16:50 Listowel

Friday 13 September 2019

All13:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:2517:55

John J. Galvin Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 16:50 | Winning time: 4m 54.8s

Arthur's Quay¹⁸¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Mark Walsh| T: P Roche

9/2

Left his moderate bumper performance and a fall on hurdles bow well behind when finally showing his true worth with a solid second of 18 at Down Royal back in March. Entitled to come on for the run yet ought to go well nevertheless.

Form: 0F2-

Baily Thunder^p,t¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: M F Morris| OR: 99

25/1

Second at Ballinrobe latest a solid effort albeit beaten 24L by the very comfortable winner. Rating of 99 probably quite accurate so likely find one or two too good here.

Form: 70-6652

Chesterville¹³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Gary Noonan⁽⁷⁾| T: P Neville

100/1

Rules newcomer well beaten in a point-to-point back in April so looks very unlikely to be a leading player here.

Form: 6

College Field^p1¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: N P Madden| T: M F Morris

66/1

Beaten just three rivals in his two starts to date at Tipperary and Bellewstown so easily opposed until gaining a handicap mark.

Form: 08

Drifting Back¹⁸¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: J M Moore| T: E McNamara

25/1

Limerick fourth on hurdles bow in December a really solid effort so his subsequent remote midfield effort there in March went down as a disappointment. Ground was bottomless that day so hopeful and expectant of better now after a break.

Form: 3/47-

Empirion¹⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: R P Treacy⁽⁵⁾| T: M J Smith

100/1

Big prices and beaten a long way on all starts so far under rules. Impossible to fancy on that evidence and best watched for now.

Form: 7F6000-

Gangsters Paradise^t²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: K J Brouder⁽⁵⁾| T: Ian O'Connor

25/1

Five-race maiden, generally well held on each occasion so far. Overall record casts doubt on ability to get competitive in this contest.

Form: P0-6380

Golazo⁶³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| BF

10/3

Ballinrobe bumper winner found just one too good when second of 18 at Cork in July on hurdles bow over 2m. Longer trip unlikely to cause issues so looks the one to beat here.

Form: 3-152

Moscowsowhat¹⁵⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Phillip Enright| T: J Dullea

50/1

Promise in first of two point-to-points but well held subsequently and probably best watched on rules bow.

Form: 25-

Randalls Ur Poet^v²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: M J Bolger| T: S Fahey| OR: 116

7/1

116-rated performer placed in 12 of his 18 hurdle starts to date including third here as recently as Wednesday. Probably find one or two too good again but hard to keep him out of the frame.

Form: 44557-3

The Big Galloper¹⁸⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny Mullins| T: C Byrnes

33/1

Placed once in five hurdle starts but well held more recently including on chase bow when last seen in March. Makes limited appeal here.

Form: 5/U3585-

West Cork Wildway²²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr E P O'Brien⁽⁷⁾| T: P O'Flynn

6/1

Rules debutant won both point-to-points and is interesting here for his small stable whose most recent runner won at Clonmel last week. Market can guide here.

Form: 11-

You Raised Me Up^t¹³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr J J Codd| T: M Brassil

7/4

Galway bumper winner in August 208 entitled to have needed the run when last of four in similar contest at Punchestown in May. Had another break since but remains one with plenty of potential and he is bred to be better over obstacles now.

Form: 534/1-4

Shaunna's Gift⁸⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: C P McNamara⁽⁷⁾| T: E McNamara

100/1

Daughter of Oscar weakened into 12th of 14 at Wexford on debut in the summer and looks more a long-term prospect based on that.

Form: 0

Forecasts

You Raised Me Up (7/4), Golazo (10/3), Arthur's Quay (9/2), West Cork Wildway (6/1), Randalls Ur Poet (7/1), Gangsters Paradise (25/1), Baily Thunder (25/1), Drifting Back (25/1), The Big Galloper (33/1), Moscowsowhat (50/1), College Field (66/1), Empirion (100/1), Shaunna's Gift (100/1), Chesterville (100/1)

Perennial champion trainer Willie Mullins has a 38 per cent strike rate here in 2019 and his GOLAZO looks to have an excellent chance to go one better than when second on his hurdles debut at Cork in July. The biggest threat could prove to be fellow bumper winner You Raised Me Up on hurdles bow; his dam won four times over obstacles. Best of the rest could well prove to be Arthur's Quay who looked a gelding of potential when last seen in this his fourth start.