19:15 Limerick

Thursday 23 July 2020

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

Newcastle West Handicap Hurdle (80-95) (Div 1)

Off time: 19:15 | Winning time: 6m 5.08s

Helly Hansum²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: S A Mulcahy⁽⁷⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 95| D

12/1

Quiet recent efforts mean her mark has fell back down to a favourable one just 1lb above the one she won off at Tipperary around this time last year. Mild signs of a return to form at Kilbeggan. Check betting.

Form: 78879-6

Gunfire Reef⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-11| J: D E Mullins| T: Ms M Mullins| OR: 92

6/5

Produced two solid efforts since returning to the track this summer. Won in good style over fences by four-lengths at Tipperary (2m7f; good to yielding) on Sunday. If in similar form, could be well-treated given he is 14lb lower over hurdles.

Form: 4356-31

Moyode Lady¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: J Nash| OR: 89| CD

4/1

Sole career success came over C&D in November. 7lb above that mark but only had two starts at 3m, and he wasn't completely disgraced over shorter at Bellewstown (2m4f; good) on his seasonal debut.

Form: 218F6-5

Galaxy Girl^t⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: J M Moore| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 87

10/1

Fourth on first run back from short break at Tipperary (2m4f; good to yielding) and backed that up when she filled the same position at Downpatrick (2m6f; good) when marginally up in trip. Unchanged mark and could improve again for 3m.

Form: 0009-44

Subset¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: L P Dempsey| T: P W Flynn| OR: 87

25/1

Signs of some encouragement when fifth at Kilbeggan (2m4f; good) on seasonal debut but unable to reproduce in two starts since. Plenty to prove now and others make much more appeal.

Form: FU70-50

The Reaping Race^p¹⁹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: R P Treacy⁽³⁾| T: E McNamara| OR: 87

12/1

Penultimate start when third at Fairyhouse (3m; yielding) was a step in the right direction. However, he failed to back that up when not as good at Punchestown (3m; soft to heavy). Now has fitness to prove on return from 190-day break.

Form: 988037-

Miss Rossie^b1²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: M J Bolger| T: S Byrne| OR: 84

66/1

Plenty to prove on second handicap start after no show at Tipperary (2m4f; good to yielding) last month. Up in trip from 2m4f to 3m with first-time blinkers on. They will need to have a major revival effect to get her competitive.

Form: 9/709-0

I'm On Snap^b⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: E Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: N McCluskey| OR: 83

10/1

Bounced back from being pulled-up on her penultimate start to finish third at Downpatrick (2m6f; good) last week. Unchanged mark and she is still unexposed so has place claims despite having stamina to prove.

Form: P0-73P3

Briggitie's Hill^p1¹⁷²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: D F O'Regan| T: L P Cusack| OR: 82

50/1

0-4 under rules and winless in nine starts in point-to-points too. Took no step forward when switching to handicaps around this time of year when down the field at Tipperary (3m; good). Not seen under rules since and others preferred.

Form: 00P44P-

Courtin Bb²⁹⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-1| J: Phillip Enright| T: P J Duffy| OR: 82| D

33/1

Makes seasonal comeback after 290-day absence. In desperately poor form recently, and subsequently dropped down to her last winning mark. Unappealing record when fresh and perhaps she is best left alone until offering more encouragement.

Form: 1UP60P-

Baby Sioux^b²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: O R Brown⁽⁷⁾| T: E Sheehy| OR: 80

80/1

Not improved for switch to handicaps. Managed to complete last time but was well-held after pulling-up on his previous two starts. Remains lightly raced but best watched since he hasn't offered any promise in six career starts.

Form: 000PP-0

Long Island Jenn^t¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: Miss D O'Shea| OR: 80

18/1

Stepped forward from her low-key seasonal debut to finish fourth at Bellewstown (2m4f; good). That was probably a career-best and if able to build upon that she has to have claims going back up to 3m.

Form: 8657-74

Mash Potato¹²³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-13| J: J S McGarvey| T: N C Kelly| OR: 80

40/1

Not won over hurdles since April 2017. 4lb below that mark now and despite not showing his best form of late, the change of scenery back with his former stable may yield some improvement.

Form: 170589-

Gone Galavanting^p1,t⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: P Roche| OR: 94

28/1

Second reserve. 0-18 under rules. Drop in trip did little to inspire any encouragement when she finished 11th of 12 at Tramore (2m5f; yielding). Best watched if getting in given poor current form.

Form: F0P-P70

Non-Runners

Yeats Mardy¹⁵

Weight: 11-11| Age: 7

T: G P Cromwell J: C P McNamara

Singirishmansing¹⁹⁵

Weight: 11-8| Age: 7

T: P G Kelly J: P J Cawley

Backonthehill⁸

Weight: 11-1| Age: 5

T: E Sheehy J: Simon Torrens

Annual Flavour⁸

Weight: 11-3| Age: 5

T: D H Kelly J: Reserve 1

Forecasts

Gunfire Reef (6/5), Moyode Lady (4/1), Galaxy Girl (10/1), I'm On Snap (10/1), The Reaping Race (12/1), Yeats Mardy (12/1), Helly Hansum (12/1), Annual Flavour (16/1), Singirishmansing (16/1), Long Island Jenn (18/1), Subset (25/1), Gone Galavanting (28/1), Backonthehill (33/1), Courtin Bb (33/1), Mash Potato (40/1), Briggitie's Hill (50/1), Miss Rossie (66/1), Baby Sioux (80/1)

He is yet to score in seven attempts over hurdles. However, connections evidently feel GUNFIRE REEF is capable of striking off this much lower hurdles mark just four days on from his comfortable chase victory at Tipperary so he is worth chancing given he is in much better form than the majority of his rivals. Back at the scene of her breakthrough career victory, Moyode Lady is considered as is I'm On Snap who must prove he stays this far but has placed on two of his last three starts. The less exposed Galaxy Girl should also feature on any shortlist after she has improved for better ground finishing fourth on both starts since back from a short break.