14:15 Navan

Saturday 22 January 2022

All12:0012:3013:0513:4014:1514:5015:2516:00

Ardmulchan Handicap Hurdle (80-109)

Off time: 14:16 | Winning time: 5m 21.5s

Settings

Selected odds by:

Lugg River^p⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 109| BF

8/1

Hampered and fell first in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (20.9f, heavy, well-backed 4/1) 6 days ago. Certainly not dismissed.

Form: 434-24F

Banks Boy³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: J W Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 108

14/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Never a threat after 9 months off when sixth of 21 in maiden hurdle at this course (16f, good to soft, 40/1) 35 days ago. Open to improvement making handicap debut.

Form: 30-6

Askann^p²¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Jennifer Torrens⁽⁷⁾| T: M Torrens| OR: 107

33/1

Ran up to best after 10 months off when third of 19 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (24.5f, soft, 14/1) 21 days ago. Not taken lightly.

Form: 23373-3

Endlessly^h,t⁷⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: K M Donoghue| T: M J Smith| OR: 107

13/2

20/1, shaped better than the distance beaten suggested when eleventh of 21 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (24.2f) 70 days ago, unable to sustain effort. Not one to dismiss out of hand here.

Form: 3F6-600

Machine Learner²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: R A Doyle| T: J F Levins| OR: 107

22/1

Fair winner at 14f on flat. Showed more than previously when sixth of 18 in maiden hurdle at Leopardstown (16f, soft, 100/1) 27 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 786

Mastermind²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: E Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: C O'Brien| OR: 107

50/1

Fourteen runs since last win in 2018. 28/1, respectable eighth of 13 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, soft) 21 days ago. Back up in trip.

Form: 45/0-5F8

Never Off Duty²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: M P Walsh| T: R Tyner| OR: 107

6/1

15/2, ran up to best when second of 14 in handicap hurdle at Naas (19f, soft) 20 days ago. Stable having good spell. Another bold show likely.

Form: 06/9F3-2

Shantou Lucky²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: J B Kane⁽⁵⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 107| BF

7/1

Latest win in hurdle at Punchestown in December. Respectable eighth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (20f, good to soft, 4/1) 24 days ago, forced to switch entering straight.

Form: P50318

Deux Par Deux^t²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: S W Flanagan| T: Mrs D Foster| OR: 106

100/1

Offered little after 8 months off when nineteenth of 28 in handicap hurdle (80/1) at Leopardstown (20f, soft) 25 days ago.

Form: F78/8-P0

Influential Lady²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: D Meyler| T: J Barcoe| OR: 105| D

25/1

3 wins from 8 runs this season. Latest win in hurdle at Gowran in November. Still in good form when seventh of 15 in handicap hurdle (20/1) at Leopardstown (20f, good to soft) 24 days ago.

Form: 311517

Aa Bee See^p²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: A P Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: N Madden| OR: 104| D

28/1

28/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time in this code, one of better efforts when fifth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Naas (19f, soft) 20 days ago. Hasn't stood much racing in recent seasons, however.

Form: 6/00-995

Brulure Noire²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: J S McGarvey| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 104

40/1

Proved a different proposition when winning 17-runner maiden hurdle at Limerick (19f, heavy, 40/1) 24 days ago, driven out. Likely to progress further on this handicap debut.

Form: FF6671

Fenta Des Obeaux²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Shane Fenelon⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 104

125/1

Offered little on first outing since leaving W. P. Mullins after 23 months off when tenth of 11 in minor event hurdle at Limerick (16f, heavy, 125/1) 24 days ago. Up in trip.

Form: 34F90/0

Macs Charm⁸⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: B Hayes| T: Colm Murphy| OR: 104

12/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Back on track after 10 months off when second of 12 in maiden hurdle at Wexford (20f, heavy, 3/1) 89 days ago, running on. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 34540-2

Aragon²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: S F O'Keeffe| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 103

28/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. 14/1, first run since leaving Mervyn Torrens when twenty second of 26 in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (16f, soft) 27 days ago. Up in trip.

Form: 784-80

Two Shoe Tom^t²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: C D Maxwell| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 103

40/1

One win from 23 NH runs. Eleven runs since last win in 2020. 9/1, shaped like a non-stayer when eleventh of 17 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (24.5f, soft) 21 days ago. Enters calculations.

