January 28 / 13.00 Naas

13.00

Heavy

Clinton Higgins Chartered Accountants Novice Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £8465.22
  • 2m 4f 0y
  • 7 runners
RTV
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Clinton Higgins Chartered Accountants Novice Handicap Chase

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Windy

2/1 (Won)

  • Win: £2.30
  • Place: £1.50

Form: 1-5212 BF

Last run: 28 days

W: 10st 1lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 105

Form & Verdict
Better chaser than hurdler; atoned for narrow Clonmel defeat in November by landing 2m6f Tramore handicap later same month despite not handling the track particularly well; only just touched off by the improving Clonmeen at Punchestown; has the best recent credentials.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

21st Apr 2025

Yielding

2m 1f 25y

14:25 Cork

Kings Halo

11st 1lb

J: Richard Deegan

T: James Daniel Dullea

Gained third win over fences here in January off 118 over 2m4f (yielding to soft); no impact upped in trip and class the last twice at Punchestown (3m3f) and Naas (3m1f); big drop in trip here may not be ideal.

11/1

4th

6

21st Apr 2025

Yielding

2m 1f 25y

14:25 Cork

Kings Halo

11st 1lb

J: Richard Deegan

T: James Daniel Dullea

towards rear, jumped right last, kept on

11/1

10/1

  • Place: £7.10

Form: P-3909

Last run: 33 days

W: 11st 7lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Won a valuable handicap hurdle at Down Royal three seasons ago; 0-9 over fences, beaten by some smart sorts early on over but has become bitterly disappointing; in rear throughout at Leopardstown on latest; Mark Walsh's presence is the only positive.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

1

25th Apr 2025

Good To Yielding

2m 3f 200y

18:55 Kilbeggan

Cayd Boy

11st 12lb

J: Aidan Kelly

T: Liz Doyle

prominent

6/1

8th

1

25th Apr 2025

Good To Yielding

2m 3f 200y

18:55 Kilbeggan

Cayd Boy

11st 12lb

J: Aidan Kelly

T: Liz Doyle

prominent, stumbled after 2 out, soon jockey looked down to see if something was amiss and eased

6/1

Form: /FF-12 BF

Last run: 133 days

W: 11st 13lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 131

Form & Verdict
Fell on both novice chase starts at Punchestown last winter, a Grade 3 event on the second occasion; made amends when putting in a good round of jumping at Roscommon in August; no match for Uncle Phil at Galway in September, form recently advertised by the winner in a valuable handicap; clear chance if near his best after a break.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

12

9th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 19y

Class 2

15:30 Aintree

Gracchus De Balme

12st 0lb

J: Mr P A King

T: J J O’Shea

Pulled up at the Cheltenham Festival (3m2f, good to soft) last month; however, he was also pulled up at Leicester last February prior to winning this race at 22-1 (good to soft) so he's capable of bouncing back.

16/1

6

13th Mar 2026

Good

3m 2f 70y

Class 2

16:40 Cheltenham

Gracchus De Balme

12st 0lb

J: Mr P A King

T: J J O’Shea

Only last April he enjoyed his finest hour when winning the hunters' chase over the Grand National fences (good to soft); followed that with a second over C&D to Music Drive before winning Stratford's Horse & Hound Cup; he's not without hope judged on all that and, although this year's form is underwhelming, so too was his run prior to winning at Aintree.

25/1

3

15th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 171y

Class 5

15:27 Ludlow

Gracchus De Balme

12st 6lb

J: Mr Henry Crow

T: J J O’Shea

Landed two of British hunter chasing's three big prizes (Aintree, 2m5f and Stratford, 3m3f) during a 2024-25 season founded on consistency at a high level rather than progression; match-fitness is a given for his yard's runners and, with stamina to spare, he may not be for catching.

11/4

OUR TIP

Form: 56-F3P

Last run: 31 days

W: 11st 12lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 130

Form & Verdict
Uncompetitive last season in beginners' chases won by smart horses; third at Punchestown in November was encouraging after a Gowran fall, but he put another blot on his record when pulled up in the Tim Duggan Memorial at Limerick.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

3

28th May 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 34y

Class 3

19:40 Cartmel

Coqolino

11st 2lb

J: Richie McLernon

T: Ben Haslam

Kept on well to score here (2m1f, good) on Saturday, getting off the mark over fences at the 20th attempt; has 7lb penalty to shoulder today but the longer trip and likely slower ground will both be in his favour.

