| No. |
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Selection |
Form |
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Guide |
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- Copacabana
- Mr P W Mullins / W P Mullins
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133
|
9/2 |
Copacabana
Made his debut only a month ago but was hugely impressive at Navan (soft to heavy) in comfortably disposing of experienced opposition (who had shown plenty of ability) by a widening 5l, and so strong was he through the line that Patrick Mullins had a job pulling him up; that performance was evidently not unexpected after going off favourite (9-4) and the vibes emanating out of a yard that's farmed this race bode well; given that ten winners of this contest had raced only once, there's no knocking inexperience.
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- Dalston Lad
- Tristan Durrell / D Skelton
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118
|
66/1 |
Dalston Lad
Winning pointer who has justified a shade of odds-on in both his bumpers, at Ayr (good to soft; by 9l) and Aintree (soft; by 2l); seems a straightforward gelding who should give his running but that latest form has taken some knocks and Harry Skelton prefers stablemate Fortune De Mer.
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- El Cairos
- Mr D Maxwell / G & J Moore
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119
|
14/1 |
El Cairos
Recruited for 200,000euros after winning an Irish maiden point (3m, yielding) last April; won easily at Newbury (good) but the next two home haven't done anything for the form and he has a mountain to climb on the all figures; on the plus side, he's well thought of and reportedly impressed in a gallop last week.
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- Fortune De Mer
- Harry Skelton / D Skelton
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125
|
14/1 |
Fortune De Mer
It wasn't a strong Listed race that he won here in November (good; coped with softer in points) but he had loads more in hand than the narrow margin would suggest; turned over since at odds-on at Huntingdon but a blind eye can be turned to that as he was far too gassy off tepid fractions; could be seen in a different light here should they crack on at a solid pace and top trainer has been talking up his chances.
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- Gameofinches
- P Townend / W P Mullins
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136
|
7/2 |
Gameofinches
Competitive when falling in his first point and comfortably made amends in the second; rules debut only 20 days ago but he was the talk of Punchestown (soft; 8-15) and duly eased clear with Patrick Mullins (who now rides Copacabana) having to be only a passenger; the could-be-anything tag definitely applies here and Willie Mullins speaks of him with a glint in his eye; huge player.
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- Heads Up
- S Bowen / J C Mcconnell
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127
|
28/1 |
Heads Up
Dam hails from the family of Gold Cup winner Denman; won by 24l at Punchestown in November (soft) but was readily brushed aside by Kalypso'chance at Navan (yielding to soft) despite having the run of things up front; it's difficult to envisage him reversing those placings and there are plenty of others to worry about.
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- He Can't Dance
- Mr Harry Swan / G Elliott
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130
|
50/1 |
He Can't Dance
Has a Festival winner in the family as his dam is a half-sister to Master Minded who won the Champion Chase twice; long odds-on when doing it easily at Navan and was then gelded; held his own when third in a Grade 2 at Leopardstown's Dublin Racing Festival (again on soft; unraced on drier ground) and that was against rivals armed with more experience, including Sortudo who was second; nice prospect but may lack the finishing kick for this.
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- Idaho Sun
- Bryan Carver / H Fry
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125
|
22/1 |
Idaho Sun
The dam is out of a half-sister to Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere; all out to win on heavy at Newton Abbot in October but had the runner-up further behind when decisively following up in Berkshire Winter Million event at Windsor in January (soft); impressing on typical mid-winter ground can count for nothing here but he's hugely unexposed.
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- I Started A Joke
- P Byrnes / C Byrnes
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128
|
33/1 |
I Started A Joke
All out to win at Limerick over Christmas (yielding to soft) so it was surprising that he went off favourite for a Grade 2 at Leopardstown and he duly came up short (behind Sortudo and He Can't Dance); very opposable on what he's achieved to date.
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- Kalypso'chance
- J W Kennedy / G Elliott
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137
|
7/2 |
Kalypso'chance
Won his point over 2m4f in Britain last April and five days later fetched £85,000 at the sales; has impressed in both his bumpers in Ireland, unextended at Punchestown (soft) and Navan (Listed; yielding to soft); quickened smartly the last time and the Topspeed figure was eyecatching; could possess the required blend of speed and stamina for this test and there's no knowing where his limitations lie; powerful owners have never won this but they're getting closer (third 12 months ago); lots to like.
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- No Drama This End
- H Cobden / P F Nicholls
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122
|
14/1 |
No Drama This End
Odds-on when winning his British point (3m, soft) by 23l and subsequently sold for £160,000; described as "big and backward" by his trainer in the Racing Post's early-season Stable Tours but he looked good in brushing aside a well-regarded Skelton horse at Warwick on New Year's Eve (soft); rightly considered to be one of Britain's best chances; Paul Nicholls has had horses placed in this race but never won it.
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- Shuttle Diplomacy
- Sam Ewing / T Cooper
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133
|
50/1 |
Shuttle Diplomacy
Easily won from the front in a Listed bumper at Limerick (heavy) but he still went off 33-1 for a Grade 1 event at Punchestown last spring and came up well short; it's hardly ideal to be heading here after so long on the sidelines.
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- Sortudo
- D E Mullins / W P Mullins
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130
|
40/1 |
Sortudo
Seemingly down his stable's pecking order but he's been bang there at Leopardstown (good to yielding/soft) in his last two runs, the latest a Grade 2 when finishing alongside He Can't Dance; he may lack the same star potential of some in here.
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- Aqua Force
- M P Walsh / W P Mullins
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135
|
11/1 |
Aqua Force
Bred for the job as her dam is out of a sister to Back In Front who was third in this race in 2002 then won the Supreme in 2003; turned a few heads in winning at Gowran last month (soft) by 28l and the runner-up was about 9l behind Bambino Fever the time before; this mare has since been recruited by JP McManus and moved to Willie Mullins from Miguel Gunn's yard; an unknown quantity.
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- Bambino Fever
- Miss J Townend / W P Mullins
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138
|
4/1 |
Bambino Fever
Point and dual bumper winner (all on soft); seemingly neglected by Patrick Mullins (who rode her the time before) in a Grade 2 for mares at Leopardstown's big February festival but, under Jody Townend who retains the ride here, the turbo kicked in up the straight and she powered away from a solid yardstick who won last Sunday; clearly has an engine and two mares armed with the handy sex allowance have won this in the last decade, including the stable's Relegate who took the same Leopardstown race en route.
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- Highland Haven
- J J Burke / F O'brien
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124
|
100/1 |
Highland Haven
Twice beaten since her debut win at Ffos Las (good to soft) and she's surely outclassed.
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- Caballero Cliff
- Ben Jones / R Stephens
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112
|
200/1 |
Caballero Cliff
Unlucky not to finish closer when fourth in a Listed event here on New Year's Day (soft) but that wasn't a strong race and this has never been won by a maiden.
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- Lancelot Allen
- David Noonan / Mrs J Williams
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107
|
150/1 |
Lancelot Allen
Only one 4yo (Cue Card) has won this race since 1995; this one is well related but has been absent since December when edging out a subsequent winning hurdler at Bangor (soft); that bare form leaves him with a whopping amount to find on this seismic rise in class.
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