18:10 Ballinrobe

Tuesday 7 May 2019

All17:4018:1018:4019:1019:4020:1020:40

Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle (80-102)

Off time: 18:11 | Winning time: 4m 23.30s

Draycott Place^t⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: T N Brett| T: J P Ryan| OR: 102| D

16/1

Winner of two of his 32 starts over hurdles, hitting the frame on a further six occasions. Out of sorts over the larger obstacles since September and well held in a couple of hurdle starts since October. May struggle off top weight.

Form: 40369-0

Weekend Offender^t¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: D P Holden| T: E Doyle| OR: 102

20/1

Winner of four of his 19 Flat starts on turf but remains a four-race maiden over hurdles, well held when beaten over 20L on each occasion. Plenty to prove in this company.

Form: 7890-

Whatsyourstatus^t¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: G O'Loughlin| OR: 102

12/1

Improved and promising display at Downpatrick in September was followed by a dismal effort a month later in a Tipperary bumper over 2m4f on good ground. Well held behind La Tektor on return to action at Fairyhouse last month and others preferred.

Form: 456280-

Fontainbleau²⁰⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Liam McKenna| T: J J Lambe| OR: 101

20/1

Has failed to build on a promising maiden hurdle second of seven at Sligo in july. Headed before the last on handicap debut when last seen in October eventually finishing seventh of 10 at Downpatrick off a 1lb higher mark. Tough ask.

Form: 2947-

Captain Courageous¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: C P McNamara| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 98| BF

11/4

Three-time Flat winner for Ed Walker in 2017. Signs that he is beginning to sharpen up over hurdles finishing second of 15 beaten 11L behind Oromo - ran Down Royal, Sunday - in a Perth handicap hurdle last month. One for the shortlist.

Form: 000052-

Shes Flat Tothemat²²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Simon Torrens⁽²⁾| T: M Winters| OR: 97

14/1

Just one from 10 over hurdles, losing run now totalling seven. Well held and no encouragement to be gained from her last couple of starts over timber at Listowel when last seen in September.

Form: 054009-

Zoffalee¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Dillon Maxwell⁽²⁾| T: A McNamara| OR: 98

6/1

Won a Chester novice event (7f, good to soft) on the Flat in 2017, when with Tom Dascombe. Finished second of 14 beaten 2¼L on handicap debut in a Wexford contest last month off a 3lb lower mark. Likely to improve and worth considering.

Form: 8802-

Geoffrey's Girl^h,t⁶¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: M Browne⁽²⁾| T: S J Mahon| OR: 88

16/1

Modest 74-rated handicapper on the Flat and has left plenty to be desired in a number of drab maiden hurdle starts since December sent off a 100/1 on each occasion and running accordingly on each occasion. Easily passed over here.

Form: 0000-

Lord Boru^t⁴⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: K Brogan⁽²⁾| T: J J Walsh| OR: 87

7/2

Missed more than three years after being pulled up over C&D in 2015. Failed to build on encouraging comeback run here in January when being well beaten in a couple of handicap hurdles at Clonmel and Cork. Needs a couple of opponents to falter.

Form: 8P/2236-

Rio Gold⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Mr L P Gilligan| T: P J Gilligan| OR: 87

20/1

Nothing of note in five maiden hurdle starts since February, well held on on each occasion and yet to start at odds less than 100/1. Hard to enthuse over on handicap debut.

Form: 800UP-8

Flattothemat^t⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: John J Fitzpatrick| T: S J Mahon| OR: 86

16/1

Dismal form in a couple of maiden hurdle spins at Galway in the autumn when sent off at odds of 100/1 on each occasion, running accordingly on both starts. Glimmers of promise when finishing fifth of 13 at Sligo last month but still hard to fancy.

Form: 88/680-5

Siamsa Cois Laoi^t²⁵²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: T Ryan| T: D Duggan| OR: 86

16/1

Five race maiden over timber and flickering signs of encouragement on her most recent starts when last seen in August. Best watched on return to action.

Form: 170658-

Fly De Megaudais¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: M J McDonagh| OR: 85| CD

8/1

Off The mark for connections at the 11th time of asking over hurdles when winning over C&D last month off a 5lb lower mark. Well held at Cork latest when dropping in trip, but rates a leading contender back at this venue.

Form: 090610-

Inchidaly Breeze^p1⁷⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: E Walsh⁽⁴⁾| T: L J Archdeacon| OR: 85

33/1

No impact in three starts over hurdles so far. First time cheekpieces unlikely to bring about the required amount of improvement needed to play a role here.

Form: 00700-

Feisty Madam²⁵⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: J R Wildman⁽²⁾| T: S J Mahon| OR: 80

28/1

Yet to make the frame in 10 starts under rules and hard to believe she went up the weights for some of recent Limerick efforts. Up against it again.

Form: 9/P6990-

Non-Runners

Muyam Spirit²⁶

Weight: 11-5| Age: 5

T: D Hogan J: S A Mulcahy

Turfjager⁶⁴⁹

Weight: 10-4| Age: 9

T: Kevin McDonagh J: Reserve 1

Forecasts

Captain Courageous (11/4), Lord Boru (7/2), Zoffalee (6/1), Fly De Megaudais (8/1), Whatsyourstatus (12/1), Shes Flat Tothemat (14/1), Draycott Place (16/1), Flattothemat (16/1), Geoffrey's Girl (16/1), Siamsa Cois Laoi (16/1), Weekend Offender (20/1), Rio Gold (20/1), Fontainbleau (20/1), Turfjager (20/1), Muyam Spirit (25/1), Feisty Madam (28/1), Inchidaly Breeze (33/1)

CAPTAIN COURAGEOUS can build on his second of 15 behind Oromo in a competitive Perth contest last month. The winner was beaten in to second place in a 17-runner Down Royal event yesterday, but the Canford Cliffs gelding can get the better of Tramore second, Lord Boru and the Andrew McNamara-trained Zoffalee. Top weight Draycott Place and Feisty Madam are worthy of some consideration.