9/4

1st

3

28th May 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 34y

Class 3

19:40 Cartmel

Coqolino

11st 2lb

J: Richie McLernon

T: Ben Haslam

Kept on well to score here (2m1f, good) on Saturday, getting off the mark over fences at the 20th attempt; has 7lb penalty to shoulder today but the longer trip and likely slower ground will both be in his favour.

9/4

4

24th May 2025

Good

2m 1f 61y

Class 3

18:08 Cartmel

Coqolino

10st 11lb

J: Richie McLernon

T: Ben Haslam

0-19 over fences; went close here (2m5f, heavy) last summer and is now 5lb below that mark but his recent efforts have been disappointing and he might find 2m1f on good ground an inadequate stamina test.

5/1

Form: F3387-

Last run: 275 days

W: 11st 12lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 130

Form & Verdict
Both hurdle wins came at 2m; best chase run when third behind useful pair Grandero Bello and Macs Charm over this trip at Gowran last February; below that standard on his final two starts before a break; one of three for his owner here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

20th Aug 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

19:30 Worcester

Slip Of The Tongue

11st 2lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Sarah-Jayne Davies

Useful when trained in Ireland but generally very disappointing for current stable since the autumn; ought to have coped much better with the soft ground when pulled up at Cartmel last month; others preferred.

20/1

5

21st Jul 2025

Good

2m 6f 31y

Class 5

14:12 Cartmel

Slip Of The Tongue

11st 6lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Sarah-Jayne Davies

Useful when trained in Ireland but generally very disappointing for current stable since the autumn; arrested decline with respectable fifth at Uttoxeter (2m4f, good) three weeks ago but needs to build on that run.

20/1

13

29th Jun 2025

Good

2m 3f 207y

Class 4

15:40 Uttoxeter

Slip Of The Tongue

10st 12lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Sarah-Jayne Davies

Useful performer in Ireland back in the day but has regressed sharply and very opposable on exploits for current yard.

66/1

Form: 00-155 C

Last run: 50 days

W: 11st 10lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 128

Form & Verdict
Bumper and three-time hurdle winner for Noel Meade; ran twice over fences for Meade, including 25l third of five behind El Fabiolo at Fairyhouse in December 2022; tailed off in a Navan beginners' chase on debut for this yard; transformation needed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

24th

1

30th Nov 2024

Yielding

2m 4f 55y

15:05 Fairyhouse

Highland Charge

12st 0lb

J: Conor McNamara

T: E McNamara

towards rear

20/1

24th

1

30th Nov 2024

Yielding

2m 4f 55y

15:05 Fairyhouse

Highland Charge

12st 0lb

J: Conor McNamara

T: E McNamara

towards rear

20/1

Form: B60-44 D

Last run: 31 days

W: 11st 9lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
128-rated hurdler; has run in two strong beginners' chases; jumping was ragged when tailed off fourth of five behind Fact To File at Leopardstown; hard to assess.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

1

17th Mar 2025

Good

2m 3f 140y

16:12 Down Royal

Spirit Of Legend

11st 11lb

J: Phillip Enright

T: Henry De Bromhead

Hurdles winner is 0-7 chasing, having failed to complete on three of those; still not a fluent jumper although penultimate Fairyhouse effort was a solid one; hard to be confident in.

9/2

8th

1

11th Jan 2025

2m 5f 203y

14:51 Fairyhouse

Spirit Of Legend

12st 0lb

J: Phillip Enright

T: Henry De Bromhead

held up in rear

16/1

8th

1

11th Jan 2025

2m 5f 203y

14:51 Fairyhouse

Spirit Of Legend

12st 0lb

J: Phillip Enright

T: Henry De Bromhead

held up in rear

16/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €35.20
Straight Forecast €28.66
Trifecta €93.50

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Kings Halo

The Irish Sun:

Spirit Of Legend

TOPSPEED:

Slip Of The Tongue

RP RATINGS (IRE):

Kings Halo

POSTDATA:

Kings Halo