13:10 Leopardstown

Thursday 26 December 2024

All12:0012:3513:1013:4514:2014:5515:30

O'Driscolls Irish Whiskey Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2)

Off time: 13:11 | Winning time: 3m 54.04s

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Selected odds by:

Naturally Nimble²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 11-2| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| D

5/1

Fairly useful winner at 10f on Flat who proved a different proposition to on his hurdling debut when readily winning Grade 3 event at Fairyhouse (16.5f) at the beginning of the month. Has a 3 lb penalty to carry but is open to further improvement.

Form: 71

Hello Neighbour⁷³

Age: 3| Weight: 10-13| J: K M Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell

9/4

Unbeaten in 2 starts up to 1¾m on Flat (useful form) and is half-brother to useful hurdler/smart chaser A Wave of The Sea. Interesting hurdling debutant.

Form:

Its Bilbo³³

Age: 3| Weight: 10-13| J: M P O'Connor| T: H De Bromhead

9/1

Built on hurdling debut form (for D. Windrif) when winning 21-runner juvenile hurdle (7/4) at Punchestown (16.7f, soft) on IRE/NH debut 33 days ago, driven out. Open to further progress.

Form: 4-1

Sony Bill²⁰¹

Age: 3| Weight: 10-13| J: S D Torrens| T: W P Mullins| D

12/1

Dual winning hurdler in France who ran to a useful level when second in 5-runner listed event at Auteuil (17.4f, soft) in June. Since joined Willie Mullins and can't be taken lightly.

Form: 114-F2

Star Runner³⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 10-13| J: O R Brown| T: W Durkan

100/1

Fairly useful maiden on the Flat but went backwards from hurdling debut when only fifth of 11 in juvenile hurdle (10/3) at Navan (16f, good to soft) 39 days ago and will surely be outclassed here.

Form: 25

Willy De Houelle^h1²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 10-13| J: D E Mullins| T: W P Mullins| BF| D

11/4

Debut winner in France who impressed with the way he went through the race when 1½ lengths second of 6 to Naturally Nimble in Grade 3 at Fairyhouse (16.5f, good, 1/4) 25 days ago, travelling best. Meets that rival on 3 lb better terms here and has leading claims in a refitted hood.

Form: 12-2

Lady Vega Allen⁹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 10-6| J: S F O'Keeffe| T: W P Mullins

10/1

Tongue tied when winning 11-runner juvenile hurdle (14/1) at Moulins (17.4f, good to soft) on debut 96 days ago. First run for yard after leaving E. D' Andigne. Open to plenty of improvement.

Form: 1

Mo Ghille Mar⁷⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 10-6| J: Sam Ewing| T: Mrs J Harrington

66/1

Fairly useful on Flat (stays 13f), successful twice in 2024, little impression in listed event last time. Thrown in at the deep end on hurdle debut.

Form:

Murcia²⁰¹

Age: 3| Weight: 10-6| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: W P Mullins

7/1

Produced an effort verging on useful when winning 6-runner juvenile hurdle (listed) at Auteuil (17.4f, soft) by 12 lengths in June. Has since transferred to Willie Mullins and must enter calculations.

Form: 3-331

Prairie Angel²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 10-6| J: R Deegan| T: J P O'Brien

25/1

Progressive on the Flat, winning a pair of 1½m handicaps in October and made it 2 from 2 in this sphere at Down Royal (16.9f) last month. Flopped at Cheltenham but wasted no time getting back on track when second at Newbury since. This is a stiff task, though.

Form: 1162

Forecasts

Hello Neighbour (9/4), Willy De Houelle (11/4), Naturally Nimble (5/1), Murcia (7/1), Its Bilbo (9/1), Lady Vega Allen (10/1), Sony Bill (12/1), Prairie Angel (25/1), Mo Ghille Mar (66/1), Star Runner (100/1)

WILLY DE HOUELLE was turned over at short odds by Naturally Nimble in a Grade 3 at Fairyhouse at the beginning of the month, but he impressed with the way he went through the race and is taken to reverse the form now that he meets that rival on 3 lb better terms in a refitted hood. Murcia ran to a useful level when opening her account by a wide margin in an Auteuil listed event in June and strong market support for her would put a slightly different slant on matters.