15:00 Leopardstown

Wednesday 27 December 2023

All12:0512:3513:1013:4514:2015:0015:35

Paddy Power Chase (Extended Handicap Chase) (0-150) (Listed)

Off time: 15:02 | Winning time: 6m 35.4s

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Selected odds by:

Idas Boy³²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: L A McKenna⁽⁵⁾| T: N Meade| OR: 149| D

28/1

1 win from 1 run this season. 7/1, career best when winning 8-runner handicap chase at Punchestown (21.3f, soft) 32 days ago, forging clear. Likely to improve.

Form: 42/12P-1

Adamantly Chosen³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 148| BF

11/1

Creditable 6 lengths fourth of 8 to Idas Boy in handicap chase at Punchestown (21.3f, soft, 7/2) 32 days ago. Paul Townend's pick of the Mullins brigade. Shortlist material.

Form: 2276P-4

James Du Berlais^t1²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: D A Jacob| T: W P Mullins| OR: 148

12/1

20½ lengths fourth of 6 to Classic Getaway in listed chase (6/1) at Thurles (22f, good to soft) 27 days ago, not knocked about. Tongue strap on 1st time. Makes handicap chase debut.

Form: 16643-4

Run Wild Fred^b³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G Elliott| OR: 148| D

28/1

Below form ninth of 20 in handicap chase at Navan (24f, heavy, 10/1) 38 days ago. Trainer going well. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: FF/23-59

Embittered^t¹⁸^{(ex 10)}

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: C P Millar⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 137

66/1

Career best when winning 11-runner handicap chase (16/1) at Navan (20.4f, heavy) 18 days ago, forging clear. Carries penalty. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 26P-071

Ontheropes^p⁶⁹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: W P Mullins| OR: 147| D

66/1

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, respectable fifth of 18 in handicap chase (18/1) at Gowran (25f, soft). Off 23 months. Others more persuasive.

Form: P21465/

Busselton^b³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Conor Stone-Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 146| D

33/1

27¼ lengths fourth of 5 to Bob Olinger in Lismullen Hurdle (50/1) at Navan (20f, heavy) 39 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase. Back up in trip. Blinkers back on. Must improve.

Form: 154P-54

Desertmore House^t⁹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Ricky Doyle| T: M Brassil| OR: 145| D

16/1

Five wins from 17 NH runs. 3 wins from 5 runs this season. Career best when winning 17-runner handicap chase at Listowel (24f, soft, 11/1) 98 days ago, well on top finish.

Form: 4-21711

Diol Ker^b²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: Kieren Buckley⁽³⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 145| D

40/1

14/1, eighth of 18 in handicap chase at Fairyhouse (29.6f, soft) 24 days ago. Uphill task.

Form: 0U7-5F8

Hollow Games^b1,t³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Danny Gilligan⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 144| C| D

22/1

7/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, pulled up in handicap chase at Navan (24f, heavy) 38 days ago, struggling when blundered 4 out. Blinkers on 1st time. Looks competitive on form.

Form: 14P4-3P

Fakir D'alene^b³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 142| D

11/1

28/1, good third of 20 in handicap chase at Navan (24f, heavy) 38 days ago. Can give a good account without posing serious threat to principals.

Form: 174B/23

Macs Charm³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Brian Hayes| T: Colm Murphy| OR: 142

50/1

Pulled up in handicap chase at Navan (24f, heavy, 28/1) 38 days ago, soon beaten. Not easy to make a case for.

Form: P/4221-P

Panda Boy^p1⁴⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: J J Slevin| T: M Brassil| OR: 140| CD

8/1

Well-beaten fourth of 5 to Dinoblue in Poplar Square Chase at Naas (16f, soft, 25/1) 45 days ago, inadequate test. Cheekpieces on 1st time. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 43F5-44

Watch House Cross^t³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 140| C| D

14/1

2 wins from 5 runs this season. Respectable sixth of 20 in handicap chase at Navan (24f, heavy, 14/1) 38 days ago. Yard in good form. Merits consideration on pick of form.

Form: 0-11336

En Beton³¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: W P Mullins| OR: 139

50/1

Eighth of 11 in handicap chase (9/1) at Cork (21f, soft) 31 days ago. Yard in good form.

Form: 23115/8

Amirite^t1⁶⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 138| D

13/2

Creditable fourth of 13 in handicap chase (5/1) at Cheltenham (25f, good to soft) 60 days ago. Yard in good form. Tongue strap on 1st time. Merits consideration.

Form: 13U3P-4

Life In The Park³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: M P O'Connor⁽³⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 138

25/1

4/1, 8 lengths fifth of 8 to Idas Boy in handicap chase at Punchestown (21.3f, soft) 32 days ago. Stable in good form.

