12.00 2m. 4f. 18 Declared. Happy Christmas And New Year Hcap Schase of €11,000.00 4-y-o plus
1st - €6,600.00 2nd - €2,200.00 3rd - €1,100.00 4th - €550.00 5th - €330.00 6th - €220.00
FormscanBy Eamonn Murphy - J P McManus has Coeur Joyeux and NEVER OFF DUTY doing battle for him, and Philip Rothwell is also two-handed, the Wicklow operator sending out Rightback Atya and Enduring Love. Robert Tyner trains Never Off Duty and Mark Walsh rides, and the same owner/handler/jockey combination landed this twelve months back with Fairly Legal. Obviously it’s not ideal that Never Off Duty comes here on the back of a fall. That was at the first fence at Naas on November 21st and hopefully it will have left no mark. The selection can build on a comeback effort prior to that, which came off a 351 day absence from action. He was on the sidelines at another stage for 932 days. Clearly the Beneficial gelding hasn’t been easy to train. Connections will likely pick up what they can with the chestnut when he’s fit and well, and as an eight-year-old there’s still time to play with. Another positive is that he’s got very little mileage on the clock. Tyner stable jockey Phillip Enright is on I’ll Be That Lady here, and she’s another for the short-list.
An extended handicap steeplechase for four years old and upwards rated 0-109Weights - Top weight in the original handicap and after the time of declaration shall not be less than 12st and the minimum weight is 9st 12lbsPenalties - Winner of a steeplechase after calculation of the handicap shall carry 5lb extra for each steeplechase won.