14:15 Gowran Park
Friday 29 September 2017
All14:1514:5015:2516:0016:3517:1017:40
Paulstown Maiden Hurdle
- 4YO only | 2m | Heavy | 19 Runners | Turf | Weighed In
- Off time: 14:16 | Winning time: 4m 4.7s
Cloth number
Odds
Horse A-Z
Show odds
Unfancied for his debut in a maiden hurdle at Navan recently but unseated before the race had began in earnest. Probably best watched in the short-term.
Shown some promise in three bumpers runs, but mid-division effort in a maiden hurdle at Navan (good to soft) was a little underwhelming. Interesting to see a hood quickly introduced.
Showed some very useful bumper form in the France provinces last autumn, winning twice on testing ground. Looks an exciting recruit for the yard and clearly one for the short-list.
Poor performer on the Flat, went off 66/1 and beaten 52L on hurdles bow at Ballinrobe but took a leap forward when mid-division on softer ground at Galway next time. Always likely to find a few too good.
Won a claimer at Ballinrobe last June for his sole success on the Flat and has produced a couple of decent efforts over hurdles, including when a close-up third at Clonmel latest. Much easier ground here may not be in his favour.
Useful maiden on the Flat who has shown up well to finish a runner-up in both starts over hurdles, including chasing home Didero Vallis over a longer trip at Downpatrick. Positive jockey booking and likely to be in the mix.
Placed once in six outings on the Flat and was pulled up after quickly becoming detached on first hurdles start at Kilbeggan. Looks easy to rule out on what he's shown so far.
Flemensfirth gelding. Dam unraced sister to fairly useful hurdler (stayed 25f) Bradley Boy. Cost €75,000, so would have to be of some interest if the subject of positive market vibes.
More renowned for Flat exploits which have yielded three wins at Dundalk, including a 1m4f handicap last week. Two earlier efforts over hurdles at Tramore and Wexford were reasonably encouraging, though testing conditions a niggling concern.
Decent pedigree being by Yeats but hasn't been able to translate that to the racecourse so far, finishing well beaten at long odds in a couple of maiden hurdles last month. Hard to fancy.
Let The Lion Roar gelding. Half-brother to fairly useful chaser Zest For Life. Dam tailed off in bumpers. Relatively cheaply-purchased at €6,500 and not hard to overlook first time out.
Soldier of Fortune gelding. Dam, ran twice over hurdles, also 9f/1¼m winner on the Flat in France. Makes a debut with the yard in good order but probably best watched.
Useful form on the Flat in France, winning a three-year-old conditions event over 1m4f at Deauville last year. Interesting recruit to hurdles for top connections and no surprise if he was up to the job at the first attempt.
Useful dual Flat winner with a rating in the mid 80's but slightly disappointing over hurdles so far, despite finishing third at Kilbeggan last month. That said he was still going ok until falling at Clonmel last time, so dangerous to discount.
Flemensfirth gelding. Comes from a good family being a brother to useful hurdler/chaser Sizing Gold. Interesting to see what the market makes of him first time out.
Signs of promise in two point-to-point outings in the spring but finished completely tailed off on his hurdling debut at Kilbeggan recently, going off at 50/1. Couldn't be backed on that evidence.
Bits and pieces of promise in three bumpers so far without seriously threatening to win a race. Has a good pedigree, so likely there is improvement in her over hurdles and possibly worth a second look.
Is yet to start lower than 25/1 in four starts and, though her two bumper efforts weren't devoid of promise, she has struggled badly in both starts over hurdles so far.
Unfancied when well beaten in a Balinrobe bumper on her debut and the introduction of a hood failed to spark any improvement at Listowel next time. Much more needed as she switches to hurdles.
Non-Runners
10
Melly And Me
Weight: 11-7| Age: 4
T: P Downey J: Robbie Colgan
WD
Forecasts
Sharjah (1/1), Dis Donc (3/1), Great Trango (7/2), Ligeti (16/1), English Pale (16/1), Last Man Standing (25/1), Storm Rising (25/1), Scotsman's Bay (25/1), Ten Ten (33/1), Boris Grishenko (33/1), Melly And Me (50/1), Banksoftheshannon (66/1), Fi's Choice (66/1), Divin Desir (100/1), Mist Of Magic (100/1), In A Pinch (100/1), Jestival (100/1), The Jam Man (100/1), Saddle The Lion (100/1), The Lady Coady (100/1)
This race looks to be all about two eyecathing French recruits in Willie Mullins' Sharjah, a winner of a conditions event on the Flat, and Noel Meade's DIS DONC who has a Grade 3 bumper win to his name. The market is likely to be all-informative but it may be safer to go with the expensively-recruited latter on the basis that he has proven form in testing conditions. English Pale and Great Tango look the most interesting of the remainder.
- Dis Donc
- Sharjah
- English Pale
Previous Winners
Prize Money
1st: €8,007.002nd: €2,483.003rd: €1,183.004th: €534.005th: €208.00
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