13:40 Downpatrick

Sunday 22 March 2020

All13:4014:1014:4015:1015:4016:1016:40

Connolly's RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 13:41 | Winning time: 4m 47.40s

Henry Brown⁵⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: E Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: N Meade

12/1

14-1, strong late on to win bumper at Fairyhouse in October in clearcut style from a Willie Mullins-trained favourite. Soundly beaten in a maiden hurdle at Gowran Park in January, including some jumping mistakes, but he needs a second look.

Form: 15

I'm So Busy²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Sean O'Keeffe⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington

16/1

Half-brother to useful Crooks Peak. Pulled up in two points but he was seen in a vastly more positive light when 5L fourth of 13 (not far behind Barnaviddaun) in maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse four weeks ago, so not dismissed.

Form: PP4

Behind The Curtain¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 112

33/1

Formerly with Noel Meade, with four starts for current yard. A lot more exposed than most in this field but he has plenty of form over a wide variety of trips which gives him an each-way chance again.

Form: 332474

Raleagh Flora³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: A W Short⁽³⁾| T: C A McBratney

150/1

Pulled up in a maiden point and beaten a long way at big odds in his bumper and two starts over hurdles.

Form: P060

Vinnie Is Busy²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: K J Brouder| T: C Byrnes

11/10

Co-favourite when he won easily in a bumper at Limerick in January. That makes him one to note, as does the form of his front-running effort in a Naas bumper (again in the mud) four weeks ago, even though he ended up in only fourth of five.

Form: 14

Wavelength⁵⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: J M Moore| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 114

12/1

Won a bumper at Roscommon on heavy ground in September. While not making a significant impact yet over hurdles, the form of two of his three completions makes interesting reading in this context.

Form: 31F506

All About Joe¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: M M McDonagh⁽⁷⁾| T: Colm Murphy

4/1

Never got near an impressive winner in maiden at Thurles 17 days ago but beat the other ten and that display, from off the pace, contained plenty of promise. It's also the best form in this field. Down from 2m7f but this could be a good opportunity.

Form: 562

Barnaviddaun²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: D J Mullins| T: T Mullins| OR: 112| BF

9/2

Needs respect on the best of his bumper form and also judged on last two starts when runner-up as favourite over hurdles at Fairyhouse and Leopardstown.

Form: 547422

Hesamanofhisword²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: D E Fitzgerald| OR: 108

12/1

Second or third in four of his six runs over hurdles, with best form on last two outings (absent nearly four months in between) but he will probably need a bit better to be placed in this field, let alone win.

Form: 346223

Jerry Russell²⁷³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Liam McKenna⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Lambe

100/1

Well beaten in a point. Showed some ability in his two bumpers (on good gound last May and June) but not enough to be fancied on today's hurdling debut.

Form: 7/37

Dilly Filly^b1³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Dylan Johnston⁽⁷⁾| T: C A McBratney

100/1

Low-level form in her three maiden points and beaten an awfully long way in her three maiden hurdles. Tried cheekpieces on penultimate start, now it's blinkers.

Form: 766-000

I'm On Snap^h³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: G P Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: N McCluskey

200/1

Half-sister to smart jumper Ttebbob, from a good family. No striking promise, though, in her two maiden points or two maiden hurdles.

Form: F57-P

Will You Win¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: B Browne⁽⁵⁾| T: O McKiernan

100/1

66-1 when uncompetitive in her bumper and two maiden hurdles. Best watched until there's more market interest in her.

Form: 000

Its Theway Forward¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-5| J: L P Dempsey| T: J P Dempsey

100/1

A whiff of ability when 50-1 in a maiden hurdle at Naas in January, albeit beaten 29L. She was beaten twice as far at Navan 19 days ago.

Form: 00

You No Me Too Well¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Reserve 1| T: R K Watson

200/1

Reserve; heavy defeats at 100-1 in her two maiden hurdles at Navan suggest she is best watched for now.

Form: 00

Non-Runners

Ringhill Lady⁸⁷

Weight: 11-3| Age: 5

T: J J Lambe J: Mr C Abernethy

Forecasts

Vinnie Is Busy (11/10), All About Joe (4/1), Barnaviddaun (9/2), Hesamanofhisword (12/1), Wavelength (12/1), Henry Brown (12/1), I'm So Busy (16/1), Behind The Curtain (33/1), Ringhill Lady (66/1), Dilly Filly (100/1), Jerry Russell (100/1), Will You Win (100/1), Its Theway Forward (100/1), Raleagh Flora (150/1), You No Me Too Well (200/1), I'm On Snap (200/1)

A fair few of these have each-way claims but ALL ABOUT JOE could be a cut above the rest judged on the form and promise of his recent performance over 2m7f at Thurles. This shorter trip may not be ideal in the longer term but he still makes most appeal. Barnaviddaun and Wavelength may well be the chief dangers on evidence over hurdles but the bumper winners Vinnie Is Busy and Henry Brown also need a look.