18:20 Downpatrick

Friday 26 April 2024

All16:2016:5017:2017:5018:2018:5019:20

Randox Ulster National Handicap Chase

Off time: 18:23 | Winning time: 7m 14.6s

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Selected odds by:

Tullybeg^t¹⁵⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: D J Gilligan⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 140| C

16/1

Nine wins from 25 NH runs. 2 wins from 4 runs this season. 66/1, pulled up in handicap chase at Navan (24f, heavy) 159 days ago, struggling from early final circuit. Others more persuasive.

Form: 45-191P

Max Flamingo^p⁸³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Thomas Reilly⁽⁷⁾| T: Francis Casey| OR: 137

10/1

Fifteenth of 22 in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (24.3f, soft, 80/1) 83 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase. Cheekpieces back on. Dangerous if scaling a revival.

Form: P0-65P0

Frontal Assault^b²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: J W Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 136

7/1

Twelve runs since last win in 2022. Good fourth of 20 in handicap chase at Fairyhouse (29.1f, heavy, 25/1) 25 days ago. Can make presence felt.

Form: 549044

Peaches And Cream⁸³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: C Stone-Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 129| C

11/2

Bit below form fourth of 12 in handicap chase at Musselburgh (31.4f, good to soft, 5/1) 83 days ago. Stable has a good recent record in this race.

Form: 4-63754

Ask Anything^h1,t³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: S W Flanagan| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 128| BF

11/4

Tongue strap on for 1st time, very good second of 10 in handicap chase (3/1) at Navan (23.4f, heavy) 34 days ago. Yard having good spell. Hood on 1st time. Should continue to give a good account for yard seeking a hat-trick of wins in this.

Form: 122142

Now Where Or When^p,t¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Sam Ewing| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 128

18/1

Ninth of 13 in handicap chase (50/1) at Aintree (25f, soft) 13 days ago.

Form: 3P-5749

Streets Of Doyen^b,t²³⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: S D Torrens| T: J C McConnell| OR: 128

40/1

Well-beaten fifth of 6 to Tullybeg in minor event hurdle at Down Royal (24f, good to soft, 11/1). Off 7 months. Switches from hurdles to chase. Rejoined yard after leaving Tom Gibney.

Form: 50P-105

Fakiera^b,t⁴⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-10| J: R A Doyle| T: E Griffin| OR: 124

28/1

Eighteen runs since last win in 2020. 100/1, very good third of 12 in handicap chase at Naas (24.8f, heavy) 47 days ago, suited by way race developed.

Form: PP-64P3

The Flier Begley^h¹⁰³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-9| J: J J Slevin| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 123

22/1

Pulled up in handicap chase at Punchestown (22.7f, soft, 3/1) 103 days ago, weakening when pulled up before 3 out. Up in trip. Hood back on. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 593P2P

Bodhisattva^v1²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: B W Harvey| T: J C McConnell| OR: 121

22/1

Below form fourth of 9 in handicap chase (14/1) at Fairyhouse (24.6f, heavy) 25 days ago. Visor on 1st time. Has work to do.

Form: 1353B4

Jumping Jet²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: C P Millar⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 121| BF

5/1

Latest win in chase at Navan in March. Fifth of 8 in handicap chase (5/2) at Fairyhouse (21.6f, heavy) 27 days ago. Significantly up in trip. Not taken lightly.

Form: 324125

Dragon Rock^b1³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-6| J: J S McGarvey| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 120

28/1

16/1, third of 5 in handicap chase at Bangor (24.1f, heavy) 34 days ago. Blinkers on 1st time.

Form: 2U6143

Young Dev^p¹⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 10-4| J: J P Shinnick⁽⁷⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 118

20/1

Seventh of 9 in handicap hurdle (12/1) at Limerick (21f, heavy) 15 days ago, inadequate test. Switches from hurdles to chase. Significantly back up in trip. Not taken lightly on pick of form.

Form: 41U407

Regina Dracones³⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-3| J: D J O'Keeffe| T: T Gibney| OR: 117

11/1

Fourteen runs since last win in 2022. 11/1, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Cork (24.3f, heavy) 36 days ago, pulled up early in straight. Switches from hurdles to chase.

Form: 33869P

Non-Runners

Dorking Cock¹¹⁵

Weight: 10-9| Age: 10

T: S R B Crawford J: Mr S Connor

Temptationinmilan⁴¹

Weight: 10-1| Age: 8

T: C Byrnes J: Reserve 1

The Gradual Slope³⁴

Weight: 10-0| Age: 7

T: S O O'Brien J: Reserve 2

Bleu D'enfer²

Weight: 10-0| Age: 6

T: S R B Crawford J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Ask Anything (11/4), Jumping Jet (5/1), Peaches And Cream (11/2), Frontal Assault (7/1), Max Flamingo (10/1), Regina Dracones (11/1), Dorking Cock (12/1), Bleu D'enfer (14/1), Tullybeg (16/1), Temptationinmilan (16/1), The Gradual Slope (16/1), Now Where Or When (18/1), Young Dev (20/1), Bodhisattva (22/1), The Flier Begley (22/1), Fakiera (28/1), Dragon Rock (28/1), Streets Of Doyen (40/1)

Gavin Cromwell might be able to land this for the third year running courtesy of ASK ANYTHING, who is low mileage over fences and shaped well when second in a competitive handicap last time. Gordon Elliott pair Frontal Assault, who ran a cracker in the Irish Grand National at the beginning of the month, and Jumping Jet may give the selection most to think about.