12:35 Leopardstown

Tuesday 28 December 2021

All12:0012:3513:1013:4514:2014:5515:30

Irish Daily Star Christmas Handicap Hurdle (80-116)

Off time: 12:36 | Winning time: 5m 6.0s

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Selected odds by:

Gealach¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 115

14/1

Twelve runs since last win in 2019. 50/1, creditable tenth of 21 in handicap hurdle at Navan (20f, good to soft) 10 days ago.

Form: 704U00

Turbojet⁵¹

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: P J O'Hanlon⁽⁷⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 115| C| D

12/1

16/1, twelfth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Navan (22f, good to soft) 51 days ago.

Form: 1/3-0030

Valentina Lady^t1⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: A P Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: P Nolan| OR: 115| D

66/1

Pulled up approaching 3 out in maiden chase at Cork (21f, soft, 18/1) 44 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Tongue strap on for 1st time.

Form: 3U-10UP

Pike County⁷⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-13| J: D F O'Regan| T: Mrs D Foster| OR: 114

28/1

Thirteenth of 18 in handicap (18/1) at the Curragh (12f, good to soft) 75 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Up in trip. Not ruled out.

Form: 32/F49-6

Carrig Rock⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr B Lawless⁽⁷⁾| T: P Croke| OR: 113

9/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. Below form in maiden hurdle at Punchestown (21.4f, good to soft, 12/1) 44 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Claims if returning to the pick of his form.

Form: 31322-4

Ilmig^p⁹²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-12| J: R Deegan⁽³⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 113

40/1

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, creditable seventh of 16 in handicap hurdle (12/1) at Roscommon (24.2f, good) 92 days ago.

Form: 37-1747

Someday^p1²⁴⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: P K Donovan⁽⁵⁾| T: Yvonne Latta| OR: 113| C

33/1

Respectable tenth of 25 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (20.6f, good to soft, 40/1). Off 8 months. Cheekpieces on for 1st time. Engaged Limerick 3.15 Monday.

Form: 3/U3590-

Fortune Street^b,t³²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Adam Williams⁽⁷⁾| T: P Nolan| OR: 112| D

25/1

Creditable fourth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Newbury (24.2f, good to soft, 28/1) 32 days ago. Merits consideration.

Form: P07044

Deux Par Deux^t²³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: S O'Callaghan⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs D Foster| OR: 111

80/1

Pulled up early final circuit in handicap hurdle at Cork (20f, good to soft, 14/1). Off 7 months.

Form: 1F78/8-P

Na Caith Tobac³⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Sam Ewing⁽³⁾| T: P W Flynn| OR: 111

80/1

Has lost his way since switched to handicaps.

Form: 231000

Priory Park⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: M P Walsh| T: E J O'Grady| OR: 111| D

9/2

Much improved when winning 18-runner handicap hurdle at Thurles (20.4f, good) 40 days ago, pushed out. Hit with an 8 lb rise but remains unexposed.

Form: 3440-51

Silvertown³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: D Meyler| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 111

14/1

16/1, creditable third of 19 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (20f, good) 31 days ago. Should remain competitive.

Form: 6-22303

Boro Tari²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: J J Slevin| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 110

40/1

Fairly useful winner at 21f in chases who went backwards from reappearance when twelfth of 16 in handicap hurdle (8/1) at Punchestown (19.4f, good to soft) 23 days ago.

Form: 71F3-60

Father Ailbe⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: K C Sexton| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 110

33/1

Fell in novice chase at Cork (21f, soft, 40/1) on debut over fences 44 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles.

Form: 4P/779-F

The Dasher Conway³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: K M Donoghue| T: Mrs G Callaghan| OR: 110

13/2

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles who showed improved form when fourth of 16 on handicap hurdle debut (17/2) at Navan (16f, good) 37 days ago. Up in trip.

Form: F0-14

Explosive Boy^t¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: B J Cooper| T: A J Martin| OR: 109| BF

9/2

Lightly-raced maiden who failed to improve when 17½ lengths sixth of 15 to Breezy Bell in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, soft) 17 days ago. Up in trip. Tongue strap back on.

Form: F/3356

Bronson In Blue¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: C L Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 108

22/1

First run since leaving Mrs Lorna Fowler when creditable 10½ lengths fifth of 15 to Breezy Bell in handicap hurdle (22/1) at Fairyhouse (16f, soft) 17 days ago, running on. Back up in trip.

