam Boy (4/1), Aldo The Apache (6/1), Suprise Package (11/1), Wolf Prince (12/1), Any Second Now (14/1), Futurum Regem (16/1), Sassy Yet Classy (16/1), Botani (20/1), Bread And Butter (25/1), The Very Man (25/1), The Little Yank (25/1), Morosini (25/1), Fest Deiz (33/1), Gealach (50/1), Sweet Sting (50/1), Feelgood Island (50/1), Carrigeen Lotus (50/1), Bothar Dubh (66/1), Count Simon (80/1), Never Do Nothing (100/1)

Lots are in with a shout here. SURPRISE PACKAGE arrives on an upward curve and from a yard among the winners so he gets the nod now going into handicaps back over his optimum trip. Bread And Butter is next on the list after his good Punchestown second, with in-form duo Aldo The Apache and Fest Deiz worth considering too.