17:30 Down Royal

Friday 25 May 2018

All17:3018:0518:3519:0519:3520:0520:35

Proparamedics Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 17:31 | Winning time: 3m 53.50s

Brex Drago^h1¹⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Keith Donoghue| T: D P Dunne

33/1

Decent flat performer for Marco Botti. Blinkers had a positive effect on final three starts in that sphere. Hood goes on for hurdling debut today and has switched to a new yard. Type to do well in this sphere and an interesting newcomer to hurdles.

Form:

Eastern Dragon¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Simon Torrens⁽⁷⁾| T: M Torrens

66/1

Fair flat performer for Iain Jardine. Form had tailed off somewhat since moving to this new yard on the flat and makes hurdles debut today. Will need to show more in this sphere to be involved.

Form:

Falak³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 123| BF

7/1

Four hurdles starts so far and clearly has ability. Still going well in second when clipping heels and coming down turning for home. would have gone close there and another bold show is likely here.

Form: 752S-

Roseriver Has^t¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 122

6/4

Dual performer that has had three good efforts over hurdles without winning. Won a flat maiden on most recent start and his form ties in closely with Falak. Should go well again.

Form: 313233-

Accordingtojohnny⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: J S McGarvey| T: Adrian Mcallister

66/1

Largely struggled in point-to-points to date and makes switch to rules for a new yard today. Probably best watched unless the mark speaks massively in his favour.

Form: 2F6F-P3

Boris Grishenko^h²³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: L P Dempsey| T: G Elliott

33/1

Beaten favourite on all three starts in bumpers. Started at big prices so far in two maiden hurdles and has been beaten a total of 63L. Needs to do much more but likely to be aimed at handicaps after this.

Form: 52390-

Court Tycoon¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: R Loughran| T: Peter Fahey

20/1

Some fair efforts in three bumper starts last year. Shaped on hurdling debut last time that he is going to need a bit further than this to be effective.

Form: 523-0

Dirty Boy

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: E O'Connell⁽⁷⁾| T: A J Martin

40/1

Early March gelding. Dam was well beaten in a bumper and a single chase effort. Yard can ready one first time but likely to be in need of this experience unless the market screams his name.

Form:

Hitdroadjack²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: D Robinson⁽⁵⁾| T: H De Bromhead

16/1

Went close in a couple of point-to-points last year. Pulled up on hurdles debut before a better effort at Kilbeggan (2m, soft) last time. Should be more to come but a little to find with a few of these.

Form: P57/2P-6

Kelter's Dawn¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Donagh Meyler| T: A J Martin

33/1

Average performer on the flat. Hurdles debut at Down Royal (2m, good) has some promise when in contention before tiring late on. Potential to do better at some stage in this sphere.

Form: 6

King's War²⁵⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: M F Mooney| T: P Mooney

16/1

Had six starts over hurdles last year and showed some ability when finishing second twice. Returns from an eight month break and will be in the shake up once more if fit and ready to go.

Form: 0/32432-

Loveinalamborghini⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: C D Maxwell| T: J G Cosgrave

50/1

Big prices and beaten quite a long way on two hurdles starts to date. Will need to improve a fair bit to be involved today and likely that handicaps will suit more further down the line.

Form: 4-8

One In All In¹⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr C J Orr⁽⁷⁾| T: H De Bromhead

33/1

Average flat performer that has had a couple of efforts over hurdles. Beaten quite a long way in both of those and is likely to find this tough going once more.

Form: 80-

Sir Benford Wales⁶⁰²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: D F O'Regan| T: H De Bromhead

14/1

Ran a cracker when second on hurdles debut at Gowran Park (2m, good) back in September 2016. Long absence would suggest there have been a few issues but clearly has ability. Might need the run and one of three for his trainer.

Form: 2/

Askyourmammy^h⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: B Browne⁽⁵⁾| T: N G Hynds

50/1

Maiden point-to-pointer that made her hurdling debut at Down Patrick (2m3f, good) last week. Out the back and plugged on the one pace looking like further than this will be needed in time.

Form: 32334/7

Betsy Boots³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: I J McCarthy| T: A Mulholland

25/1

Fair bumper performer but failed to get off the mark in that sphere. Type to do better now switching to timber for the first time and a market check is needed.

Form: 832639-

State Of Nirvana⁹³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: A E Lynch| T: T J Taaffe

2/1

Three similar efforts over hurdles so far having been in the mix on every start. Likely to give her running once again but may find one or two of these a bit too good again.

Form: 3/3433-

Swedish Connection^p1¹⁶⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: A W Short⁽⁵⁾| T: M J Smith

66/1

Showed very little in a bumper and two hurdles starts last year. Cheekpieces go on for the first time today but will need to do much more to take a hand today.

Form: 60P-

Forecasts

Roseriver Has (6/4), State Of Nirvana (2/1), Falak (7/1), Sir Benford Wales (14/1), King's War (16/1), Hitdroadjack (16/1), Court Tycoon (20/1), Betsy Boots (25/1), One In All In (33/1), Boris Grishenko (33/1), Brex Drago (33/1), Kelter's Dawn (33/1), Dirty Boy (40/1), Askyourmammy (50/1), Loveinalamborghini (50/1), Eastern Dragon (66/1), Accordingtojohnny (66/1), Swedish Connection (66/1)

A competitive maiden hurdle to kick things off. Brex Drago was a fair performer for Marco Botti on the flat and is an interesting debutant for his new yard. Sir Benford Wales showed ability on his only start over hurdles back in 2016 and could be dangerous off a long lay off. The finish may be fought out by FALAK and Roseriver Has. The former has shown a fair level of ability so far and would have gone very close but for slipping up turning for home at Limerick last time.