17:25 Ballinrobe

Friday 12 April 2019

All16:5017:2518:0018:3019:0019:3020:00

Mulholland Bookmakers (C & G) Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 17:25 | Winning time: 4m 19.00s

Defy De Mee⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins| BF

4/6

€190,000 purchase at sales last year after winning in France. Only got as far as the fourth in a Wexford maiden hurdle earlier this month as the even money favourite. Leading claims for respected connections.

Form: 75-252F

Kolumbus²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 117

14/1

Better form in three starts for the Robin Des Champs gelding came last summer when finishing third of 10 beaten ¾L over C&D. Needs to improve from disappointing run at Thurles last month following a seventh month break.

Form: P/P-3340

Aonghus Song⁴³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: A W Short⁽³⁾| T: P G Kelly

33/1

Winner of a maiden point-to-point but has done little in three hurdle starts over a variety of distances since December. Form doesn't warrant support here.

Form: 13866

Bannow Breeze⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: M A Enright| T: Mrs D Foster

100/1

Mustameet gelding out of a Kayf Tara mare. Cost €5,000 as a foal and is a half-brother to bumper winner Rock On Rosie. Beaten 60L on debut in a Navan bumper last month. More needed here.

Form: 7

Cenotice⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade

4/1

Running well in defeat in a number of bumper efforts since November. Racing in rear on hurdling debut in a Wexford maiden earlier this month when brought down at the fourth flight. Market likely to be the best guide.

Form: 13355B

Generator City¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: D G Hogan| T: D Hogan

50/1

Useful point-to-point figures and ran well in defeat on debut in a Wetherby 2m bumper on stable bow last month finishing fourth of nine. Worth a market check on hurdling introduction.

Form: 62P214

Lord Schnapps^t²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: S A Shortall| T: M J Smith

28/1

Improved on dismal debut run at Naas when finishing fourth of 14 beaten 32L in a Cork maiden hurdle last month over 2m4f. Possibly best watched unless the market suggests otherwise.

Form: 594

Summer Hill²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Liam Quinlan⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Ryan

33/1

Kept on dourly when third in Clonmel maiden hurdle in February over 2m3f on good ground before unseating rider two out when tailed off in a Limerick maiden hurdle last month. Plenty to prove at present.

Form: 2593U

Lethal Steps⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 125

6/1

One pace third of 14 beaten 13½L in a Wexford maiden hurdle over 2m4f on yielding ground earlier this month. No surprise to see plenty of improvement for respected connections.

Form: 52303

Signing Off²¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: C J Orr⁽⁵⁾| T: N C Kelly

80/1

Unable to build on shock Leopardstown win at Killarney when fifth of 10 in July before finishing 10th of 12 beaten over 12L at Gowran Park in September on his final start on the level for trainer Jim Bolger. Hurdling debut.

Form:

The Last Emperor²¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Brian Hayes| T: E Mullins| BF

14/1

Cost 230,000 gns as a yearling and made a winning debut as a two-year-old when in the hands of trainer Roger Varian. Missed intended hurdle debut last month with a stone bruise. Market possibly the best guide on stable bow.

Form:

Fallen Forest⁵⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: C D Maxwell| T: W Durkan

33/1

67-rated handicapper on the Flat for this yard but has failed to spark in a couple of maiden hurdle starts to date. Possibilities of improvement without troubling the judge.

Form: 04

Youmakeityoutakeit

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: R P Treacy⁽³⁾| T: R O'Leary

66/1

Milan gelding out of a Beneficial mare. Closely related to 2m2f bumper winner Active Force. Unlikely to be making any waves on racecourse debut.

Form:

Non-Runners

Odds Or Evens²⁵

Weight: 11-4| Age: 5

T: A J Martin J: E O'Connell

Our Dark Horse³²³

Weight: 11-4| Age: 7

T: Eamon Courtney J: Phillip Enright

Western Doyen²⁷

Weight: 11-4| Age: 6

T: V T O'Brien J: Reserve 1

Eazi Beazi

Weight: 10-11| Age: 4

T: P W Flynn J: Reserve 2

World Stage¹²

Weight: 11-4| Age: 5

T: J Feane J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Defy De Mee (4/6), Cenotice (4/1), Lethal Steps (6/1), The Last Emperor (14/1), Kolumbus (14/1), World Stage (16/1), Odds Or Evens (25/1), Eazi Beazi (25/1), Lord Schnapps (28/1), Summer Hill (33/1), Aonghus Song (33/1), Fallen Forest (33/1), Generator City (50/1), Our Dark Horse (50/1), Youmakeityoutakeit (66/1), Signing Off (80/1), Bannow Breeze (100/1), Western Doyen (100/1)

Cheveley Park Stud have made their intentions clear this season with their venture in to National hunt season with a number of winners over the last six months. LETHAL STEPS can carry on their good start here following fairly solid runs in the Fred Winter at the festival and when third of 14 at Wexford earlier this month. Defy De Mee was a €190,000 purchase at sales last year after winning in France and can emerge as the biggest danger here under Ruby Walsh while The Last Emperor and Generator City look cable of hitting the frame.