19:45 Tipperary

Thursday 23 May 2019

All17:0517:4018:1018:4519:1519:4520:20

Tipperary Races On Twitter Handicap Hurdle (80-102)

Off time: 19:47 | Winning time: 6m 44.80s

Ask And Answer^t¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Paul Townend| T: S Aherne| OR: 101

7/1

Not without promise in six-race hurdles career so far, seemingly improved at Cork (3m, good to yielding; 10-1) 12 days ago for meeting better ground. Wouldn't need much more in this slightly easier field to get off the mark.

Form: 673P/6-4

Fairymount Boy¹⁴⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: A W Short⁽⁵⁾| T: M Hourigan| OR: 100

20/1

2-21 over hurdles, wins coming back-to-back in the autumn of 2017 (both over 2m on testing ground). Out of form when last spotted chasing in December and tackles a new trip on seasonal return.

Form: 232234-

Naturally Blond^t¹²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: A McCurtin⁽⁵⁾| T: Patrick Cronin| OR: 98

14/1

Versatile trip wise and chance on best form but not the easiest to catch right and others have more pressing claims having faded after racing prominently over this trip at Cork earlier in the month.

Form: 3054P-0

Open To The World^p⁴⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: P Roche| OR: 97

25/1

Mare is just 1-24 in her career and she lost her way towards the backend of 2018, both over hurdles and fences. Couple of hurdles spins at Fairyhouse (latest in early April) haven't been able to arrest poor run of form.

Form: U2U050-

The Longest Time^p¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: B J Cooper| T: E J O'Grady| OR: 96

16/1

€52,000 Court Cave gelding. Closely related to bumper winner Racing Europe out of a winning pointer. Well beaten all starts so far, latest over 2m4f here, and previously over this trip. Stable in better form now.

Form: P9720-0

Darling Miss^p¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 89

10/1

Scorpion gelding out of an Alphabatim mare. Modest placed form in point-to-points and has been well held in six hurdle starts; though best of those came over this sort of trip at Thurles in March (good ground) off this mark.

Form: 0803P-5

Betterask Jj^t¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Katie O'Farrell⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Walsh| OR: 87

16/1

Improved on handicap debut this month at Cork when tackling this trip for the first time, though not enough to be put forward as likely winner here.

Form: 6060-0

Focus Well^t³⁵⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: A M King⁽⁷⁾| T: B J Murphy| OR: 87

50/1

Mare is a 10-race maiden, four previous starts over timber, and will be running beyond 2m for the first time on this stable debut; others appeal much more.

Form: 768/9-

Madaboy Cross¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: J M Moore| T: T P O'Connor| OR: 87| C

8/1

Mare finally opened her account at the 16th time of asking over 2m4f here a fortnight ago. She's gone up 5lb for that success and is on the shortlist for another big run.

Form: 60776-1

Something Sweet¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Sean O'Keeffe⁽⁷⁾| T: R J McGrath| OR: 86

5/2

A 14-race maiden but that doesn't tell her story and she has gone close on multiple occasions. Essentially lacks a gear change over a variety of trips, as evidenced with third on reappearance at Downpatrick (2m1½f, good) this month. Place claims.

Form: 46422-3

Olive D'Haguenet^t¹²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: S A Mulcahy⁽⁷⁾| T: I Madden| OR: 84

10/1

Three-time French Flat winner has not converted that form in 10, generally, desolate hurdle starts since joining new connections and isn't one to side with after a short break based on her form.

Form: 8029P9-

Peter's Pence¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: Darragh O'Keeffe⁽⁷⁾| T: A J McNamara| OR: 84

14/1

Six-race hurdles maiden, finished 25L behind Madaboy Cross over 2m4f here recently and hard to see the gap bridged with that rival.

Form: 00008-9

Ahgetawayoutadat^p¹²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Sean Flanagan| T: Miss E Doyle| OR: 83

14/1

Getaway mare has disappointed to this point, despite connections trying a variety of trips. She's unplaced in eight starts and returns from a break with it all to prove.

Form: 0F0598-

Duty Girl^p1¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: J B Kane⁽⁵⁾| T: D Howard| OR: 82

25/1

Fairly modest form to date, penultimate outing over 3m at Limerick (fourth) carried some promise but backwards step since at Cork. Needs cheekpieces to bring about some improvement.

Form: 00794-0

Skypunch²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: R P Treacy⁽⁵⁾| T: L Young| OR: 81

50/1

Poor 87-rated handicap hurdler who has started at odds of no less than 33-1 on each of his last six starts and was once more beaten a long way at Sligo last month over 2m4f. Others preferred.

Form: 00900-0

Byerley Beag^t¹⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 10-4| J: C D Maxwell| T: S P Hennessy| OR: 80| D

20/1

Winner of a point-to-point contest in January but remains an unplaced, eight-race maiden under rules having struggled behind Madaboy Cross over 2m4f here recently (beaten 30L).

Form: 608/P1-0

Feisty Madam¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: J R Wildman⁽⁷⁾| T: S J Mahon| OR: 80

25/1

Yet to make the frame in 11 starts under rules and unable to take advantage of reduced mark on reappearance at Ballinrobe (2m1½f, good; 28-1). Ran a better race there, at least, and is untested over 3m.

Form: P6990-7

Mlily^p¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: C A Landers⁽⁵⁾| T: M Hassett| OR: 80| BF

7/1

Career-best came in a Clonmel handicap hurdle over 2m3½f in February when the mare finished second of 17 beaten a little over 3L. Hasn't threatened in five starts since and, like a few here, plenty to find with Madaboy Cross on recent course run.

Form: 29575-6

Non-Runners

Exit To The West⁷⁵

Weight: 11-2| Age: 5

T: R Tyner J: Phillip Enright

Forecasts

Something Sweet (5/2), Ask And Answer (7/1), Mlily (7/1), Madaboy Cross (8/1), Darling Miss (10/1), Olive D'Haguenet (10/1), Ahgetawayoutadat (14/1), Naturally Blond (14/1), Peter's Pence (14/1), Exit To The West (14/1), The Longest Time (16/1), Betterask Jj (16/1), Byerley Beag (20/1), Fairymount Boy (20/1), Open To The World (25/1), Duty Girl (25/1), Feisty Madam (25/1), Skypunch (50/1), Focus Well (50/1)

The starting point must be Madaboy Cross, the mare having opened her account here over 2m4f last time in good style. She's up in trip and raised 5lb, but should go well again. That was 16th time lucky however, so she's not a certainty to follow up and can be taken on. Something Sweet is nothing if not consistent and will hold strong place claims but perhaps DARLING MISS can get a win here, with her best previous effort having come over this sort of trip from her current mark. Ask And Answer won't need to improve much to stand a chance of defying top-weight.