13:20 Down Royal

Saturday 3 November 2018

All12:4513:2013:5514:3015:0515:4016:10

Tayto Group Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 13:20 | Winning time: 4m 7.40s

An Droichead Gorm²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: L P Dempsey| T: J P Dempsey

100/1

Gelding by Robin De Pres out of a Un Desperado mare. Plenty of stamina in the pedigree and three runs to date have revealed little.

Form: 7-908

Baile An Roba¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: A Ring| T: Francis Casey

100/1

Bottom draw 45-rated handicapper on the Flat. Made a couple of mistakes before equipment issues resulted in an early exit on hurdling debut.

Form: P

Batts Rock^t¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| BF

8/1

Three-time winner on the Flat. Made his hurdling bow in a race the yard have won with Cheltenham victors Samcro and Labaik. Although he made mistakes and found one too good, he ought to land a maiden hurdle before going on to better things.

Form: 2

Brace Yourself²¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| BF| CD

6/4

Acquired for £165,000 after one run in a point-to-point and showed a useful level of form in bumpers. Looks a nice prospect although he may want further than this in due course. Yard 3-8 in this event.

Form: 2132-

Defi Bleu²⁵¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| D

8/1

€255,000 purchase as a three-year-old who made an impressive bumper debut. Struggled in better company next time but no surprise to see him prove better than that run implies.

Form: 2/18-

Hidden Commotion^t1²⁸⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Brian Hayes| T: E Cawley

100/1

Son of Arcadio out of an unraced half-sister to winner Brave Alliance. Debut effort did not suggest he was ready to mix it with this sort of company.

Form: 0-

Pike County²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Mark Walsh| T: Mrs D Foster

12/1

Has improved with each run and ideally suited to a sound surface. Sets the standard on hurdling form given a promising hurdling bow at Tipperary.

Form: 6-5212

Raya Time¹⁷³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: N D Fehily| T: H De Bromhead

11/4

Impressive winner of a Killarney bumper and subsequently acquired by the stable of the runner-up (winner since) for £150,000. Significant jockey booking for hurdling debut in what looks a hot race.

Form: 1

The Holy One¹⁷⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 125| BF

5/1

Failed to act around Kilbeggan last time and fairer to judge him in his prior Punchestown third when surrounded by 130+ rated horses. That gives him a solid each-way shout in a race where his trainer holds a 2-6 record.

Form: 22353-3

Easy Cash D'Alex³³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: Gary Noonan⁽⁷⁾| T: R McNally

100/1

Cheap purchase who showed little on his Roscommon hurdling debut and is taking on even stronger company this time.

Form: 0

Getgo²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: Robbie Colgan| T: K H Clarke

100/1

Best Flat form came at Dundalk. Hurdling debut did not reveal enough to suggest he can compete in this company.

Form: 98

Rising^t²²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: C J Orr⁽⁷⁾| T: N C Kelly

100/1

68-rated Flat maiden has been tailed off on both hurdling outings and faces an even sterner examination in this contest.

Form: 74

The Big Galloper²¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: K J Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: C Byrnes

33/1

Has shown some promise in bumpers and yard in form, but others in this still have far stronger claims.

Form: 625-

Hidden Dilemma¹⁷¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: A E Lynch| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 87

100/1

Four runs over hurdles have seen her achieve a mark of 87 and that clearly is not good enough at this level.

Form: P3004-6

Klassy Kay²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: C D Maxwell| T: D A McLoughlin

100/1

Modest form in bumpers and beaten more than 30L on both starts over hurdles. Out of her depth in this company.

Form: 7-3065

Non-Runners

At The Acorn²⁰²

Weight: 11-9| Age: 4

T: A J Martin J: D J Mullins

Organised Solution

Weight: 11-9| Age: 4

T: A L T Moore J: N P Madden

Forecasts

Brace Yourself (6/4), Raya Time (11/4), The Holy One (5/1), Defi Bleu (8/1), Batts Rock (8/1), Pike County (12/1), At The Acorn (14/1), Organised Solution (33/1), The Big Galloper (33/1), Hidden Dilemma (100/1), Klassy Kay (100/1), An Droichead Gorm (100/1), Rising (100/1), Getgo (100/1), Easy Cash D'Alex (100/1), Hidden Commotion (100/1), Baile An Roba (100/1)

Some nice types line up for this with Raya Time, Brace Yourself and Defi Bleu boasting strong bumper form and At The Acorn an expensive recruit from the point-to-point ranks. The Holy One sets a high standard on form judged by his Punchestown third, but BATTS ROCK will be suited by the quick conditions and Gordon Eliiott's triple Flat winner may have too much speed for all of them. Pike County will also find the ground to his liking and poses the biggest threat.