Local Lenjoleur De Palma should have the inside track
Lenjoleur De Palma & Patrick O'Brien win the Limerick Races Handicap Hurdle last November. Pic: Healy Racing
Locally trained by Eric McNamara, Lenjoleur De Palma should return to winning ways in the Panoramic Restaurant Novice Handicap Hurdle at today’s rescheduled meeting in Limerick, which will be run on the inside track.
The five-year-old Born To Sea gelding, who hit the frame in each of his five starts for Tom Ellis in England, is already paying his way for his new connections, with a win and two solid placed efforts on the board, all at this venue, albeit on the main track.
On his second start for McNamara, Lenjoleur De Palma finished a close third to subsequent winner Matt Connor.
And he stepped-up, in mid- November, when landing a 0-100 handicap off 93, slamming subsequent winner Onefortheditch by eight lengths.
That earned him a 9lb hike in the ratings. But he produced a career-best effort last time, finishing a creditable second to Its Bilko in the listed QuinnBet Handicap Hurdle at Limerick’s Christmas festival.
Lenjoleur De Palma went up another 4lb for that effort but has been found a good opportunity in this 0-110 event and is a confident choice to score under 5lb claimer Paddy O’Brien, who won the Munster National for the McNamara team on French Dynamite back in October.
Earlier, Saveforarainyday, with the help of a first-time hood, might open her account for J P McManus, Gavin Cromwell and Mark Walsh in the Conference & Banqueting Mares Maiden Hurdle.
Fourth in her only point-to-point (for Derek O’Connor), this Crystal Ocean mare was beaten six lengths when sixth behind Flashaway and Switch From Diesel on her racecourse debut at Navan in mid-November.
And she confirmed that promise in a hot Leopardstown maiden over Christmas, filling fourth spot, beaten less than twelve12 lengths, behind Ballyfad and Leader d’Allier.
The winner, of course, went on to be pipped in a Grade 1 at the DRF while Leader d’Allier bolted-up in a Punchestown maiden to become a leading fancy for the Supreme Novices at Cheltenham.
Keen in her two hurdle outings, Saveforarainyday should settle better in the hood and is expected to prove too strong for Gordon Elliott’s Golden Wings, third to I Started A Joke (subsequently second, off 126, in hot Leopardstown) at Punchestown last time.
The Limerick On Instagram Maiden Hurdle might also develop into a head-to-head between Elliott’s Tip Of The Wings and the Willie Mullins-trained Arslan.
Preference is for the latter, outpointed by Stede Bennet in Tramore on New Years’ Day, when the pair finished twenty-four 24 lengths clear of the rest. And that form was boosted when the winner followed-up in Ayr.
1.55 Embittered
2.25 Likable Chancer
2.55 Saveforarainyday (Nap)
3.25 Arslan
3.55 Marelly
4.25 Lenjoleur De Palma (nb)
4.55 Jury Time
1.55 Rocky’s Howya
2.25 Coffeys Forge
2.55 Golden Wings
3.25 Tip Of The Wings
3.55 Le Fanu
4.25 Harry’s Dream
4.55 Hey Now
