3m½f Paddy Power Chase (Extended Handicap Chase) (Listed Race) (5yo+ 0-150)
Noel Meade won this race with School Boy Hours a few years ago and he looks to have targeted it with PINKERTON who has yet to go this far in his career, but he seemed to stay 2m 6.5f at Galway just fine when claiming the Galway Plate on good ground in the summer. He had a nice pipe-opener over two miles behind the classy Found A Fifty to kick-off the campaign and he looks to have been primed for this for several months.
Pinkerton has to carry 10lbs more than his winning mark in the Galway Plate but he has the help of a 7lb claimer here and remains unexposed over this kind of trip and with the ground on the quick side, conditions are in his favour.
The other one that could improve for the step up for the trip is HGRANCA DE THAIX for Barry Connell. He steadily worked his way up the handicap in his novice chasing season and comes in here a second-season chaser with potential over staying distances. He put in a huge performance to deny Percevel Legallois when taking a Listed Novice Handicap Chase to finish off his campaign.
Hgranca De Thaix return over hurdles when not knocked about this season looked like a shrewd bit of work from Barry Connell to keep his mark coming in to this and I think he is worth a chance in this competitive affair.
1pt each-way Pinkerton @10/1, 15:00 Leopardstown, Friday (1-7 places, 1/5 odds with Skybet)
1pt each-way Hgranca De Thaix @11/1, 15:00 Leopardstown, Friday (1-7 places, 1/5 odds with Skybet)