18:10 Down Royal

Friday 31 August 2018

All16:3517:1017:4018:1018:4019:1019:40

Pepsico Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 18:12 | Winning time: 4m 50.00s

Anytime Now¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 116| BF

11/8

Six race maiden hurdler who has not been disgraced in a number of starts since May. Does tend to find a couple of stronger types to run against but they appear thin on the ground here.

Form: 53-0423

Optical Confusion^t³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: D J Mullins| T: M Butler

2/1

Won Killarney bumper more than 11 months ago but has been largely well held in a number of hurdle spins. Career best came in a Ballinrobe 2m4f maiden in May. Not ruled out but needs more consistency.

Form: 210-746

Colwinston^t¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: R Loughran| T: Miss S Barkley| OR: 104

7/1

12-race maiden hurdler who deserves a change of luck in some of his races. Will need to raise overall performance to land a blow.

Form: 7459-34

Feagreen Native¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Liam McKenna⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Lambe

50/1

Son of Double Eclipse purchased for €3,000 as a yearling. Fifth of six beaten 73L on maiden hurdle debut earlier this month. Market should be informative.

Form: 5

James Boru^t²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Danny Mullins| T: N C Kelly

14/1

Winner of his last two point-to-point starts in the spring but well held in a couple of grim maiden hurdle starts since July. Plenty to prove at present.

Form: 2-1158

Monsieur Bagot²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Simon Torrens⁽⁷⁾| T: Christian Delcros

66/1

Beaten a total of 262L in three career starts to date. Difficult to make a case for here on third hurdle start.

Form: 7-00

Our Jack

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: C D Maxwell| T: N Carolan

100/1

Acrobat gelding out of a Aboo Hom mare. Sire not renowned for his national hunt progeny and this debutante is likely to be over-whelmed on debut.

Form:

Triangle Rock^p,t¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: M F Morris| OR: 93

7/1

Nothing of note in a number of desolate hurdling displays since returning to the track in May. Out of sorts recently and this looks a tough ask.

Form: 0-P0584

Turnpike Thunder^h²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: F J Hayes⁽⁷⁾| T: J M Burke

25/1

Has produced a number of laboured runs in his short career including a couple of crushing maiden hurdle defeats since June. Unlikely to play a part in the finish here.

Form: 0-000U

Wat Tyler^t⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: J M Moore| T: D Kinsella

100/1

Not yet capturing the imagination in a couple of dour maiden hurdle starts earlier this month. Others preferred.

Form: 6-09

West Burma^t¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: A E Lynch| T: C A McBratney

25/1

Placed in a couple of bumpers for Willie Mullins in 2016 and 2017. Struggled on debut for this yard in a maiden hurdle at Bellewstown last month before finishing last of six earlier this month at Downpatrick.

Form: 2/3-06

Forecasts

Anytime Now (11/8), Optical Confusion (2/1), Colwinston (7/1), Triangle Rock (7/1), James Boru (14/1), Turnpike Thunder (25/1), West Burma (25/1), Feagreen Native (50/1), Monsieur Bagot (66/1), Our Jack (100/1), Wat Tyler (100/1)

The trainer/jockey combination of Gordon Elliott and Davy Russell can bag another winner here with ANYTIME NOW getting the Beneficial gelding off the mark over hurdles at the seventh time of asking at the expense of possible improvers Optical Confusion and the Mouse Morris-trained Triangle Rock. In such a weak looking contest James Boru is deserving of closer inspection and could go well at a price.