18:10 Sligo

Thursday 9 August 2018

All17:0517:3518:1018:4019:1519:4520:2020:50

Driftwood Restaurant Rosses Point Handicap Hurdle (80-102) (Div 1)

Off time: 18:10 | Winning time: 3m 48.00s

The Moore Factor¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Liam McKenna⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Lambe| OR: 102

10/1

Winner on the Flat in 2016 and placed in that sphere subsequently. Beaten 16L when sixth in a handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe (good) last month and more needed in this contest.

Form: 765-36

Seskin Flyer^t¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: A Ring⁽³⁾| T: P Carey| OR: 101| D

33/1

Placed in a 2m handicap chase at Tramore (good) on his penultimate outing. Pulled up subsequently however and worth a check in the market back over hurdles.

Form: P6-742P

One Cool Poet^p1,t⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: A E Lynch| T: M J Smith| OR: 100

7/1

Best effort over hurdles came when finishing third over 2m1f at Cartmel (good-to-firm) at the end of June. Races off a 2lb lower mark and wears cheekpieces for the first time.

Form: 5/F0-73

Atlas^p1¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: D G Hogan| T: D Hogan| OR: 97

10/1

In good form over 1m on the Flat last month prior to a respectable effort in a valuable handicap when dropping in trip. Making his handicap debut with cheekpieces applied for the first time.

Form: 5/980-

Neddyvaughan^b¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Darragh O'Keeffe⁽⁷⁾| T: P Roche| OR: 97| C| D

4/1

Returned to form back over hurdles when finishing third over an extended 2m1f at Ballinrobe (good) last time out. Repeat of that should see him play a hand in the finish.

Form: 7537-P3

Roja Dove¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: B J Geraghty| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 97| D

12/1

Twice a winner last November. Fair efforts subsequently and likely to have improved for her seasonal debut at Limerick last month.

Form: 41166-9

Grey Atlantic Way^p1²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Danny Mullins| T: E Linehan| OR: 92

6/1

Promising 5L third in a 2m1f handicap hurdle at Killarney (good) last time out. Interesting to see how he fares with cheekpieces fitted for the first time.

Form: 030-403

Like A Diamond³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: K J Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: Ian O'Connor| OR: 92| D

9/2

Broke his maiden over hurdles when winning at Roscommon (2m, good) last month. Raised 8lb for that success and of interest once more.

Form: 7/00-031

Realta Dawn³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: R Loughran| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 88

9/1

Placed over an extended 2m1f at Downpatrick (good) in a first time hood (absent here) on her penultimate outing. Well held behind Like A Diamond subsequently and more needed in this event.

Form: 09-0637

Canadian Steel⁶⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-10| J: A W Short⁽⁵⁾| T: N C Kelly| OR: 86

33/1

Dual point-to-point winner but struggled in recent starts including when pulled up at Uttoxeter (good) last time out. Dropping in distance.

Form: 123-P0P

Alfred Eile¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: M A Enright| T: J Nash| OR: 85

25/1

Failed to trouble the judge in 11 starts so far most recently when beaten 82L in a maiden hurdle last month. Probably best watched on handicap debut.

Form: 4P008-6

Glendaars Warrior¹²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: C D Maxwell| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 85

20/1

Struggled in five starts for previous stable including on handicap debut at Cork (2m, heavy) in early Aprily. Making his debut for a new stable following a break.

Form: 9809P-

Vocal Heir^p1¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: D F O'Regan| T: S Hanlon| OR: 84

33/1

Victorious on the Flat in 2015 but held in two starts over hurdles since joining this yard. Cheekpieces are tried for the first time on this occasion.

Form: 2070/05

Miss Mcilroy¹⁹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: Phillip Enright| T: G T Lynch| OR: 80

16/1

18 race maiden and absent since finishing 27L behind the winner in a 2m handicap hurdle at Punchestown (heavy) in January. Others hold stronger claims.

Form: 306440-

Whisky Galore^p²⁵

Age: 12| Weight: 10-4| J: Sean Flanagan| T: T Cleary| OR: 80| CD

33/1

Veteran just 1/37 over hurdles and well beaten in two starts since joining this stable. Likely to find a few too good in this contest.

Form: 5965/00

Forecasts

Neddyvaughan (4/1), Like A Diamond (9/2), Grey Atlantic Way (6/1), One Cool Poet (7/1), Realta Dawn (9/1), Atlas (10/1), The Moore Factor (10/1), Roja Dove (12/1), Miss Mcilroy (16/1), Glendaars Warrior (20/1), Alfred Eile (25/1), Vocal Heir (33/1), Canadian Steel (33/1), Seskin Flyer (33/1), Whisky Galore (33/1)

ATLAS can make a winning handicap debut in this sphere following some promising efforts on the Flat. The selection has forecast underfoot conditions to suit and can see off last time out winner Like A Diamond who is taken to finish runner-up. Third place can go the way of Neddyvaughan who ran well to place on his most recent appearance.