Leopardstown 2.20 Handicap Hurdle - 3 miles - 20 run Soft

 

A low grade Hurdle and the lack of any tangible Course form is very surprising but opens up the market.

 

A short list of around half the field saw the likes of Ballybrowney Jack (needs better Going); Lee Valley Legacy (inexplicably poor lto); Perculiar Genius (stamina doubts) discarded.

 

The main dangers to my tip would be Ahgetawayoutadat who won at Thurles off a mark of 84 and gets in here off 92 with a decent 7lbs claimer up,Cherif De L'Isle who has had 4 runs at Navan since moving to Elliott and a sudden and inexplicable improvement would be no surprise; and Bailly Thunder, runner up last time but not convinced it gets 3 miles on form so far.

 

That leaves me with the tip who is ICE COOL has won off a mark of 109, runner up last time and signs before that of a return to form, conditions in terms of trip and Going are fine, and can't see any reason why it should not run a place at least.

 

For the Tracker we will side with NICHOLAS MILAN a runner up too last time and not without a sporting each way chance in these conditions.

 

One for the notebook is Fire Away, Course form recently not up to much but put up over here by a couple of shrewd "money punters" if you can get 20/1 or better, a few quid in e/w change might cover off an expected plunge.

 

TIP - ICE COOL @ 10/1  / Tracker - Nicholas Milan @ 13/2.

 

In the 4.00 race, hard to look far down the market to be perfectly frank with you School Lane, Bridge native and Ask and Answer seem pretty solid, a Tracker on a smidge of e/w value on Ask and Answer will give us a run for our money and IF it jumps off and shows any interest in the first couple of furlongs a small each way interest in WITNESS OF FASHION who did us a favour back in November but who has two totally different running styles, all in or not bothered...may be of interest. Blue Empyrean @ 20/1 may be a handicap bolter after 3 runs but one I will watch and track after today.

 

TRACKER - Ask and Answer @ 9/2.