15:40 Leopardstown

Saturday 4 February 2023

All13:2013:5514:3015:0515:4016:1016:40

Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle (0-150) (Grade B)

Off time: 15:40 | Winning time: 6m 5.02s

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Selected odds by:

Gatsby Grey^t³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Phillip Enright| T: O McKiernan| OR: 139

20/1

22/1, bit below form seventh of 19 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (19.6f, heavy) 35 days ago, left with lot to do. Up in trip and looks vulnerable conceding weight all round.

Form: 4712-P7

Lucky Max¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr R James⁽⁷⁾| T: S Doyle| OR: 138| BF

22/1

Latest win in hurdle at Cork in January. 11/4, good fourth of 13 in handicap hurdle at Navan (20f, soft) 14 days ago, making effort earlier than ideal. Well held sole previous try over this trip under Rules but that was back in March 2021 and he'll be a danger to all if he sees it out this time.

Form: 653514

Maxxum³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Cian Quirke⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 138| CD

7/4

Promising individual. 2 wins from 5 runs this season. Career best when winning 27-runner handicap hurdle at this C&D (soft, 11/4) 38 days ago, forging clear. Clobbered with an 18 lb hike in the weights but he remains relatively unexposed.

Form: 6-54211

Jungle Prose^p³⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: C McGivern⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 137| D

40/1

Four wins from 7 runs this season. 13¾ lengths fourth of 5 to Favori De Champdou in Gr 2 hurdle at Limerick (23f, heavy, 5/1) 39 days ago. Won 4 handicaps on the bounce prior to that and she needs considering, despite rocketing up the weights.

Form: 411114

The Very Man⁹⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: C D Smithers⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 137| D

66/1

Seven wins from 26 NH runs. 9/1, sixteenth of 20 in handicap at Naas (16.1f, heavy) 90 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Useful hurdler performer in this sphere when on-song but others preferred all the same.

Form: P100-03

Blue Sari^t¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 136

14/1

Respectable second of 6 in minor event hurdle at Clonmel (16.8f, heavy, 11/1) 18 days ago. Possibilities off a fair mark back in handicap company, provided his stamina passes the test (untested beyond 21f).

Form: 2414P-2

Freedom To Dream³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: M J M O'Sullivan⁽⁵⁾| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 131

12/1

Pulled up in novice chase at this course (21f, soft, 18/1) 38 days ago, bad mistake fifth. Switches from chase to hurdles and the percentage call is to look elsewhere.

Form: 2444-6P

Max Flamingo¹⁰⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: C D Maxwell| T: Francis Casey| OR: 127| C

28/1

Course winner. Latest win in chase at Killarney in May. Pulled up in handicap chase at Limerick (24f, soft, 8/1) 104 days ago, losing touch from early final circuit. Switches from chase to hurdles. Others make more appeal.

Form: 17-1P3P

A Great View^b1³⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 10-13| J: S D Torrens| T: D Cullen| OR: 126| D

66/1

Pulled up in the C&D handicap hurdle (soft, 40/1) won by Maxxum 38 days ago. Now tried in blinkers and he wouldn't be without a chance if the new headgear was to have the desired effect.

Form: 481-59P

Perceval Legallois³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: M P Walsh| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 125| D

4/1

Latest win in hurdle at Wexford in July. Respectable 25½ lengths fourth of 27 to Maxxum in handicap hurdle (8/1) at this C&D (soft) 38 days ago. That was his first run for 3 months, so he's entitled to come on for it and now meets the winner on significantly better terms.

Form: 3U1224

The Little Yank¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: L Quinlan⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 125

80/1

Latest win in chase at Sligo in September. Last of 13 in handicap hurdle at Navan (20f, soft, 33/1) 14 days ago and it's easy enough to look elsewhere.

Form: 3241F0

Sam's Choice^b³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: D F O'Regan| T: G Elliott| OR: 123| C

14/1

8/1, career best when winning 19-runner handicap hurdle at this course (20f, soft) 38 days ago. This is more demanding up 7 lb but he has to enter calculations.

Form: P-23251

Grozni⁵⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: Philip Byrnes⁽⁵⁾| T: C Byrnes| OR: 121

5/1

Three wins from 9 runs this season. 4/1, career best when winning 11-runner novice hurdle at Leicester (20.5f, soft) 59 days ago, always holding on. Likely to make his presence felt.

Form: 310141

The Gradual Slope¹¹^{(ex 5)}

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Donagh Meyler| T: S O O'Brien| OR: 116

25/1

7/2, career best when winning 9-runner minor event at Down Royal (17.2f, soft) 11 days ago, just holding on. Significantly back up in trip and more needed under a penalty back in handicap company.

Form: 35-4161

Takarengo^p²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: D E Mullins| T: T Mullins| OR: 116| C

20/1

Creditable 6 lengths second of 9 to Lucky Max in handicap hurdle (3/1) at Cork (20f, heavy) 28 days ago, sticking to task. No more than an each-way squeak, though.

Form: 0/7-3472

Belle Metal^p¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: W P Mullins| OR: 115

66/1

11/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, eleventh of 13 in handicap hurdle at Navan (20f, soft) 14 days ago, faltering. Yard saddles a stronger candidate in Blue Sari.

Form: 170-7P0

Hardy Bloke^p,t³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Conor Clarke⁽⁷⁾| T: E Mullins| OR: 109

28/1

Tongue strap on for 1st time, unseated rider in C&D handicap hurdle (soft, 33/1) won by Maxxum 38 days ago. Needs to raise his game if he's to play a part in the finish.

Form: 640-54U

Non-Runners

Au Fleuron³⁵

Weight: 11-4| Age: 6

T: G Elliott J: Kieren Buckley

Forecasts

Maxxum (7/4), Perceval Legallois (4/1), Grozni (5/1), Freedom To Dream (12/1), Sam's Choice (14/1), Au Fleuron (14/1), Blue Sari (14/1), Gatsby Grey (20/1), Takarengo (20/1), Lucky Max (22/1), The Gradual Slope (25/1), Hardy Bloke (28/1), Max Flamingo (28/1), Jungle Prose (40/1), The Very Man (66/1), A Great View (66/1), Belle Metal (66/1), The Little Yank (80/1)

The vote goes to PERCEVAL LEGALLOIS, who failed to land a glove on Maxxum over this C&D during the Christmas period but he was returning from a 3-month break that day and enjoys a significant pull at the weights with Gordon Elliott's charge. Maxxum is nevertheless accorded a great deal of respect, as he's clearly progressive and should make a bold bid to complete the hat-trick, despite shooting up the weights. However, if Lucky Max sees this trip out he could emerge as the main danger.