Form: 855-430

Thedancingfarrier¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: I J Power| T: P Kiely| OR: 102| D

40/1

Winner in hurdle at Cork in December. Good second of 12 in novice chase (5/1) at Cork (20f, heavy) 14 days ago, no match for winner. Switches from chase to hurdles.

Form: 665192

Thegoaheadman^b⁴⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: P J O'Hanlon⁽⁷⁾| T: M G Mcguane| OR: 102

80/1

One win from 28 NH runs. Twenty runs since last win in 2019. 66/1, first run since leaving Mrs J. Harrington when last of 16 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (19.4f, good to soft) 48 days ago.

Form: 7-5UP40

Stockdale³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: S Fitzgerald⁽⁵⁾| T: B R Hamilton| OR: 100

6/1

18/1, remained in good heart when fifth of 19 in handicap hurdle at this C&D (good to soft) 35 days ago, unable to sustain effort. One for the shortlist.

Form: 0F7475

Yulong Voice^t²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: M P O'Connor⁽⁵⁾| T: S Nolan| OR: 100| D

40/1

Winner in hurdle at Killarney in August. 20/1, underperformed after 12 weeks off when ninth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Naas (19f, soft) 20 days ago.

Form: 4120B9

Leish Oscars Son²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Mr O McGill⁽⁷⁾| T: N McKnight| OR: 98

9/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 4/1, offered something to work on when fourth of 14 on handicap debut at Naas (19f, soft) 20 days ago. Still early days with him and he may do better still.

Form: 33-794

Balbir Du Mathan^t⁹⁰

Age: 13| Weight: 11-2| J: G P Brouder⁽⁵⁾| T: Gearoid Brouder| OR: 97| C

125/1

Course winner. Twelve runs since last win in 2018. Shaped as if amiss after 8 months off when pulled up at Galway in October. First run for yard after leaving Patrick G. Kelly.

Form: P9P/PP-P

Kinnegad Lad¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: J J Slevin| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 97

40/1

8/1, shaped as if better for the run after 8 months off when last of 5 in handicap hurdle at Ayr (16f, heavy) 13 days ago. Up in trip. Can make presence felt.

Form: 0690-35

Elzoom^b1⁶⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: L P Dempsey| T: S Crawley| OR: 98

33/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Thirteenth of 20 in juvenile hurdle (250/1) at Punchestown (16f, good to soft) 60 days ago. Up in trip. Blinkered for 1st time. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 070

Init Together^p1²²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: D J O'Keeffe| T: P Roche| OR: 98

12/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Eleventh of 20 in juvenile hurdle at Punchestown (15.6f, heavy, 100/1) 22 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 500

Birdie Blitz²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: S D Torrens| T: A A Howard| OR: 97| D

22/1

10/1, creditable tenth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (21f, heavy) 25 days ago. RESERVE.

Form: 4F8-450

Non-Runners

Miss Tempo²⁵

Weight: 11-8| Age: 6

T: H De Bromhead J: Rachael Blackmore

Call Me Freddie⁵

Weight: 11-1| Age: 7

T: P Nolan J: Reserve 2

Alice Kitty⁵

Weight: 9-12| Age: 4

T: G Elliott J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Stockdale (6/1), Never Off Duty (6/1), Endlessly (13/2), Shantou Lucky (7/1), Lugg River (8/1), Miss Tempo (8/1), Leish Oscars Son (9/1), Macs Charm (12/1), Init Together (12/1), Banks Boy (14/1), Call Me Freddie (20/1), Birdie Blitz (22/1), Machine Learner (22/1), Influential Lady (25/1), Alice Kitty (25/1), Aragon (28/1), Aa Bee See (28/1), Askann (33/1), Elzoom (33/1), Two Shoe Tom (40/1), Yulong Voice (40/1), Brulure Noire (40/1), Thedancingfarrier (40/1), Kinnegad Lad (40/1), Mastermind (50/1), Thegoaheadman (80/1), Deux Par Deux (100/1), Fenta Des Obeaux (125/1), Balbir Du Mathan (125/1)

As the numbers suggest, this is ultra-competitive and cases can be made for several. The vote goes to MISS TEMPO, who failed to meet expectations on the softest ground she's encountered so far at Limerick last month, but with Rachael Blackmore back on board and dropped back in trip, she can notch a second career success. Banks Boy, Stockdale and Askann are just a trio of possible dangers.