14:25 Cork

Monday 22 April 2019

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:2017:50

Race & Taste Festival May 10th & 11th Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:25 | Winning time: 4m 0.4s

Voices Of Spring^h,t⁸⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-13| J: E O'Connell⁽⁵⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 112| D

12/1

No win since 2017, with losing sequence now out to 19. Competitive in recent starts at Leopardstown and Naas over this trip and should go well again.

Form: 485046

Dia Del Sol^p,t¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: P J Vaughan⁽⁵⁾| T: P Nolan| OR: 108| D

25/1

Maiden hurdle winner at Wexford last September before disappointing in a handicap there in October when well-held fourth of seven. Warmed up with a Flat run here early in the month, unsuited by the drop in trip but may do better now.

Form: 002514

Daliyan^t²⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-8| J: C D Maxwell| T: R Sweeney| OR: 107| D

33/1

Clonmel maiden hurdle winner back in 2014, his only success so far over jumps. Ran well enough in Naas handicap hurdle over this trip in February; two lesser runs since over fences however.

Form: 88/0649

Just Klass²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: I J McCarthy| T: M L Fagan| OR: 107| CD

33/1

Career-best when winning 24-runner novice hurdle over C&D in August but bitterly disappointing in two runs either side of a layoff since.

Form: 045155

Stander^p1³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: A McCurtin⁽³⁾| T: P Stafford| OR: 107| D

28/1

Maiden hurdle winner at Roscommon in October over this trip, yet to make inroads in handicaps since but offered some relief by assessor and first-time cheekpieces added today, may do better.

Form: 507495

Buttons And Bows⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Simon Torrens⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Flynn| OR: 106| CD

13/2

Narrowly won a 24-runner C&D maiden hurdle on debut in November but form has slipped alarmingly since on varying types of ground. Slightly better last time at Leopardstown, more required.

Form: 17003

De Mazzaro^h,t²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Liam McKenna⁽⁷⁾| T: T G McCourt| OR: 105

6/1

Yet to win in seven starts over timber but clear best effort when going down narrowly over this trip at Limerick last time. Didn't get the clearest run and may go well again from 2lb higher mark.

Form: 674573

Mutadaffeq^t²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: J B Kane⁽⁵⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 104

6/1

79-rated four time flat winner for David O'Meara, best of hurdling efforts when just failing to get up over this trip at Limerick latest. Should go well again, closely matched with third home De Mazzaro.

Form: 90042

Pilgrim Way⁹⁹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Liam Quinlan⁽⁷⁾| T: M A Cahill| OR: 104

33/1

Rated 116 when last seen almost three years ago and entitled to need this run on return from 995-day absence. Market check should confirm expectations.

Form: 2616F5/

Touch Of Gold²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: M J M O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: M Kennedy| OR: 102| D

10/1

Dual hurdles winner in summer of 2017, in fair form lately on the AW at Dundalk and entitled to have a say back over jumps from this mark.

Form: 166-F90

Bothar Dubh²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Mr M J Sweeney⁽⁷⁾| T: D Queally| OR: 99| BF

4/1

Useful 90-rated handicap hurdler, fell when still in touch at the seventh on debut over the larger obstacles. Capable of bounce-back here.

Form: 21021F

Trump Sixteen^t¹¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: R P Treacy⁽³⁾| T: S J Mahon| OR: 96| D

20/1

18-race maiden without a win in 16 career hurdle starts. Plenty to find on recent offerings and others readily preferred.

Form: B88080

Grey Atlantic Way^b1³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: P E Corbett⁽³⁾| T: E Linehan| OR: 92

10/1

13-race maiden over hurdles, failed to build on a promising run at Wincanton on return to the track when finishing eighth of 12 at Exeter last month. May have had excuses latest and could be of interest here.

Form: 030338

Still Alive³²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: D P Holden⁽⁷⁾| T: A J McNamara| OR: 92| D

14/1

Distance winner of a Thurles handicap hurdle last month off a 7lb lower mark beaten My Forever Friend 5L. Flattered to deceive at Cork next time beaten over 9L behind Our Jerry later in the month off his new mark.

Form: 341815

Presenting Point⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-4| J: S A Shortall| T: E O'Grady| OR: 89

25/1

Lightly-raced gelding without success in five starts over hurdles though last start at Clonmel in February was a career-best effort, though still beaten 22L. Well below par form looks set to continue.

Form: 7-0005

Trendsetter^p,t¹¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-4| J: A J Flaherty⁽⁷⁾| T: B Cawley| OR: 89

33/1

10-race maiden, largely well held, over hurdles and overall record casts doubt on his ability to get competitive in this contest.

Form: 4-6870F

Fly De Megaudais¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: S J Gray⁽³⁾| T: M J McDonagh| OR: 85

14/1

Broke maiden tag when landing Ballinrobe handicap (2m1½f, good; 16-1) this month. Only 5lb higher here if able to take another step forward, though this is tougher.

Form: 709061

Caoimhe Diva^p,t⁸³

Age: 8| Weight: 9-10| J: John J Fitzpatrick⁽⁷⁾| T: D Howard| OR: 81

50/1

Long-standing maiden with no real signs of success lately over hurdles/fences. Not getting any favours on these terms and readily opposed.

Form: 346P4P

Lucia's Bob¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Walsh| OR: 91

25/1

Wide-margin defeats all starts over hurdles so far and easily held on the Flat in apprentice contest here latest.

Form: 8009

Forecasts

Bothar Dubh (4/1), Mutadaffeq (6/1), De Mazzaro (6/1), Buttons And Bows (13/2), Grey Atlantic Way (10/1), Touch Of Gold (10/1), Voices Of Spring (12/1), Still Alive (14/1), Fly De Megaudais (14/1), Trump Sixteen (20/1), Presenting Point (25/1), Lucia's Bob (25/1), Dia Del Sol (25/1), Stander (28/1), Pilgrim Way (33/1), Just Klass (33/1), Trendsetter (33/1), Daliyan (33/1), Caoimhe Diva (50/1)

Mutadaffeq and DE MAZZARO finished second and third at Limerick last time out in this sphere and should go well again. The latter didn't get a lot of racing room when it was needed and most and having been only narrowly foiled, is given the nod to reverse placings and open his account. Ballinrobe winner Fly De Megaudais is up 5lb and respected alongside the likes of Voices Of Spring and Dia Del Sol while Stander may improve with new headgear in play.