17:10 Bellewstown

Thursday 29 August 2019

All16:0516:4017:1017:4018:1018:4019:1019:40

Wintergrass Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 17:10 | Winning time: 4m 47.9s

Days Without End²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: D K Weld

1/5

Runner-up both starts over timber at Punchestown and Galway thus far, with form of last month's Ballybrit race looking decent. Should be the one.

Form: 1/22

Military Hill¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: A W Short⁽⁵⁾| T: P Stafford

8/1

Modest Flat performer, gaining four wins in 46 runs. Race-fit now going over hurdles for the first time and worth a betting check.

Form:

Captain Commander^p⁴⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: P J Cawley⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Hayes

33/1

Eight-race maiden, yet to hit the frame or make any impression in four starts over jumps. Very hard to make a case for back over hurdles.

Form: P-5P9F5

Challow¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Darragh O'Keeffe⁽⁵⁾| T: T G McCourt| OR: 106

4/1

Long-standing maiden on the Flat, threatened a couple of times last year in this sphere. Pulled up at Cork in May on most recent jumps start; must bounce back.

Form: 6348-P

College Field^t1⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: D J McInerney| T: M F Morris

16/1

Stoutly-bred gelding and is a half-brother to multiple winners. Finished only sixteenth of 18 in novice hurdle at Tipperary (2m4f, good, 33-1) on jumps bow last month and others are preferred now.

Form: 0

De Grey Mink¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: John J Fitzpatrick⁽⁷⁾| T: S Hanlon

50/1

Tailed off in maiden hurdles at Kilbeggan (2m/2m4f) already, unfancied in both instances and is overlooked again here on form.

Form: 06

Gray Duke¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: S A Shortall| T: E Cawley

50/1

Beaten out of sight in maiden hurdles at Navan and Kilbeggan either side of a 145-day layoff, both runs over 2m on yielding/soft going. Very hard to see a dramatic turnaround.

Form: 0-0

A Legal Beauty^h,t¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Sean Flanagan| T: D H Kelly

14/1

Modest in points/bumper and never going the pace to challenge on hurdles bow at Tramore (2m, good) recently. Has a lot to work on for now.

Form: FP27/7

Quay Melodie¹⁰⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: W J Martin

25/1

Scorpion mare, half-sister to fairly useful hurdler Lough Derg Leader and winning pointer by Bishop of Cashel. Twice failed to complete in point-to-points. Watching brief on rules bow.

Form: P-P

Non-Runners

Warlike Intent⁵⁶

Weight: 11-12| Age: 7

T: G Elliott J: Jack Kennedy

Moondust Magic²¹

Weight: 11-4| Age: 7

T: J Fahey J: M J Bolger

Forecasts

Days Without End (1/5), Challow (4/1), Warlike Intent (6/1), Military Hill (8/1), A Legal Beauty (14/1), College Field (16/1), Quay Melodie (25/1), Captain Commander (33/1), Gray Duke (50/1), De Grey Mink (50/1), Moondust Magic (50/1)

A hat-trick of seconds looks unlikely for DAYS WITHOUT END, who showed good form at Galway recently behind a Willie Mullins-trained favourite. A couple of winners have come out of the beaten horses and this looks a guilt-edged chance with the champion jockey on board. Warlike Intent looks the principle threat, with Challow another that has shown promise before in this code.