Form: 33-3305

Enjoy D'allen^b¹²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Sean Flanagan| T: Ciaran Murphy| OR: 137| D

40/1

Fifteen runs since last win in 2021. Respectable seventh of 13 in handicap chase (18/1) at Cheltenham (29.2f, good to soft) 12 days ago. Blinkers back on. Difficult ask.

Form: 0060-57

Upping The Anti^p1,t1³²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: B W Harvey| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 137

80/1

17/2, 37½ lengths seventh of 8 to Idas Boy in handicap chase at Punchestown (21.3f, soft) 32 days ago. Stable in good form. Tongue strap on 1st time, cheekpieces on 1st time.

Form: B2F-0F7

Jody Ted³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: M M McDonagh⁽³⁾| T: E Griffin| OR: 134| D

9/2

2 wins from 2 runs this season. 2/1, improved to win 12-runner handicap hurdle at Punchestown (24.4f, soft) 31 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 42F2-11

Real Steel^p³⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-10| J: C P McNamara| T: E McNamara| OR: 133| CD

28/1

Winner of this race 12 months ago. 16/1, fifth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (24f, heavy) 39 days ago, faltering. Switches from hurdles to chase. Not taken lightly.

Form: 10P-465

Gars De Sceaux³³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: Mark Walsh| T: G Elliott| OR: 132| D

11/1

Useful winner at 23f over hurdles. Creditable fifth of 10 in novice chase (18/1) at Fairyhouse (16.5f, heavy) 33 days ago, finishing with running left. Makes handicap chase debut.

Form: 119/33-5

Mister Fogpatches^p²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-8| J: R J Condon⁽⁵⁾| T: P A Fahy| OR: 131

50/1

Twelve runs since last win in 2021. 50/1, bit below form sixth of 18 in handicap chase at Fairyhouse (29.6f, soft) 24 days ago, racing closer to pace than ideal. Very hard to make a case for.

Form: 0/4P-5P6

Punitive^b³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-8| J: J S McGarvey| T: G Elliott| OR: 131

100/1

50/1, below form eleventh of 20 in handicap chase at Navan (24f, heavy) 38 days ago. Stable in good form.

Form: 10P6F-0

Meetingofthewaters³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: D E Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 130| D

6/1

Career best when winning 14-runner novice chase (evens) at Cork (21f, soft) 31 days ago, easily. Makes handicap chase debut and has to be respected.

Form: 376-431

Royal Thief^b,t³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: B Le Clerc| T: G Elliott| OR: 130

50/1

40/1 and blinkered for 1st time tongue strap on for 1st time, below form eighth of 20 in handicap chase at Navan (24f, heavy) 38 days ago. Trainer going well. Dangerous if scaling a revival.

Form: 1B/16-88

Flash De Touzaine^t⁵²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-6| J: P J O'Hanlon⁽³⁾| T: Liz Doyle| OR: 129

33/1

10/1, unseated rider in handicap chase at Cork (28f, soft) 52 days ago. Enters calculations. RESERVE.

Form: 0F953-U

Non-Runners

Chemical Energy⁹⁸

Weight: 11-10| Age: 7

T: G Elliott J: Jack Kennedy

Ha D'Or³²

Weight: 11-5| Age: 6

T: W P Mullins J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Jody Ted (9/2), Meetingofthewaters (6/1), Amirite (13/2), Panda Boy (8/1), Adamantly Chosen (11/1), Gars De Sceaux (11/1), Fakir D'alene (11/1), James Du Berlais (12/1), Watch House Cross (14/1), Desertmore House (16/1), Chemical Energy (16/1), Ha D'Or (20/1), Hollow Games (22/1), Life In The Park (25/1), Real Steel (28/1), Run Wild Fred (28/1), Idas Boy (28/1), Busselton (33/1), Flash De Touzaine (33/1), Diol Ker (40/1), Enjoy D'allen (40/1), Macs Charm (50/1), En Beton (50/1), Mister Fogpatches (50/1), Royal Thief (50/1), Embittered (66/1), Ontheropes (66/1), Upping The Anti (80/1), Punitive (100/1)

This looks wide open and the value angle could be WATCH HOUSE CROSS, who wasn't disgraced when sixth off this mark in the Troytown at Navan where it was probably the testing conditions rather than the step up to 3m that proved his undoing. With better ground forecast and the return to a more sharp track a plus, he is worth chancing. Idas Boy did the job well at Punchestown and merits respect, along with Adamantly Chosen, who was fourth in that same race. Chemical Energy also has claims.