16:25 Ballinrobe

Thursday 21 September 2017

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

Yupana Inc. California Handicap Hurdle (80-102)

Off time: 16:25 | Winning time: 5m 38.70s

Archie Meade^p,t¹⁷³

Age: 12| Weight: 11-11| J: D J Hand⁽⁷⁾| T: D Howard| OR: 100| D

33/1

Hasn't won a hurdle race since May 2012 and in all probability this looks to beyond him now. Absent since April and others rate as far more likely winners.

Form: 083089-

Granny Biddy^h⁵^{(ex 6)}

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: D J McInerney⁽⁷⁾| T: M Winters| OR: 93| D

2/1

Has really found her feet of late and arrives under a penalty seeking a hat-trick following Saturday's success at Listowel (2m4f heavy). Likely to be tough to beat with similar ground conditions predicted underfoot.

Form: 074511

Eiri Na Casca^p²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: D G Hogan| T: D Hogan| OR: 97| BF| C| D

3/1

Goes well at this track and once more seeks to take advantage of a much lower hurdles mark than over fences. Got going all too late when just failing to reel in Kilganer Queen over C&D last month (yld/soft) and holds every chance from 4lb higher.

Form: 36-0132

Movingswiftlyalong^t³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: P D Kennedy⁽³⁾| T: S K Ryder| OR: 97

7/1

Made it third time lucky over hurdles when taking a Sligo maiden hurdle (2m4f+ soft to heavy) last month. More required now switched to a handicap for the first time, but these ground conditions hold no fears.

Form: 5441

Celtic Monarch³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: S P Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: M M McNiff| OR: 93| BF

20/1

Not won since June 2015 (at Hexham), and bar a fair third placed effort over 2m6f here in July (good) has endured a most unproductive 12 months. Others hold more compelling claims so probably safely ignored.

Form: 0-003F0

Be My Vinnie¹⁸⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: E O'Connell⁽⁷⁾| T: E O'Connell| OR: 91

10/1

Now 5lb higher for taking a 3m Limerick soft ground handicap hurdle in March. Absent since, so fitness must be taken on trust and this looks a competitive enough race in which to return to action.

Form: 578441-

Zagnzig²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Mr N Gault⁽⁷⁾| T: H Smyth| OR: 88

33/1

Nine race career maiden, who boasts plenty of letters in his form figures (most notably in Point-to-Points). Never involved on handicap debut at Downpatrick (2m2f) last month and dropped 2lb accordingly.

Form: PUP-747

Mic Milano^t¹⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: C A Landers⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 87| C

10/1

Dual course winner, but never beyond 2m1f and appears to be getting long in the tooth these days. Nowhere near at his best in three starts in 2017 and a falling mark reflects such recent struggles.

Form: 494-874

Caoimhe Diva^t1³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: A E Lynch| T: D Howard| OR: 85

50/1

Still young and could be stronger for the application of a tongue tie. Runner up in a 3m mares maiden Point-to-Point at Dowth Hall in October 2016, yet has shown little over hurdles so far, and feasibly needs more time now switched to handicaps.

Form: 2P0FP-8

Mystic Embarr^b1¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: A W Short⁽⁷⁾| T: D Broad| OR: 84

20/1

No worthwhile form so far, and could only finish sixth of 12 on his handicap debut at Roscommon (2m4f+ heavy) earlier this month. Blinkers applied for the first time.

Form: 00-066

Crack On Corrie¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: Jack Kennedy| T: W J Austin| OR: 81

7/1

12 race maiden who ran her best race to date at Fairyhouse in January (2m4f yielding to soft) when a 5L runner up to Western Goose. Looks certain to benefit from her recent Listowel return (seventh) and could well be involved off the same mark.

Form: P0720-7

Carrow Queen^t⁸⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-5| J: D J Mullins| T: V T O'Brien| OR: 80| C

25/1

Not tasted success since December 2013 despite a multitude of subsequent starts, so the excuses have long since worn thin. Raced over longer trips on her last two starts and despite finishing fifth over C&D in May doesn't seem strong enough overall.

Form: 064-508

Paudi The Punter^t³

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

50/1

Not won since September 2013 and arrives for just his second start for this trainer after an uninspiring start over fences at Galway on Monday.

Form: 899P-P6

Forecasts

Granny Biddy (2/1), Eiri Na Casca (3/1), Movingswiftlyalong (7/1), Crack On Corrie (7/1), Be My Vinnie (10/1), Mic Milano (10/1), Celtic Monarch (20/1), Mystic Embarr (20/1), Carrow Queen (25/1), Zagnzig (33/1), Archie Meade (33/1), Paudi The Punter (50/1), Caoimhe Diva (50/1)

A race in which relatively few can be considered. Crack On Corrie has yet to sample success, but looks progressive at her own level and could be capable of making the frame if slightly sharper for her recent Listowel return, whilst Sligo maiden hurdle winner Movingswiftlyalong shouldn't be hastily dismissed on her handicap debut with ground conditions to suit. However, the pair to concentrate upon are the well handicapped (over hurdles) Eiri Na Casca, and Saturday's Listowel winner GRANNY BIDDY. A very marginal preference is for the latter given her recent new found improvement, but she'll need to be at the top of her game to repel the impossibly named Denis Hogan trained eight-year-old who himself appears to be a winner waiting to happen.