17:45 Limerick

Thursday 23 July 2020

All16:4517:1517:4518:1518:4519:1519:4520:15

Patrickswell Mares Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 17:45 | Winning time: 5m 11.06s

Above The City¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: E Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: D McDonogh| OR: 105

12/1

Bumper winner steps up in trip after running in this company over 2m without showing any promise so far over obstacles. Stable haven't had a winner for a full year. Hard to fancy.

Form: 1350-97

Cooline Bluebell

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Simon Torrens⁽⁷⁾| T: P O'Flynn

50/1

Scorpion mare. Sales price rose from €1,000 as a foal to €8,000 as a three-year-old. Dam a full sister to hurdle/chase winner Tribal Dance. Best watched unless market suggests otherwise.

Form:

Derridae

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Sean Flanagan| T: M McCabe

20/1

Newcomer by Milan. Full sister to 2m chase winner Mouseinthehouse. Out of a sister to the talented Sir Rembrandt. Likely to need the experience.

Form:

Fireball Breeze¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: R P Treacy⁽³⁾| T: Michael C Griffin

100/1

Likely to be a big price in this contest given how little she has shown in a pair of hurdle races over 2m6f/2m7f to date. Stable without a winner for almost a year (14 runners during that time).

Form: 5/55-90

Glennanar¹⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: A J McNamara

100/1

Beaten an extremely long way in a pair of maiden hurdles over the winter on deep ground at this track and Clonmel (2m3f; heavy). Returns from 147-day break with an impossible task ahead of her.

Form: 00-

Glorious Singer

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: I J Power| T: Ms Alice Curran

50/1

Fame And Glory mare. Cost €2,600 as a two-year-old. Half-sister to no more than four winners (three of whom won over hurdles). Considered on debut, more so for a place. Check betting.

Form:

Gold Creek¹³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: D J McInerney| T: Aengus King

66/1

0-12 in point-to-points. Highly unlikely to give leading contenders too much to think about on her hurdles/rules debut. Look elsewhere for much stronger alternatives.

Form: 454PP4-

Hill Of Truth²²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: C A Landers⁽⁵⁾| T: C Byrnes

10/1

Showed ability in bumpers but unable to transfer that ability over hurdles when last seen making debut over the smaller obstacles at Cork (2m; soft) in December. Something to prove as her final start in a bumper prior to that was also concerning.

Form: 25209-

Kayla's Delight²⁰⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Sean O'Keeffe⁽⁵⁾| T: D Budds

50/1

Not seen for 209-days after being pulled-up on racecourse/hurdles debut when detached over this C&D. Encounters vastly different ground conditions which may help her but cannot be recommended given how poorly she ran on sole start. Best watched.

Form: P-

Layla's Court^t1¹³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: P J O'Hanlon⁽⁷⁾| T: D A McLoughlin

40/1

By Court Cave. Makes rules debut. 0-2 in point-to-point sphere (beaten a fair way on each start). Hard to recommend but the yard did have a winner earlier this month.

Form: 74-

Moonlight Eclipse

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G Elliott

7/1

Presenting mare out of a dam who won a bumper/hurdle for this yard. Starts out at a lowly level on hurdles debut. Market check strongly advised with stable among the winners in last 14 days (14-75; 19%).

Form:

Mystery Stowaway¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: D E Mullins| T: J P Ryan| OR: 109

8/15

One of very few in this race with winning form to her name. Yet to score over hurdles after seven attempts. Returned to form with two close seconds over the last month which makes her a leading player in this weak contest.

Form: 4309-22

Shannon Gray²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Phillip Enright| T: G Scott

80/1

Ran on past beaten horses after featuring towards the back of the field for most of the race on debut in Roscommon (2m; good) bumper. Up in trip on hurdles debut with masses to find. Subsequently opposed.

Form: 9

Swiss Brid¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: E McCarthy

66/1

Sent off as a 250-1 shot and ran as could have been expected when midfield on hurdles bow at Killarney (2m7f; good). Quite a significant deficit to make up with Mystery Stowaway (2nd) as she drops significantly back in trip.

Form: PP/B7-07

Westernerona²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: J J Slevin| T: G J Power| OR: 97

5/1

Not disgraced for a 33-1 shot on either of her previous two starts over hurdles so far finishing sixth on each occasion. May improve from recent seasonal reappearance and place claims if able to do so.

Form: 23/056-6

Non-Runners

Vintage Queen¹⁹

Weight: 11-9| Age: 5

T: H De Bromhead J: Rachael Blackmore

Celine Soprano²⁷

Weight: 11-9| Age: 7

T: Patrick Cronin J: Reserve 1

Springsteen's Girl¹⁵

Weight: 11-9| Age: 5

T: G P Cromwell J: Reserve 2

Forecasts

Mystery Stowaway (8/15), Westernerona (5/1), Moonlight Eclipse (7/1), Hill Of Truth (10/1), Above The City (12/1), Vintage Queen (14/1), Derridae (20/1), Celine Soprano (25/1), Springsteen's Girl (33/1), Layla's Court (40/1), Glorious Singer (50/1), Cooline Bluebell (50/1), Kayla's Delight (50/1), Gold Creek (66/1), Swiss Brid (66/1), Shannon Gray (80/1), Glennanar (100/1), Fireball Breeze (100/1)

In a race where the majority can be ruled out with confidence, the clear pick has to be MYSTERY STOWAWAY. The selection followed up her neck-second over 2m6f at this track when runner-up to a nice type at Killarney earlier this month. This looks a much easier assignment and she can go one better to shed her maiden tag over obstacles. If there is to be a turn up, then perhaps the newcomer Moonlight Eclipse may be able to take advantage given the rest of the field haven't shown a great deal. She is by a top National Hunt sire, and the dam won a bumper/maiden hurdle for this yard. Vintage Queen can prove best of the rest after showing marginal improvement from a modest debut run.