15:40 Thurles

Thursday 23 February 2023

All13:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:20

Markaye Contracts Ltd Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle (Grade 3)

Off time: 15:40 | Winning time: 5m 20.02s

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Selected odds by:

Rexem¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: S D Torrens| T: J C McConnell| OR: 125

11/1

Fairly useful hurdler. 3 wins from 7 runs this season. Latest win in hurdle at Killarney in August. Off 4 months, fourth of 6 in novice hurdle at Musselburgh (23.8f, good to soft, 3/1) 19 days ago. Could go well.

Form: 131164

Sa Fureur²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: J C Gainford| T: G Elliott| OR: 132

5/6

Promising type. 9/4, career best when winning 9-runner novice hurdle at Punchestown (20.3f, heavy) 24 days ago, driven out. Trainer going well. Leading claims.

Form: 3-4211

Buddy One²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: J G Gilligan| T: P J Gilligan| OR: 111| BF

22/1

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles. Winner in hurdle at Fairyhouse in January. Creditable second of 10 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (21f, soft, 13/8) 23 days ago. Easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 70612

Ifiwerearichman^h³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: S F O'Keeffe| T: P Nolan

5/1

1 win from 3 runs this season. Good second of 6 in minor event hurdle at Navan (15.8f, soft, 10/1) 33 days ago. Significantly up in trip. Open to progress.

Form: F0-312

Henning^t1¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: D King| T: D Hogan| OR: 116

10/1

Fairly useful hurdler. 18/1, career best when winning 5-runner minor event hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, good to soft) 15 days ago, always holding on. Tongue strap on 1st time. Others more persuasive.

Form: 84-18P1

Knockanard Lady^t⁵³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: J J Doyle| T: P M J Doyle| OR: 112| BF

9/2

Lightly-raced winner under NH rules. Hooded for 1st time, bit below form fourth of 21 in minor event hurdle (9/4) at Fairyhouse (20.1f, heavy) 53 days ago. Tongue strap back on. Should have more to offer.

Form: 10-224

Still Ciel¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 114| C

16/1

Fairly useful hurdler. Course winner. 33/1, seventeenth of 22 in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (17.7f, good to soft) 18 days ago. Stable having good spell. Enters calculations.

Form: 7B2210

Whiskey Lullaby^t⁵⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: D J O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 109| D

40/1

Fairly useful hurdler. Respectable second of 10 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (20f, heavy, 10/3) 58 days ago. First run for yard after leaving W. P. Mullins. Trainer going well.

Form: 3148-12

Forecasts

Sa Fureur (5/6), Knockanard Lady (9/2), Ifiwerearichman (5/1), Henning (10/1), Rexem (11/1), Still Ciel (16/1), Buddy One (22/1), Whiskey Lullaby (40/1)

SA FUREUR has the best form and there's scope for better, so he's preferred to Rexem and Knockanard Lady in a race where the majority can be given some sort of chance.