19:40 Sligo

Thursday 10 August 2017

All17:3018:0518:4019:1019:4020:1520:45

Boylesports Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 19:40 | Winning time: 5m 12.10s

Kylecrue^b¹⁸⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: C Brassil⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 128| CD

12/1

Winner twice a the Listowel Festival last September but lightly raced since and subsequently finished third in the Munster National. Pulled up on soft-to-heavy ground over 3m1f at Fairyhouse in February and returns to hurdles having won this race for the past two years including off a 5lb lower mark last year.

Form: 21136P-

Waaheb³⁷⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-8| J: J S McGarvey| T: C Roche| OR: 126

25/1

Useful horse on his day but lightly raced in recent years having had just two runs since finishing runner-up at Galway (yielding) in October 2015. Debuts for a new yard here on his first start in over a year.

Form: 1U12/30-

Winter Lion^t¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: A W Short⁽⁷⁾| T: M J Smith| OR: 126

33/1

Ran well when 2L second on chase debut at Down Royal (good-to-firm) but well held in three starts since including on the Flat at Galway last week and well held at Cheltenham (good) last October on his latest hurdles start.

Form: 0/100-24

Shadow Catcher^b,t¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 125| D

12/1

Beaten a nose in a handicap chase at Punchestown (good) over 2m on his penultimate start. Well beaten at Limerick last time out however and worth a check in the market with a leading jockey booked to ride here.

Form: P248-25

Crosshue Boy^t¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr H D Dunne⁽⁵⁾| T: S Doyle| OR: 122| D

20/1

Ran well when finishing third over 2m4f at Wexford (yielding) in a handicap chase last time out. Tongue worn for the first time on that occasion is retained here but races off his 14lb higher hurdles mark today.

Form: 90-9983

Gladiator King^p,t¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Donagh Meyler| T: A J Martin| OR: 121

25/1

Fair effort when finishing 11L third of six over 3m at Tipperary (good-to-yielding) last time out. Cheekpieces worn on that occasion are retained today and an interesting runner here.

Form: 06850-3

Hunters Call³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: P D Kennedy⁽³⁾| T: J Neilan| OR: 120| D

9/1

Finished fourth over an extended 2m at Roscommon (yielding-to-soft) in June and ran well when fifth over an extended 3m at the same course the following month. Looking for his first handicap win in this.

Form: 4639-45

Seskinane^b,t¹²⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 11-1| J: Mr E Mahon⁽⁷⁾| T: B McMahon| OR: 119| BF

12/1

Successful on heavy ground over an extended 2m6f at Navan in April and ran well off a 9lb higher mark when third of 14 at Wexford (soft) over 2m4f six days later. Raised a further 1lb for that effort and one for the shortlist here.

Form: 900713-

Ben Button⁴^{(ex 4)}

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 108| BF

2/5

Had just two runs since joining this leading stable and put a disappointing effort when second at Downpatrick (good) over an extended 2m6f behind him when winning easily at Galway (3m, soft) at the weekend. Looks the one to beat under a penalty today.

Form: 420/4-21

Lasoscar^t⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-6| J: D J Mullins| T: L P Cusack| OR: 110| D

14/1

Ran well when finishing third over 2m6f at Fairyhouse (good-to-yielding) off this mark in April. Disappointing twice over hurdles since falling in a beginners chase subsequently however.

Form: 733-F60

Non-Runners

Presenting Mahler¹

Weight: 10-2| Age: 7

T: J P Ryan J: Danny Mullins

Darkest Flyer¹⁶

Weight: 9-10| Age: 5

T: N Meade J: J M Moore

Forecasts

Ben Button (2/5), Darkest Flyer (6/1), Hunters Call (9/1), Presenting Mahler (10/1), Kylecrue (12/1), Seskinane (12/1), Shadow Catcher (12/1), Lasoscar (14/1), Crosshue Boy (20/1), Waaheb (25/1), Gladiator King (25/1), Winter Lion (33/1)

BEN BUTTON impressed when winning at Galway last week and looks an improved performer since joining this stable. The selection carries a 4lb penalty for that victory and can follow up here at the chief expense of top weight Kylecrue who has won this race for the past two years and can finish runner-up this time around. Darkest Flyer is another who appears to have improved for the change of yard and he can claim third ahead of Shadow Catcher.