27th-Dec-2021

… School Boy Hours looks a little more exposed than Noble Yeats, he has raced nine times over fences, and he hasn’t won yet, but he has been keeping really good company.  He was only beaten by two lengths by Latest Exhibition in a beginners’ chase at Punchestown in October last year, and he was only beaten three and a half lengths by Eklat De Rire in a beginners’ chase back at Punchestown last December, when he had Run Wild Fred over 30 lengths behind him.  Eklat De Rire is now rated 154, Run Wild Fred is rated 159.

He ran well too in a hot handicap chase at Navan last March, when he finished third behind the progressive Stormy Judge and Irish National third Enjoy D’Allen, with whom he is 10lb better off today. 

He gets to race today off a mark of 133, and that is fair.  This three-mile trip is a good trip for him, and Noel Meade’s horses are in great form.  He had three winners and two seconds yesterday from just eight runners.

Mark Walsh has chosen to ride Alfa Mix instead, and he obviously has a big chance, racing off a chase rating of 137, 3lb lower than his hurdles mark, but, at a bigger price, I prefer to take a chance on School Boy Hours.  

SCHOOL BOY HOURS WON (ADV 14/1, SP 12/1)