14:30 Ballinrobe

Wednesday 22 July 2020

All13:0013:3014:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:35

McGrath Limestone Works Handicap Hurdle (80-109)

Off time: 14:32 | Winning time: 4m 18.90s

Dawson's Cottage²³

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: N P Madden| T: N Madden| OR: 102

6/4

Back from 230 days off when smoothly opening his account at Kilbeggan (2m, good; 2-1f) last month and may have more to offer from 8lb higher mark; leading contender.

Form: 080/26-1

Song Of Namibia^t²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: J R Wildman⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 102

28/1

Novice winner over timber at Downpatrick early last season but failed to build on that afterwards and now 1-14 over hurdles. Unable to sustain challenge on return to action at Tipperary but should be fitter.

Form: P8000-0

The Irregular³⁴²

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Phillip Enright| T: P Maher| OR: 102

100/1

Modest strike-rate in 35-race career; was mostly out of form in 2019 over hurdles/fences for trainer Denis Hogan and best watched starting out for new trainer unless market suggests otherwise.

Form: U04F0F-

Saol Iontach⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: J M Moore| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 101

13/2

Good fourth at Downpatrick (2m2f, good; 9-1) last week, showing benefit of reappearance at Kilbeggan; stable in useful form and entitled to be competitive in this field.

Form: 7200-84

Imperial Choice⁴^{(ex 5)}

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: C A Landers⁽⁵⁾| T: C Byrnes| OR: 95

9/4

Broke her maiden at 11th time of asking over timber with Tramore win (2m, yielding; 7-2) on Saturday under this rider; picking up the pieces when other pacesetters faded. Goes again under 5lb penalty and respected.

Form: 62F-831

Nameloc⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Richard Condon⁽⁷⁾| T: P A Fahy| OR: 97

12/1

Went close in a Cork maiden hurdle in September over 2m½f but string of poor efforts afterwards in handicaps. Not without promise on return to action at Kilbeggan last week; but has to build on that to get competitive.

Form: 2P706-5

Oskar High^p⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: S E Lewis⁽⁷⁾| T: N Lee| OR: 97| C

28/1

Winner here in May last year over 3m1f from 3lb lower mark; hasn't looked like repeating the dose over variety of trips in hurdles/chase starts since. Down in trip with 7lb claimer booked but more needed after recent Roscommon defeat.

Form: 5500-07

Resurrected Duke¹³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: J J Slevin| T: T J Taaffe| OR: 96

9/1

Things not going the way for the Westerner gelding of late, yet to hit the frame in six career starts over hurdles. Profile suggests he is worth taking on again after recent layoff.

Form: 0806U7-

Castlehume¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Sean O'Keeffe⁽⁵⁾| T: S J Mahon| OR: 95

40/1

Twice won at Bellewstown and Galway in summer 2018 for Noel Meade but has struggled since switching to this trainer, resulting in handicap mark tumbling 19lb. Early faller on reappearance at Bellewstown (50-1) a fortnight ago and much to prove now.

Form: 00680-F

Clancypantz^t²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: M Hourigan| OR: 95

50/1

Fame And Glory mare has offered only glimmers of promise in maiden hurdles so far; ensuring an opening handicap mark of 97 looks rather stiff. Tongue-tie back on.

Form: 84038-0

Circling Moon^p,t¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: B Browne⁽⁵⁾| T: O McKiernan| OR: 94

40/1

0-11 previously over timber and two recent spins on the Flat haven't offered much to get enthusiastic about in terms of ending that sequence now.

Form: 009000-

Mats Hall^t¹⁵⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: P J McGrath⁽⁷⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 94

33/1

Point-to-point winner in March 2018 the Scorpion gelding has struggled a little in a number of bumpers and maiden hurdles since; makes handicap debut with improvement demanded on first start since March.

Form: 135/990-

Majority Share¹⁹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: A W Short⁽³⁾| T: A Oliver| OR: 99

18/1

Doesn't have a lot of miles on the clock and efforts in maiden hurdles at Fairyhouse and Thurles last season had some promise in them; back from six-month absence for h'cap bow and needs a good inspection.

Form: 2P54-

Fair Minded¹⁸⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: J S McGarvey| T: D McDonogh| OR: 83

33/1

Yet to finish within 20L of a winner in six-race hurdles career; first run since January and the mare has lots of improvement to locate.

Form: 06/0009-

Forecasts

Dawson's Cottage (6/4), Imperial Choice (9/4), Saol Iontach (13/2), Resurrected Duke (9/1), Nameloc (12/1), Majority Share (18/1), Oskar High (28/1), Song Of Namibia (28/1), Fair Minded (33/1), Mats Hall (33/1), Circling Moon (40/1), Castlehume (40/1), Clancypantz (50/1), The Irregular (100/1)

DAWSON'S COTTAGE won with something in hand on his return to action at Kilbeggan recently and may be worth siding with for the follow-up from this 8lb higher mark. Imperial Choice is turned out quickly under penalty for Saturday's Tramore success and should be involved again while handicap debutant Majority Share may have something to offer judged on the best of his form in maidens if he's sharp enough on first run since January.