Ask Anything should get back to winning ways at Down Royal

In Limerick, the feature is the Grade Two Lyons of Limerick Jaguar Land Rover Novice Hurdle and Search For Glory can follow up his recent Cork victory

Tue, 26 Dec, 2023 - 07:15

Tommy Lyons

The St Stephen’s Day nap comes in Down Royal, where Ask Anything will take a world of beating in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners’ Chase.

Winner of a point-to-point in late 2022, he showed promise in three bumpers without winning one but made an immediate impact over hurdles when winning a maiden on his seasonal debut. He then found only the progressive Harvard Guy too good when stepping into handicap company and, while he still looks well treated in that department, connections chose to send him chasing for his next start.

That was last time out at Clonmel, and he finished a good second to Henn See. While it could be said he didn’t take a cut at his fences, his jumping was fine and, over the inadequate two-mile-one-furlong trip, he finished off to good effect. Up to two and a half miles for this race, and with the experience under his belt, he can get back to winning ways. Joshua Webb can chase him home.

In Limerick, the feature is the Grade Two Lyons of Limerick Jaguar Land Rover Novice Hurdle and Search For Glory can follow up his recent Cork victory.

In late October, on his seasonal debut, Gordon Elliott’s six-year-old justified odds of 1-9 when winning his maiden hurdle, and duly stepped up on that when finishing third behind stablemates Croke Park and Mel Monroe in a Grade Three at Navan. He then went two places better when winning a Grade Three in Cork and there is no reason to believe that is the extent of his progress.

With conditions and trip to suit, he can add to his tally and do so at the expense of stablemate Stellar Story, whose most recent run yielded a third-place finish in a Grade Two. Loughglynn was installed early favourite for this race, but he must step up considerably on his victory in what was a modest maiden hurdle.

The Gavin Cromwell-trained Me Wee Bonnie Lass can complete her hat-trick over timber by taking the Mr Binman Mares’ Handicap Hurdle.

Winner of a mares’ maiden on good-to-yielding ground at Downpatrick on her track debut, she coped with the drop in trip and much more testing ground when following up in a novice handicap at Gowran Park. That was a decent race and while she was put up 12lbs for that victory, she looks more than progressive enough to cope with that.

Last year’s winner, Missiee, is 9lbs higher this time but can go well, while Return To base can also play a leading role.

LIMERICK

Selections

12:25 Bunting

12:58 Jolie Coeur Allen

1:33 Search For Glory (NB)

2:08 Me Wee Bonnie Lass

2:40 Henn See

3:15 Mahlers Cove

3:50 Magic McColgan

Next best

12:25 Mr Lincoln