14:45 Down Royal

Wednesday 31 January 2018

All13:0513:4014:1014:4515:2015:5016:25

Sean Graham Bookmakers Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 14:46 | Winning time: 4m 27.5s

First Figaro³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: D K Weld| D

6/1

Has not transferred his bumper form to a run on the Flat at Gowran Park in September and a disappointing 54L defeat on hurdling debut in a Leopardstown maiden on St Stephens day.

Form: 29/82-19

Kerosin⁸⁷¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: R Loughran| T: J McAuley

33/1

Solid enough Group 2 performer in France when with Jean Pierre Carvalho before switching to Saeed bin Suroor in January 2016. Clearly had his training problems as he failed to represent Godolphin. Will need the run here.

Form:

Colonel Maximus^t¹⁸³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: E M Roche⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott

40/1

Modest 75-rated handicapper on the Flat for trainer-Kevin Prendergast and dropped to a mark of 67 for current yard. Worth a market check on second hurdle start following a disappointing debut in May.

Form: 0

Falak³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott

9/4

70-rated Flat handicapper for Roger Varian and related to modest national hunt winner London Prize, Tocororo and Debdebdeb. Well beaten on maiden hurdle debut before a battling fifth of 15 behind Dortmund Park in the mud at Fairyhouse this month.

Form: 75

Blue Skimmer⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Liam McKenna⁽⁷⁾| T: Nicole McKenna

66/1

Last seen over timber when finishing 25th of 28 in a Navan maiden hurdle in December 2016 beaten 90L. Others preferred.

Form: 6F0-

Boy Capel^t1⁷³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Donagh Meyler| T: Miss E Doyle

50/1

Well beaten in a couple of bumpers in 2016 before never a factor, tailed off in a Cork maiden hurdle beaten 125L. Looks a tall order on form shown.

Form: 8/0-0

Celtic Rising³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: A E Lynch| T: H De Bromhead

7/4

Disappointed on maiden hurdle debut when sixth of 12 beaten 26L in a Limerick maiden over 2m3f before a big improvement over 2m when second of nine at the same track over Christmas.

Form: 1-962

Harrys Lane

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr L P Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss E Doyle

33/1

Canoe gelding out of a Taipan mare related to Calgary Bay and Made In Taipan but sire hasn't exactly set the bloodstock world alight and best watched on debut.

Form:

Hero's Welcome

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Mark Walsh| T: A J Martin

20/1

Well bred Oscar gelding out of a Satco mare related to Lord Windermere, Sub Lieutenant and recent Lingfield bumper winner Ceara Be. Looks a long-term prospect.

Form:

Lord In Red^t1³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade

10/1

Well beaten in two maiden hurdles at Fairyhouse and Limerick at the end of the year but is better than those performances and comes here in first-time tongue-tie.

Form: 4-756

The White Volcano⁶⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: D J Hand⁽⁷⁾| T: J Woods

25/1

Won a point-to-point in October after failing to finish in two earlier contests. Third of seven last time out and place claims on rules and yard debut.

Form: UP-13

Vecheka¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Alison Jean Clarke⁽⁷⁾| T: Kenny Johnson

66/1

Has failed to reach the finishing line in three point-to-point efforts last February/March. Has been recently plying his trade on the AW at Newcastle and this British raider is possibly best watched here.

Form: PPF-

Young Boru³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: C D Timmons⁽³⁾| T: P Martin

50/1

Well beaten 94L on three career bumper starts and will possibly need a host of improvement on maiden hurdle debut.

Form: 56-4

Cadougarde⁶⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: P E Corbett⁽³⁾| T: S R B Crawford

50/1

Failed to complete in a couple of starts in Irish point-to-points in the spring, and needs to leave a poor bumper performance on a Catterick raid behind on hurdling debut.

Form: FP-6

Jack Wade¹⁶⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Rothwell

66/1

Well beaten and tailed-off in a bumper and a maiden hurdle when last seen in the summer. Tough ask and others preferred.

Form: 67

Jimmy Rabbitte^h1⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Robbie Colgan| T: D Broad

40/1

Dubai Destination gelding out of a Rakaposhi King mare related to game hurdlers Ittirad and the Evan Williams-trained Lancetto. Well beaten on maiden hurdle debut in December at Navan.

Form: 0

Speaker Connolly¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: D F O'Regan| T: A Fleming

8/1

Not a lot to shout about in two hurdle and a sole bumper start recently but well beaten on all three occasions. Others preferred.

Form: 586

Ask Madge³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: A W Short⁽⁷⁾| T: N C Kelly

66/1

Daughter of Ask cost just €800 as a three-year-old at the sales in August 2015. Half-sister to six time winner One For Hocky but beaten when falling four out here on maiden hurdle debut on St Stephens day.

Form: F

Drumnagreagh¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: J J Slevin| T: S R B Crawford

50/1

Showed relatively little in three bumper starts before a 34L defeat on maiden hurdle debut at Fairyhouse earlier this month. Will need to improve to figure.

Form: P4607

Likethemudda³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: A Ring⁽³⁾| T: P E Collins

66/1

Court Cave filly out of four time hurdles winner Quivvy Bridge. Well beaten and no impression on maiden hurdle debut here on St Stephens day. Unlikely to play a part in the finish.

Form: 0

Non-Runners

Rock On Westie³⁶

Weight: 11-4| Age: 9

T: Miss S Barkley J: Reserve 1

Forecasts

Celtic Rising (7/4), Falak (9/4), First Figaro (6/1), Speaker Connolly (8/1), Lord In Red (10/1), Hero's Welcome (20/1), The White Volcano (25/1), Kerosin (33/1), Rock On Westie (33/1), Harrys Lane (33/1), Colonel Maximus (40/1), Jimmy Rabbitte (40/1), Cadougarde (50/1), Drumnagreagh (50/1), Young Boru (50/1), Boy Capel (50/1), Jack Wade (66/1), Blue Skimmer (66/1), Ask Madge (66/1), Likethemudda (66/1), Vecheka (66/1)

This could well be a race decided from the front with CELTIC RISING and Falak going head to head from the start. The selection will be looking to build on a big improvement over 2m when second of nine at Limerick over Christmas while Falak is sure to improve on his first two maiden hurdle starts with Davy Russell in the plate. First Figaro and Lord In Red are the best of the rest.