14:50 Gowran Park

Friday 29 September 2017

All14:1514:5015:2516:0016:3517:1017:40

Racing Again Tomorrow Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 14:51 | Winning time: 4m 9.6s

An'ball¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: P E Corbett⁽³⁾| T: R Hackett

66/1

Second in 20-runner 2m4f maiden hurdle at Tipperary (good) in July but has failed to kick on from that, producing a very laboured effort behind Wonder Laish on heavy ground over 2m at Listowel earlier this month. Much more needed.

Form: 204

Belclare Boy²³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: A Ring⁽³⁾| T: P Meany| OR: 101| C

66/1

Just the one win from 23 starts on the Flat but has gone ok over hurdles at times without really looking winning, most recently when seventh in a fairly bunched finish at Wexford. Needs to up his game to figure.

Form: 355P-57

Beyond The Law¹⁵⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: R M Power| T: M F Morris

5/1

Winner of a point-to-point in January and ran well when finishing runner-up in a bumper over 2m at Navan (heavy) earlier in the year. Struggled at the Punchestown Festival since but has to be respected in this grade.

Form: 5/120-

Fern Owl^h1⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: B T O'Connell| T: E Doyle| D

66/1

Ex-Hughie Morrison inmate was a decent, multiple winner on the Flat in Britain but produced a pretty lifeless effort on his hurdling debut for this yard at Navan recently. Hood introduced now.

Form: 0

Gotaway¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Phillip Enright| T: R Tyner

100/1

Bits and pieces of promise in the point-to-point field but unfancied and beaten out of sight in a maiden hurdle at Listowel on heavy ground recently. Drops in trip here but probably best watched.

Form: 3P-8

Iolani²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins| C

9/4

Clearly no stable star but won a bumper at Downpatrick in May and wasn't beaten far in two maiden hurdles during the summer before falling at Bellewstown. Confidence restored by a Flat win on heavy ground here recently, so unlikely to be far away.

Form: 3-1332F

Laverteen²⁰⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: D N Russell| T: N Meade| D

7/2

Shaped with promise in a brace of Fairyhouse bumpers in February 16 before defying a 13-month absence to score on heavy ground at Navan in March. Clearly goes well fresh, so very much one to consider as he makes a hurdles debut.

Form: 26/1-

One Step Ahead

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Mark Walsh| T: F J Flood

50/1

Stowaway gelding. Half-brother to 3 winners, most notably the useful hurdler/chaser See U Bob. Probably best watched on his debut unless market vibes suggest otherwise.

Form:

Perfect Leader³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: D E Mullins| T: P Hogan| OR: 95

25/1

Hinted at ability on a couple of occasions and comes here on the back of two decent efforts at Wexford and Ballinrobe but it's now 14 starts without ever looking like winning. Too exposed to make appeal.

Form: 055037

Poker Party⁵⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: A E Lynch| T: H De Bromhead| BF

20/1

Hadn't been seen out for a couple of years before running with some merit in a couple of maiden hurdles this summer, although not so good when made favourite on latest hurdles start. Mid-division on the Flat since, needs to step things up.

Form: 45

Smithscorner¹⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: D E Splaine| T: R Tyner

33/1

Point-to-point winner who was a fine second in a Cork bumper on his debut under rules but took a step backwards with an abject effort at Tipperary in May. Not seen out since, he makes a hurdles debut today.

Form: P61P2-0

The Granson³⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: D G Hogan| T: D Hogan

33/1

Showed promise in a handful of runs for Sandra Hughes last year, most recently when third in a Galway bumper. Had handled testing conditions before that when second in a maiden hurdle at Navan, so worth a look on debut for a new yard.

Form: 25/3-

West Coast Time^t¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: J J Slevin⁽³⁾| T: J P O'Brien| D

15/8

Debut winner on soft ground at Cork who was considered good enough to warrant a tilt at the Champion bumper at Cheltenham (finished mid-division). Fit from a recent blow-out on the Flat and not hard to envisage a winning start over hurdles.

Form: 120-

Hexapod¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: K C Sexton| T: H De Bromhead

66/1

Won her point-to-point debut in March but turned in a below par performance on her first attempt over hurdles at Listowel in June and found only marginal improvement on heavy ground next time. Unlikely to be good enough.

Form: 1-06

Knock Na Rea¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: A McCurtin⁽⁵⁾| T: J J Walsh

100/1

Unfancied and soundly beaten in a couple of maiden hurdles so far, most recently on heavy ground at Listowel. Hard to make a case for.

Form: 0-9

Forecasts

West Coast Time (15/8), Iolani (9/4), Laverteen (7/2), Beyond The Law (5/1), Poker Party (20/1), Perfect Leader (25/1), The Granson (33/1), Smithscorner (33/1), One Step Ahead (50/1), An'ball (66/1), Fern Owl (66/1), Hexapod (66/1), Belclare Boy (66/1), Gotaway (100/1), Knock Na Rea (100/1)

WEST COAST TIME was deemed good enough to warrant a tilt at Cheltenham's Champion Bumper and, though only mid-division in that event, he looks a potentially smart recruit to hurdles. A recent spin on the Flat at Listowel is sure to have blown the cobwebs away and it would be no surprise to see him make a winning start over timber at the chief expense of fellow hurdling debutant Laverteen who represents the red-hot Noel Meade yard. Willie Mullins' Iolani completes the shortlist.