16:20 Listowel

Wednesday 21 September 2022

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5517:30

Guinness Kerry National Handicap Chase (Grade A)

Off time: 16:19 | Winning time: 5m 39.02s

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Selected odds by:

Hewick^p⁵⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: J C Gainford| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 163| CD

9/1

Career best when winning 21-runner handicap chase at Galway (22.5f, good, 16/1) 56 days ago by ½ length from Darasso, digging deep. 8 lb rise could be enough to anchor him.

Form: 21P1-21

El Barra⁵⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 153| BF

5/1

1 win from 2 runs this season. 9/2, good 3¾ lengths third of 21 to Hewick in handicap chase at Galway (22.5f, good) 56 days ago. 5 lb better off with that rival now and he has to enter calculations.

Form: 23131-3

Darasso^b,t⁵⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Mark Walsh| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 152| C

17/2

Course winner. Good ½-length second of 21 to Hewick in handicap chase at Galway (22.5f, good, 10/1) 56 days ago, just failing. Enjoys a 4 lb pull with the winner here and merits respect for last year's winning yard (one of five representing Joseph O'Brien).

Form: 1213-72

Cape Gentleman³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Donagh Meyler| T: E Mullins| OR: 151| BF

14/1

1/3, bit below form second of 5 in minor event chase at Ballinrobe (17f, good) 30 days ago. Significantly up in trip and improvement needed.

Form: 112F-92

A Wave Of The Sea^b⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: S D Torrens| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 149

14/1

Latest win in chase at Leopardstown in February. Fell in handicap chase (20/1) at Galway (22.5f, good) won by Hewick 56 days ago. Others have achieved more.

Form: 2F19-6F

Ronald Pump^t²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Aidan Coleman| T: M J Smith| OR: 149| D

18/1

Seventeen runs since last win in 2019. Third of 5 in minor event hurdle at Down Royal (24f, good, 5/2) 26 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase and will be a danger to all if on-song.

Form: 52F-723

Hurricane Georgie⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: M J M O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 145

12/1

3 wins from 5 runs this season. Latest win in chase at Kilbeggan in July. Unseated rider in handicap chase (14/1) at Galway (22.5f, good) won by Hewick 56 days ago. Enters calculations.

Form: 2U-111U

Fire Attack⁵⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: B J Cooper| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 144

15/2

1 win from 2 runs this season. Latest win in chase at Punchestown in May. 8/1, fell in handicap chase at Galway (22.5f, good) won by Hewick 56 days ago. Can make presence felt.

Form: 5/1U2-1F

Gabbys Cross⁵⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 143| D

11/1

1 win from 2 runs this season. 22/1, career best when winning 20-runner handicap chase at Galway (22.5f, good to soft) 54 days ago by 2¼ lengths from Busselton, holding on gamely. This is tougher.

Form: 4F915-1

Gin On Lime^p1,t⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 143

22/1

14/1, bit below form 20 lengths twelfth of 21 to Hewick in handicap chase at Galway (22.5f, good) 56 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time and needs to bounce back.

Form: 114-320

The Jam Man^p²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-6| J: K C Sexton| T: R McNally| OR: 143| D

33/1

Creditable fifth of 9 in handicap at Clonmel (16.4f, good to firm, 22/1) 20 days ago. Switches from Flat to chase. Cheekpieces back on. Down to a workable mark and dangerous to discount.

Form: 04200-0

Busselton^b⁵⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 142| BF| C

13/2

Course winner. Creditable 2¼ lengths second of 20 to Gabbys Cross in handicap chase at Galway (22.5f, good to soft, 7/2) 54 days ago. Blinkers back on and should make his presence felt.

Form: 12422-2

Freewheelin Dylan^p,t⁵⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-4| J: Ricky Doyle| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 141| CD

33/1

C&D winner. Creditable 9¾ lengths ninth of 20 to Gabbys Cross in handicap chase at Galway (22.5f, good to soft, 33/1) 54 days ago. Looks vulnerable from a win point of view.

Form: 6UP7-89

Embittered^t⁵⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: Sam Ewing| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 140

12/1

40/1, bit below form eighth of 20 in handicap hurdle at Galway (16f, good) 55 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase. This new trip is worth exploring and he needs a second look.

Form: 3657-38

Recite A Prayer^t⁷⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: D E Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 139| D

28/1

1 win from 3 runs this season. Latest win in chase at Killarney in May. 13/2, tailed-off eleventh of 14 to Hurricane Georgie in handicap chase at Kilbeggan (25f, good to soft) 75 days ago.

Form: 7212-10

Rock Road^p³²

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 137

7/1

Promising sort. 3 wins from 5 runs this season. Career best when winning 13-runner handicap chase (11/4) at Killarney (20f, good) 32 days ago. Should improve and will be a big player if he gets a run. RESERVE.

Form: 52-1211

Non-Runners

Early Doors⁸³

Weight: 10-11| Age: 9

T: J P O'Brien J: L P Dempsey

Discordantly¹⁶

Weight: 10-6| Age: 8

T: Mrs J Harrington J: Sean O'Keeffe

Jeremys Flame²⁹

Weight: 10-3| Age: 8

T: G P Cromwell J: Sean Flanagan

Tullybeg¹⁸

Weight: 10-0| Age: 7

T: G Elliott J: C P McNamara

Bacardys⁴⁰

Weight: 10-0| Age: 11

T: W P Mullins J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

El Barra (5/1), Busselton (13/2), Rock Road (7/1), Fire Attack (15/2), Darasso (17/2), Hewick (9/1), Gabbys Cross (11/1), Embittered (12/1), Hurricane Georgie (12/1), A Wave Of The Sea (14/1), Cape Gentleman (14/1), Tullybeg (14/1), Early Doors (16/1), Jeremys Flame (16/1), Ronald Pump (18/1), Discordantly (20/1), Gin On Lime (22/1), Recite A Prayer (28/1), The Jam Man (33/1), Freewheelin Dylan (33/1), Bacardys (50/1)

Joseph O'Brien saddled the winner of this last year and EARLY DOORS could be the pick of his quintet this time round. The 9-y-o was a fine fifth in the Irish National in April, despite making mistakes five out and at the second-last, and is appealing off the same mark. Cases can be made for each of his four stablemates, with Embittered most interesting of them. Third choice is El Bara, who is taken to reverse Galway placings with Hewick and Darasso, while Ronald Pump also merits respect.