19:10 Bellewstown

Thursday 30 August 2018

All16:4017:1017:4018:1018:4019:1019:40

Purfield Memorial Handicap Hurdle (81-123)

Off time: 19:12 | Winning time: 5m 44.70s

Dorans River^t²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: A McCurtin⁽⁵⁾| T: S J Mahon| OR: 122

6/1

Left Gordon Elliott for this yard and produced couple of fair efforts at Roscommon and Galway since return to action. Place claims conceding weight all round.

Form: 1653-44

Major Destination^t²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: J M Moore| T: N Meade| OR: 116| D

9/2

Well held on seasonal bow over 2m4f here last month, only 3L third of 19 upped to this sort of distance at Galway latest and looks to have sound claims now off 2lb higher mark.

Form: 231-643

Waaheb^b³¹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-3| J: Mark Walsh| T: P Roche| OR: 113| D

7/1

Hurdles winner over this trip at Roscommon back in 2015, efforts in this sphere over the last 12 months are very poor and was held on the Flat at Galway last month. Drops 4lb but others make more appeal.

Form: 960900-

Round Tower^h,t²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Robbie Colgan| T: K Thornton| OR: 112

20/1

Just 1-16 previously over hurdles and has been struggling in four chase starts this year. Back over hurdles from reduced mark, needs to rediscover appetite.

Form: 57-3325

Mr Boss Man²¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-1| J: R Loughran| T: N Slevin| OR: 111

14/1

Back to form when finishing third over an extended 1m4f at Down Royal (good to firm) on the Flat but Sligo hurdles run since less promising and 10-year-old isn't favoured to come out on top now.

Form: F-75F06

The Gatechecker^b⁴³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: B J Geraghty| T: M Hourigan| OR: 110| D

11/1

No win since January 2017 over fences at Naas, mixing it over both larger obstacles and hurdles since. Three runs this year have not been near the standard needed, including 21L defeat at Killarney last month over hurdles. Drops 2lb now.

Form: 35P-0R5

Na Trachtalai Abu^t¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: D F O'Regan| T: J Motherway| OR: 108| D

3/1

Chase winner over this trip at Punchestown in May, mostly held form in that sphere since and beat 9L off this mark in one spin over timber at Galway early this month. Runs off the same mark now.

Form: 133662

Some Drama^p,t²⁴⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 10-11| J: Simon Torrens⁽⁷⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 107

25/1

Chase winner at Sligo in September last year (2m5f, heavy) but subsequently posted figures of BUUP. On a fair mark back over timber, if ready to go on first start since December.

Form: 31BUUP-

Odit²³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-10| J: D G Hogan| T: D Hogan| OR: 106

20/1

Lightly-raced gelding spent 18 months on the sidelines and hasn't shown enough in either start for new yard to merit support currently.

Form: 3316/90

Batchelors Walk^t¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: A Ring| T: M Phelan| OR: 103| D

8/1

Off the mark over timber at the 12th time of asking this month at Roscommon over similar trip, causing a 25/1 upset. Has run well enough on the Flat in one Tramore run since, cannot be discounted now from 4lb higher.

Form: 3-15B31

Carrigready^p¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: A E Lynch| T: V Halley| OR: 102

14/1

Just 1-16 over timber so far, winning Thurles handicap in 2016 off a mark of 96. Started off in decent form this year but has lost way a small bit. Best of efforts came at Limerick (3m, good) in July, so capable of having a say if in the mood.

Form: 537480

Kalamkan^t,v⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: C D Maxwell| T: T G McCourt| OR: 94

20/1

Maiden after nine starts, eight of them over hurdles. Fell here last month over C&D and continued to make jumping errors in outings at Limerick and Sligo since, ensuring others are preferred this time.

Form: 5-06F54

Forecasts

Na Trachtalai Abu (3/1), Major Destination (9/2), Dorans River (6/1), Waaheb (7/1), Batchelors Walk (8/1), The Gatechecker (11/1), Mr Boss Man (14/1), Carrigready (14/1), Odit (20/1), Kalamkan (20/1), Round Tower (20/1), Some Drama (25/1)

Having run a sound race in a big-field Galway event off this mark at the start of the month over timber, NA TRACHTALAI ABU since shaped very well over fences from a much higher mark at Tramore and, with a repeat of that effort, should go close this evening. Major Destination was a promising third in a handicap at Ballybrit this month and has to be high on any shortlist racing from a 2lb higher perch now. Carrigready can threaten if in the mood while top-weight Dorans Pride and Batchelors Walk aren't to be dismissed.