An outstanding NH venue, right handed and a steady climb in the final half mile, they are on the preferred outer Hurdles Track today. I think after frost and some rain the Going will be "pudding like" and stamina will be a key component.

 

At the top of the market, (and there should be 4 places available everywhere and a 5th enhanced place offer from many, so we'll look for a small "dutching bet" to seek net profit from the race overall) we have Londonofficecallin who has a most recent hurdle win mark of 95 (2023) a Course and Distance winner who runs off a mark of 102 here, but in these conditions at the price i am happy to oppose this one. Beggars Rock was a facile winner at Limerick last time but this race looks and feels deeper and therefore with a 10lbs penalty I'm happy to take this one on two. Of the top 3 in the market, the one I fear the most is Union Park, a shade unlucky over Chase fences last time who returns to hurdles off a mark of 109, well below it's Chase mark but still 8lbs above its most recent hurdle winning mark. I fear this one but in the final analysis there were 4 others that I was more interested in.

 

The likes of Sammy Smart who runs very well here with wins and places the last twice over 3 miles , drops in trip and whilst that stamina will come in handy, if you go back a few years you'll note it hasn't got the record at this trip that it does over further. Colonel Nelson and Sianagaibhgoleir are both dark horses too here, the former makes handicap debut for Margaret and Danny Mullins and has a bit of decent 3 mile P2P form that suggests this trip could be an ideal stepping stone and the latter is an Elliott horse who clearly has an engine but who so far has found that just about every hurdle is a challenge. IF he can learn to jump a little better he will win races, hopefully not today.

 

I have added Colonel Nelson to my TRACKER and also The diddler, a nice long term hurdle prospect who will find a mark that it can win off at some point and Cozone, a winner in waiting, who I will revisit shortly. At very big odds you should never ignore any Elliott horse at 50/1 but Voice of Reason doesn't look like a natural in these sorts of conditions.

 

My top 2 rated are; MERCURY MISSION who was visually very impressive at Cork last time and I think this track will suit it too, a nice mark of 102 with a good 7lbs Claimer and I will be disappointed if this one isn't in the first 4 home at the very least. I have similar hopes for ASK ANYTHING who makes a very interesting return to Hurdles, A Fall and then Pulled Up in the Troytown over Fences and a fizzy run back over Hurdles last time is not jumping off the page in terms of form figures, but a class above most of these on his day with the proven stamina needed and some tactical speed too. We'll take a chance that he puts his best foot forward and if he does he looks very well in here.

 

If you want to play the enhanced places then a value bet is CHOSEN DIAMOND, a return off a 289 day break is not usually a "way in" but the horse won first time out last season off a similar break and some are best "fresh", very well handicapped off a hurdle mark of 98 and one who could easily outrun its early Odds. The aforementioned COZONE would definitely have been a tip as I think it's coming in to range handicap mark wise, the main niggle for me is the sticky going but this one is definitely one to follow and I would not put you off a small e/w nibble today if you wanted one (Placespotter)

 

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