20:00 Tipperary

Thursday 5 July 2018

All17:5018:2018:5019:2520:0020:3021:00

Kevin McManus Bookmaker Grimes Hurdle (Grade 3)

Off time: 20:00 | Winning time: 3m 43.00s

Wicklow Brave^b⁴⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 161| CD

5/4

Finished runner-up in a Grade 1 at Punchestown (2m, soft) in April. Held in a Group 2 on the Flat since and likely to prove hard to beat if repeating that Punchestown effort.

Form: 3371/72-

Plinth^b,t¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: J S McGarvey| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 134| CD

40/1

Winner of nine races over hurdles including in this contest 12 months ago. Held off a mark of 134 at Kilbeggan (good) last time out and more needed on this occasion.

Form: 8587-75

Sharjah⁷²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: D J Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 144| D

3/1

Novice hurdle winner on heavy ground at Gowran Park last November. Highly tried since including when 20L sixth in a Grade 1 novice contest last time. One to note for a leading yard.

Form: 1F7846-

The Game Changer^t¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 140| C| D

22/1

Winning for the 13th time when successful at Down Royal (2m4f, good) last time out. Stepping up in grade and more needed if he's to take this contest.

Form: 44785-1

Tigris River^t⁷²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Mark Walsh| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 144| D

16/1

Five time hurdle winner but held in a handicap over an extended 2m at Punchestown (yielding-to-soft) in April. Worth a check in the market.

Form: 060P06-

Don't Touch It^p¹¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Donagh Meyler| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 139| D

40/1

Useful horse on his day but failed to complete over fences the last twice including at the Cheltenham Festival in March. Reverts to hurdles on his return from a break.

Form: 1/546UP-

Dr Mikey⁹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: D J McInerney| T: Ms M Flynn| OR: 141| CD

25/1

Victorious on heavy ground over 2m at Cork in April. Winning for the second time in four hurdles starts on that occasion and stepping up in class here.

Form: 15215/1-

Ivanovich Gorbatov⁷²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: M A Enright| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 141| D

8/1

Grade 1 winner in 2016 but well beaten over hurdles last season including in a valuable handicap at Punchestown (yielding-to-soft) in April. Better ground forecast here should see him in a better light.

Form: 0700P0-

Joey Sasa³²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 141| D

8/1

Placed off a mark of 138 in a handicap hurdle at Punchestown (yielding-to-soft) in April. Decent fourth on the Flat last time and interesting to see how he fares.

Form: 07/4128-

Tully East¹⁵²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: D F O'Regan| T: A Fleming| OR: 138| D

25/1

Finished third in a valuable handicap chase at Leopardstown (2m1f, soft) in February. Worth a check in the market on this occasion.

Form: 21P/463-

Slowmotion^p⁶⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 136| D

14/1

Placed in a Listed mares chase at Clonmel (soft-to-heavy) in November. Cheekpieces worn for the first time retained as she reverts to hurdles having finished a disappointing sixth at Punchestown (2m5f, soft) last time out.

Form: 2/38P36-

Forecasts

Wicklow Brave (5/4), Sharjah (3/1), Joey Sasa (8/1), Ivanovich Gorbatov (8/1), Slowmotion (14/1), Tigris River (16/1), The Game Changer (22/1), Dr Mikey (25/1), Tully East (25/1), Plinth (40/1), Don't Touch It (40/1)

SHARJAH boasts some good form on a sound surface from his days on the Flat in France and he can start to live up to the early promise he showed for this yard by taking what looks a competitive Grade 3 contest. The selection was highly tried in Grade 1 company during the spring and with improvement possible on the forecast good-to-firm going he can get the better of Wicklow Brave who has to concede weight to all of his rivals here. Slowmotion has some decent form to her name and receiving weight from all of her rivals she can finish third.