19:15 Cork

Friday 24 July 2020

All16:0516:4017:1517:4518:1518:4519:1519:45

Pencil Hill Handicap Hurdle (80-109)

Off time: 19:15 | Winning time: 6m 24.90s

Pilbara²³

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: E Mullins| OR: 108| D

8/13

Available at 8-1 in the morning, the gelding was backed down to 8/11 to score on his handicap debut at Tipperary at the start of the month over this trip; the manner of that success suggests there is more to come and he may prove hard to beat again.

Form: 0906U-1

Earl Of Desmond¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Kevin Sexton| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 106

16/1

Cost €80,000 as a three-year-old; will have disappointed connections with a maiden hurdle defeat at Leopardstown over Christmas but much better effort at Naas in January and on recent run at Roscommon; one for the shortlist.

Form: 0/95-3

Presenting Mahler²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-5| J: Danny Mullins| T: J P Ryan| OR: 99

80/1

Back down to 3lb lower than last winning mark; possibly best avoided with the yard not in the best of form and the mare finishing last earlier this month at Bellewstown; huge step up in trip probably not ideal.

Form: U7908-0

Baily Gorse^p²²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Phillip Enright| T: M F Morris| OR: 98| BF

18/1

Has not shown enough over hurdles or fences to be considered a serious challenger; has been placed twice in maiden hurdles in the past but beaten a long way on both occasions.

Form: 3U6504-

Rebel Waltz⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: E Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: T J Nagle-Jr| OR: 96| BF

7/1

Reasonable efforts to be placed in three handicap hurdles in December, January and July; not been punished for that and is interesting stepping up in trip; fell last Sunday on chase debut at Tipperary.

Form: 5338-2F

Shannon Fields²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Mark Walsh| T: E McNamara| OR: 96| BF

9/2

Improved form on handicap bow at Tipperary over 2m4f last month when third (3-1fav); there may well be more to come but step up in trip is an unknown; one to consider at the very least.

Form: 0993-3

Bye Bye O Bye^t⁷

Age: 13| Weight: 11-1| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: Michael C Griffin| OR: 95| D

22/1

Won two long distance handicap hurdles around this time of year in 2019 but struggled subsequently; can race 4lb lower than last winning mark and showed his well being with decent recent run at Kilbeggan; veteran but not without a chance.

Form: 690-803

Double Windsor^b²³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: J J Slevin| T: D M O'Brien| OR: 91| CD

12/1

One from 28 starts over hurdles. Encouraging run on return to action at Limerick last month and again at Tipperary earlier this month; won maiden hurdle over course and distance back in 2017.

Form: 9820-64

Sizing Joshua^b³⁰¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: J S McGarvey| T: M F Morris| OR: 85

50/1

Still a maiden but has been reasonably consistent over hurdles in the past including over this trip; hard to totally write off but this looks tough on seasonal reappearance.

Form: 65P44P-

Caerleon Kate^p⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-1| J: Dylan Johnston⁽⁷⁾| T: C A McBratney| OR: 81

25/1

Hurdle winner who is sneaking down the weights; fair effort last time at Downpatrick over 2m6f; more needed but reasonable chance if enjoying this step up in trip.

Form: 4700-75

Non-Runners

Hello Pilgrim²

Weight: 11-13| Age: 7

T: C Bowe J: Jordan Gainford

Esthers Marvel²

Weight: 10-8| Age: 7

T: D Budds J: J M Moore

Cornhill Lass¹

Weight: 10-6| Age: 6

T: T Mullins J: D J Mullins

Forecasts

Pilbara (8/13), Shannon Fields (9/2), Rebel Waltz (7/1), Hello Pilgrim (10/1), Double Windsor (12/1), Earl Of Desmond (16/1), Baily Gorse (18/1), Bye Bye O Bye (22/1), Caerleon Kate (25/1), Esthers Marvel (25/1), Cornhill Lass (25/1), Sizing Joshua (50/1), Presenting Mahler (80/1)

A monster gamble was landed when PILBARA put all known form behind him to score very nicely on his handicap debut at Tipperary at the start of the month. The manner of that victory suggests there may be plenty more to come from the five-year-old. The form of that race could be franked should My Lovely Boy runs well earlier on the card. Earl Of Desmond has shown some quiet consistency of late and if able to show a little more improvement then he could run a big race. Shannon Fields chances depend on how happy he is stepping up to three miles for the first time.