Form: 24-1605

Caesar Rock^p²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Aidan Coleman| T: M F Morris| OR: 108

12/1

Below form seventh of 16 in maiden hurdle at Navan (20f, good to soft, 8/1) 24 days ago. Cheekpieces back on for handicap debut.

Form: 454-327

Shakespeare's Word^b,t1¹⁷⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: J S McGarvey| T: P Roche| OR: 107

50/1

Last of 11 in novice hurdle (11/2) at Wexford (24f, good to soft) 179 days ago. Tongue strap on for 1st time.

Form: 9469-60

Good World⁶⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: S W Flanagan| T: E Griffin| OR: 106| D

20/1

2 wins from 5 runs this season. Latest win in hurdle at Wexford in August. 5/1, respectable fourth of 10 in minor event hurdle at Wexford (16.4f, heavy) 64 days ago. Back up in trip.

Form: 7-12194

Nazine⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: M M McDonagh⁽⁷⁾| T: M J McDonagh| OR: 106

25/1

Turned in his best effort of the season when fourth of 13 in handicap hurdle at Thurles (16f, good to soft, 16/1) 9 days ago. Back up in trip.

Form: 7-00594

The Great White^t¹⁵²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: B Hayes| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 106

25/1

28/1, below form sixth of 15 in novice chase at Galway (22.5f, good) 152 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles.

Form: 910-236

Youngnedofthehill^h,t¹⁰⁹

Age: 13| Weight: 11-4| J: C P McNamara| T: S Nolan| OR: 105

80/1

Latest win in hurdle at Ballinrobe in May. Bit below form ninth of 16 in handicap hurdle (16/1) at Ballinrobe (21.8f, good to soft) 109 days ago, finding little.

Form: 85-1239

Buttons And Bows²³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: C G O'Dwyer⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Flynn| OR: 104| D

33/1

Fair handicap hurdler who was given a considerate return to this sphere when seventh of 13 in handicap at Punchestown (19.4f, good to soft) 23 days ago, not knocked about.

Form: P1F6F7

Convara^b⁸⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Mr F Maguire| T: D Commins| OR: 104

125/1

25/1 and blinkered for 1st time, pulled up before 2 out in handicap chase at Tipperary (17f, good to soft) 86 days ago.

Form: P-P707P

King Lenox¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: Liam McKenna⁽⁷⁾| T: P W Flynn| OR: 104

100/1

Hooded for 1st time, well-beaten eleventh of 15 to Breezy Bell in handicap hurdle (20/1) at Fairyhouse (16f, soft) 17 days ago. Up in trip.

Form: 383300

Sefton Warrior^p²³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: D E Mullins| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 101

40/1

Shaped as if still in good form when sixth of 13 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (19.4f, good to soft, 5/1) 23 days ago. RESERVE.

Form: 503226

Whenurgoodurgood^p¹⁴⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: J B Foley⁽⁵⁾| T: J Fox| OR: 101| D

50/1

Returned to form to win 10-runner handicap hurdle at Wexford (24f, good) 144 days ago, always holding on. RESERVE.

Form: 8060-51

Non-Runners

Jake Peter¹³

Weight: 11-10| Age: 7

T: M A Cahill J: J B Foley

Mylestown Upper²⁵⁰

Weight: 11-6| Age: 5

T: G Elliott J: J W Kennedy

Breezy Bell¹⁷

Weight: 11-2| Age: 6

T: E Cawley J: Reserve 1

Forecasts

Priory Park (9/2), Explosive Boy (9/2), Breezy Bell (9/2), Mylestown Upper (5/1), The Dasher Conway (13/2), Carrig Rock (9/1), Caesar Rock (12/1), Turbojet (12/1), Silvertown (14/1), Gealach (14/1), Good World (20/1), Jake Peter (20/1), Bronson In Blue (22/1), Nazine (25/1), Fortune Street (25/1), The Great White (25/1), Pike County (28/1), Someday (33/1), Buttons And Bows (33/1), Father Ailbe (33/1), Ilmig (40/1), Sefton Warrior (40/1), Boro Tari (40/1), Shakespeare's Word (50/1), Whenurgoodurgood (50/1), Valentina Lady (66/1), Deux Par Deux (80/1), Youngnedofthehill (80/1), Na Caith Tobac (80/1), King Lenox (100/1), Convara (125/1)

PRIORY WALK has been hit with an 8 lb rise for Thurles, but he was value for extra on the day with his rider not having to get serious, so he looks capable of following up. Mylestown Upper's opening mark demands improvement but that's certainly possible given his profile and the stable he represents. Fortune Street and Silvertown complete the shortlist.