14:45 Ballinrobe

Thursday 21 September 2017

All14:1514:4515:1515:5016:2516:5517:2517:55

Tuam Herald Handicap Hurdle (80-95)

Off time: 14:45 | Winning time: 4m 22.2s

Athloman Cottage³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: A McCurtin⁽⁵⁾| T: D Duggan| OR: 95| D

7/1

Backed up a decent effort at Limerick in July (2m good) when an all out head winner from today's rival Boytonrath at Tramore in August (2m yielding). 4lb higher.

Form: 7-7F031

Sunset Sadie^t¹⁶⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: E O'Connell⁽⁷⁾| T: E O'Connell| OR: 93| BF| D

7/1

Beat Rock On Lilly comprehensively when scoring by 4½L at Cork in March (2m heavy), and wasn't beaten all that far from this revised mark when fourth at Wexford on her next outing. Handles cut well and thereabouts if fully fit back from a break.

Form: 985514-

Boytonrath²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 91| BF

6/1

Yet to win in eight starts, but has finished runner up the past twice, including when beaten narrowly by Athloman Cottage at Tramore last month (2m yielding). Renews rivalry on very similar terms after a sight rise for her latest Down Royal effort.

Form: 87P-022

Ballykea Star¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Sean Flanagan| T: F J Flood| OR: 88

16/1

Hasn't shown a great deal of promise in three spins over hurdles (not appearing to get home on soft ground) and looks in need of even more assistance from the handicapper.

Form: 0385-P7

Theatre Run¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: S A Shortall⁽³⁾| T: M A Cahill| OR: 88

6/1

Nine race maiden who has tackled a variety of trips since switched to hurdles (2m to 3m), but produced her best effort yet over this trip at Wexford recently (good) when just over 1¼L third to Miss Sassie. Raised 1lb by the assessor.

Form: 40-0083

Musical Ava²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: M P Burke⁽⁵⁾| T: J M Burke| OR: 84

16/1

Has found life difficult over hurdles so far, hinting at better to come when fifth of 19 to Aydoun in a Galway maiden hurdle on her penultimate start, but not able to back that effort up in this grade at Bellewstown since.

Form: 8B0858

Bad Cigar¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: F Costello| OR: 82

6/1

Longstanding maiden who hasn't offered too much encouragement over hurdles or on the Flat in four runs back (from July onwards) after a monster four year absence from the track.

Form: 324/807

Paddy's Orient²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: C M Leonard⁽⁷⁾| T: P A Fahy| OR: 82

8/1

Five race maiden over hurdles who has eased a fraction in the weights from an opening perch of 85, but work to do to reverse placings with Boytonrath from Down Royal earlier in the month.

Form: 009-09

Bawntameena^p,t³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: P D Kennedy⁽³⁾| T: W Hayes| OR: 80

50/1

0-31 over hurdles (0-40 career) tells its own sorry tale, and this nine-year-old Majestic Missile gelding simply can't be considered.

Form: 9068/P0

Fairymount Boy⁴³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: A E Lynch| T: M Hourigan| OR: 80

10/1

A 19 race maiden who switches back to hurdles after finding little for pressure (travelled well) over fences at Sligo last month (2m1f+ yielding to soft).

Form: 0P50-64

Jackapies Bay⁷⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: G N Fox| T: T P O'Connor| OR: 80

50/1

A 15 race maiden who has been seen in action just once (at Wexford in July; 2m good) since a rear-division finish on the Flat on the beach at Laytown in September 2016.

Form: 099P/P-0

Just Go^t¹⁰⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: C D Timmons⁽³⁾| T: V T O'Brien| OR: 80

28/1

Seldom seems to be anywhere near the action at the business end, albeit having raced mainly over further in nine starts over timber. Marginally better (seventh) over this trip at Roscommon in June, but needs to show more.

Form: P70P-07

Kentucky Lass¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: D J McInerney⁽⁷⁾| T: B T Murphy| OR: 80| D

16/1

Won just the once in 22 attempts, when leading in the closing stages to take a 2m Roscommon handicap hurdle (soft) in June 2016. Handicapped to be competitive at best, but we've not seen that for a while now.

Form: 0-0P097

Lizzies Way^p³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: J J Slevin⁽³⁾| T: S Ryan| OR: 80

16/1

A 12 race maiden (0-7 over hurdles) and hasn't seen all that much racing since August 2015; running just twice. However, entitled to be stronger for her July C&D sixth to Youngnedofthehill and not totally discounted.

Form: 7740/P-6

Miss Mcilroy^t1²³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Mr L P Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: G T Lynch| OR: 80

6/1

A 12 race maiden (0-10 over hurdles), but definitely showing signs of limited improvement lately. Probably didn't quite get home over 2m4f here last month when sixth to Kilganer Queen. A drop in trip and tongue tie could help.

Form: 0-76546

Paddytheirishman^t⁷²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: K C Sexton| T: G T Lynch| OR: 80

50/1

Very difficult to draw any encouragement from his 13 efforts under rules, and never in contention when finishing in the rear division at Roscommon in early July (2m+ good to yielding).

Form: U00P0-0

Non-Runners

Barney King²³

Weight: 10-11| Age: 13

T: J G Carr J: Reserve 1

Judge Not²⁰

Weight: 10-11| Age: 5

T: H Smyth J: Reserve 2

Sylvi³⁰

Weight: 11-0| Age: 5

T: R K Watson J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Theatre Run (6/1), Bad Cigar (6/1), Miss Mcilroy (6/1), Boytonrath (6/1), Sunset Sadie (7/1), Athloman Cottage (7/1), Paddy's Orient (8/1), Fairymount Boy (10/1), Kentucky Lass (16/1), Musical Ava (16/1), Lizzies Way (16/1), Ballykea Star (16/1), Barney King (20/1), Just Go (28/1), Bawntameena (50/1), Paddytheirishman (50/1), Jackapies Bay (50/1), Judge Not (50/1), Sylvi (50/1)

A predictably healthy turnout for this relatively low grade handicap hurdle, but in truth many of the runners can be readily dismissed. Whilst the likes of Lizzies Way and Miss McIlroy couldn't be totally discounted from those horses who remain maidens, those with more solid handicap form make most appeal. Athloman Cottage and Boytonrath are very closely matched once more following their Tramore clash and should be involved at the business end of the race, whilst further improvement can be expected from Theatre Run now that she remains over the minimum trip. However, a chance is taken on the race fitness of SUNSET SADIE. She revels in testing conditions, and a winner at Cork in April, she doesn't appear fully in the grasp of the handicapper just yet despite a 7lb higher mark (of 93).