20:00 Clonmel

Thursday 16 May 2024

All16:5517:3018:0018:3019:0019:3020:0020:30

Botanica International Handicap Hurdle (80-123)

Off time: 20:00 | Winning time: 4m 11.05s

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Selected odds by:

Tom McGreevy^h,t²¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: T P Harney⁽⁷⁾| T: Liz Doyle| OR: 119| D

28/1

Unreliable type. Latest win in hurdle at Kilbeggan in September. 14/1, proved too free when sixteenth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (20f, good to soft), folding. Off 7 months. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 4/R0210-

Morning Soldier^t⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: J B Foley| T: T Mullins| OR: 118

10/1

Remains winless over hurdles but bounced back to best when runner-up in novice company at Cork (2m, heavy) in January. Faced stiff tasks in handicaps both starts since but this less demanding back from 47 days off and not one to write off. Worth a look.

Form: 4062U0-

Answering¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr D Doyle⁽⁷⁾| T: T Doyle| OR: 115| D

4/1

Winner in hurdle at Thurles in March. 22/1, not disgraced eighth of 24 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (16.4f, good to soft) 14 days ago. Looks competitive on form.

Form: 622148-

War Correspondent^t¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: D Meyler| T: R P Cody| OR: 113| D

18/1

Sixteenth of 24 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (16.4f, good to soft, 40/1) 14 days ago, weakening entering straight. Others preferred.

Form: 6/F0000-

Dame Rapide²¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: D E Mullins| T: J M Barrett| OR: 111

9/2

Winner in hurdle at Ballinrobe (17.7f) in September. 9/2, below form sixth of 10 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (16.2f, good to soft). Off 7 months.

Form: 6/82156-

San Martino¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Aileen O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: S Millar| OR: 111

11/1

Good tenth of 19 in handicap at Navan (13f, good to soft, 40/1) 19 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Back down in trip. Creditable on last hurdle outing.

Form: 6/57U43-

Zolpharine¹⁸⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: C M Quirke⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 110| D

8/1

Fair winning hurdler who ran poorly when last of 6 in Navan Grade 3 when last seen in November. Switch to handicaps rates a positive on return and interesting what the market makes of her.

Form: 214746-

Britzka²³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: K E Buckley| T: S Nolan| OR: 109| D

40/1

28/1 and visored for 1st time, pulled up in novice chase at Sligo (17.6f, heavy), dropping away from 4 out. Off 7 months. Switches from chase to hurdles.

Form: 0220PP-

Karacole¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: J J Slevin| T: J Barcoe| OR: 109

14/1

100/1, best excused run when pulled up in listed hurdle at Punchestown (16.4f, good to soft) 14 days ago, badly hampered first and rider lost irons. Feasible to see her quickly back to form on handicap debut.

Form: 4F662P-

Woodstream Lad^b¹⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: Miss P Elvin⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 100| D

9/2

Winner in hurdle at Thurles in November. Very good second of 23 in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (16f, good to soft, 20/1) 142 days ago. Enters calculations.

Form: 70/3612-

Golden Temple²³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Sam Ewing| T: N Meade| OR: 104

12/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Sixth of 9 in handicap hurdle (16/1) at Tipperary (16f, good to soft) 23 days ago. That was his first start for 6 months and this 4-y-o is likely to improve further in handicaps.

Form: 4456-

Only One Plan^p²⁴³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: C Owens⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 96| D

22/1

Winner in hurdle at Roscommon in June. 13/2, respectable seventh of 18 in handicap hurdle at Navan (15.6f, good to soft). Off 8 months. Others more persuasive.

Form: 315247-

Dream Escape^h⁷⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: C Stone-Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: T Mullins| OR: 91

7/1

Lightly-raced maiden over hurdles. Sixteenth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (16f, soft, 20/1) 74 days ago. Hard to warm to until showing more.

Form: 0800-

Non-Runners

She's A Fine Wine¹³⁹

Weight: 11-9| Age: 6

T: H De Bromhead J: Rachael Blackmore

Forecasts

She's A Fine Wine (7/2), Answering (4/1), Woodstream Lad (9/2), Dame Rapide (9/2), Dream Escape (7/1), Zolpharine (8/1), Morning Soldier (10/1), San Martino (11/1), Golden Temple (12/1), Karacole (14/1), War Correspondent (18/1), Only One Plan (22/1), Tom McGreevy (28/1), Britzka (40/1)

A leap of faith is required in supporting MORNING SOLDIER given his latest form figures but those exploits came in the face of some stiff tasks and, remaining with an air of unfinished business about him in this sphere, he could just be worth chancing back from 47 days off with his sights lowered. Woodstream Lad was in good form late last year and he's feared. She's A Fine Wine and Golden Temple also command a second look.