16:30 Gowran Park

Saturday 23 June 2018

All13:4014:1514:5015:2515:5516:3017:1017:45

Whitfield Orthopaedic & Sports Injury Clinic Handicap Hurdle (80-102) (Div 2)

Off time: 16:32 | Winning time: 3m 40.6s

Balinaboola Steel^b1²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Danny Mullins| T: G J Power| OR: 101

10/1

12-race maiden, comes here after uninspiring efforts at Tipperary (handicap) and Ballinrobe (maiden) over 2m4f this term and needs new blinkers to inspire him.

Form: 8560-50

Dixie Highway²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: M A Enright| T: P J Flynn| OR: 101| D

8/1

Winner on the Flat last month Tipperary and handicapped to be in the shake-up here on best hurdling form.

Form: 7248P4-

Montauk Flyer³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: D G Hogan| T: D Hogan| OR: 98

11/2

Failed to make an impact in five maiden hurdle runs but has shown a bit more including a second of 14 beaten ¾L in a Wexford handicap hurdle last month. Continuation of development expected here.

Form: 00P-532

Royal Presenting²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: P D Kennedy⁽³⁾| T: S K Ryder| OR: 98

25/1

Well held in a bumper on debut and in two dour maiden hurdle efforts last autumn. Better effort on return at Tramore this month (2m5f, good), drops back in trip for handicap bow.

Form: 500-6

Love The Well²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: P Meany| OR: 97

16/1

Much-improved effort on seasonal reappearance (fourth hurdles start) when 2L third in a maiden at Tramore having gone off a 50/1 poke. Respected if he can build on that now tried in a handicap.

Form: P609P-3

Nearly Famous²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: B J Geraghty| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 95| C

7/1

Had three starts over hurdles at the back end of last year all at big prices. Mark not overly generous based on those efforts and wasn't able to rise a challenge on handicap bow at Down Royal (2m, good). Not written off with Geraghty taking over.

Form: 000-0

Slaney Street³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: D N Russell| T: F J Flood| OR: 102

10/1

Useful performer on the Flat for Jim Bolger, not disgraced on hurdles bow in Leopardstown maiden over Christmas won by subsequent Triumph Hurdle second Mr Adjudicator but gone backwards in two runs last month.

Form: 6-40

Tildas Icon^h,t²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: A W Short⁽⁵⁾| T: P Griffin| OR: 99

10/1

Still a maiden under both codes and 0/7 over hurdles. Has run ok in maiden at Ayr and Down Royal handicap last month and could improve to challenge.

Form: 6U35-66

Ingleby Mackenzie^t1²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Sean Flanagan| T: E Doyle| OR: 98| D

11/2

Got up late on to justify favouritism at Tramore (2m, good) this month. Goes up 5lb and tongue-tie added now. Cannot be ruled out on the back of that gutsy win.

Form: 700-521

Edna¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Mark Walsh| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 97

20/1

Had started to signs of improvement at Kilbeggan and Clonmel before falling at the fifth when in mid-field in a Ballinrobe handicap hurdle last month. Confidence perhaps dented and pulled up at Clonmel since.

Form: 47-53F0

Toor General^t¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: E O'Connell⁽⁷⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 89

8/1

Maiden, but promising efforts when third at Leopardstown and Kilbeggan either side of a layoff. Not much more required to be a big factor in this having been raised a pound for the latter effort.

Form: U0953-3

Messie³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: Phillip Enright| T: S Ryan| OR: 88

20/1

Modest Indian Danehill gelding who was well beaten debut at Limerick (2m3f, good) last month and has work to do, wouldn't take a big step forward to threaten the place money.

Form: 0400/7-8

Grey Mountain Mist^p,t²⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 10-9| J: R P Treacy⁽⁵⁾| T: E Sheehy| OR: 85| BF

12/1

In good form over fences and won with authority at Limerick (2m3½f, good) last month, however couldn't translate that form across at Downpatrick over timber soon after.

Form: 061-P10

Petite Gina^t¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-8| J: Mr S F O'Keeffe⁽⁷⁾| T: C O'Keeffe| OR: 91

10/1

Chased home easy winner Slainte And Thanks (runs in preceding race) on handicap debut at Clonmel this month, that might prove to have been a decent effort and must be on the shortlist having gone up only 1lb.

Form: 405-P2

Precious Gold^p,t¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: A E Lynch| T: D E Fitzgerald| OR: 84

28/1

Best of 2017 hurdling efforts would give him some form of a claim here, no impact in two recent starts over fences and must bounce back over timber now.

Form: 0006-90

Streak^t⁶⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-4| J: Jack Kennedy| T: T Mullins| OR: 80

20/1

Successful on the AW as a two-year-old but remains a maiden in this sphere after 15 attempts. Mark is sliding but still quite tough to be positive about.

Form: 8P08P7-

Non-Runners

Moyhree¹⁹

Weight: 10-6| Age: 7

T: E McCarthy J: K J Brouder

House Limit⁸

Weight: 10-4| Age: 9

T: J Larkin J: C D Maxwell

Forecasts

Ingleby Mackenzie (11/2), Montauk Flyer (11/2), Nearly Famous (7/1), Dixie Highway (8/1), Toor General (8/1), Petite Gina (10/1), Tildas Icon (10/1), Slaney Street (10/1), Balinaboola Steel (10/1), Grey Mountain Mist (12/1), Love The Well (16/1), Messie (20/1), Streak (20/1), Edna (20/1), Royal Presenting (25/1), Moyhree (25/1), House Limit (25/1), Precious Gold (28/1)

PETITE GINA was no match for the winner last time at Clonmel but did well enough in finishing second. That was an improved effort from Con O'Keefe's mare and the form may well be boosted when Slainte And Thanks runs in the preceding race here. Either way, she can build on that showing and go well today. Toor General has shown enough to merit consideration and should be fitter here while Tramore winner Ingleby Mackenzie is in the mix despite a drop in trip. Royal Presenting, Love The Well and Dixie Highway all have some merit about them in an open heat.