15:20 Tipperary

Tuesday 3 October 2017

All14:1014:4515:2015:5016:2516:5517:30

Follow Tipperary Races On Twitter Handicap Hurdle (80-102)

Off time: 15:21 | Winning time: 6m 28.40s

Questions Answered¹⁰³⁹

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: D J McInerney⁽⁷⁾| T: E McNamara| OR: 102| D

33/1

Veteran who has won five of his 15 races over hurdles. Has not run for the best part of three years so it would be some training performance were he to prevail.

Form: 110808/

Steamboat Quay^t1³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Mark Walsh| T: G Elliott| OR: 99

11/2

Favourite when winning a handicap at Bellewstown in July and has not been disgraced off 7lb higher in two starts since. Has been dropped 1lb and is fitted with a tongue tie for the first time.

Form: 2-2F134

Lockeen Girl^h⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: D J Mullins| T: T Mullins| OR: 95| BF

10/1

Still looking for her first win over timber after 11 starts. Ran well off 3lb lower at Wexford a couple of starts ago, but was not so good last time.

Form: 662729

Una's Pleasure²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: A McCurtin⁽⁵⁾| T: J J Walsh| OR: 95

8/1

Only win over timber came in a maiden hurdle at Listowel in June, last year. Has dropped to a feasible mark, but has to prove she is effective over this longer trip.

Form: 0-49064

Be My Vinnie¹²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: E O'Connell⁽⁷⁾| T: E O'Connell| OR: 93| D

11/2

Showed strong staying powers to win at Limerick in March and returned from a break to finish a good third at Ballinrobe last month. Up 2lb, but has decent claims.

Form: 78441-3

Ancient Empire⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: J J Slevin⁽³⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 92| BF

9/1

Placed once in five starts over hurdles and is 1lb lower than when well beaten on his handicap debut last time. Step up in trip needs to have a positive effect.

Form: 5008-30

The Rap Queen^t¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: Miss D O'Shea| OR: 89

8/1

Still looking for her first win over hurdles, but seems to be coming to the boil judged on her latest effort at Ballinrobe. Promises to stay this trip.

Form: 9-0U372

Disparue^t⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: R Loughran| T: M Brassil| OR: 83

14/1

Has failed to hit the frame in six starts over timber. Not disgraced on her last two starts after a long lay-off and could find extra over this longer trip.

Form: 0970/59

No Pressure Pat²⁰⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-6| J: C M Leonard⁽⁷⁾| T: P A Fahy| OR: 82

16/1

Not much encouragement in three starts in maiden hurdles. Makes his handicap debut after a break and steps up in trip so worth a check in the betting market.

Form: P097-

Kentucky Minstrel¹¹⁹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: C A Landers⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 81

50/1

Three unplaced efforts in maiden hurdles and not been seen for almost two years. Likely to need the outing so others make much more appeal.

Form: 806/

Ballygill Countess^p1¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: Sean Flanagan| T: V T O'Brien| OR: 80

25/1

Has failed to hit the frame in seven attempts over hurdles. Connections reach for cheekpieces in an attempt to eke out some improvement.

Form: 70-9009

Oh'herewego^p¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-4| J: Phillip Enright| T: V T O'Brien| OR: 80

9/1

Without a win in 10 starts over hurdles, but not disgraced when fifth off this mark on his last two starts. Seems to stay well and has each-way prospects.

Form: P7R055

Phantasmo^t¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-4| J: Danny Mullins| T: J P Ryan| OR: 80

33/1

Has failed to reach the frame in 10 starts over hurdles. Little sign of that changing in recent starts and hard to fancy.

Form: 0499F5

West Light¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-4| J: M A Enright| T: M J McDonagh| OR: 80

9/2

Placed only once in 13 hurdles races, but that was last time when third of 16 off this mark at Listowel when suited by the step up to 3m. A reproduction of that effort would give him a chance.

Form: 44-0553

Non-Runners

Paudi The Punter¹²

Weight: 10-4| Age: 11

T: G T Lynch J: Mr L P Gilligan

Forecasts

West Light (9/2), Steamboat Quay (11/2), Be My Vinnie (11/2), The Rap Queen (8/1), Una's Pleasure (8/1), Ancient Empire (9/1), Oh'herewego (9/1), Lockeen Girl (10/1), Disparue (14/1), No Pressure Pat (16/1), Ballygill Countess (25/1), Phantasmo (33/1), Questions Answered (33/1), Paudi The Punter (33/1), Kentucky Minstrel (50/1)

Several of these need to show significant improvement to get involved, but that does not apply to BE MY VINNIE, whose last two runs suggest he is at least as good as ever at the age of nine. He stays well and can see off Oh'herewego, who has shaped well recently, and Steamboat Quay, a winner three runs ago and now fitted with a tongue-tie by his top trainer. The Rap Queen and West Light look best of the rest.