17:15 Galway

Thursday 30 July 2020

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

Guinness Open Gate Brewery Beginners Chase

Off time: 17:15 | Winning time: 5m 50.80s

Avec Espoir¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: V T O'Brien

125/1

Modest 87-rated handicap hurdler. Well beaten, 33L, well down the field on chasing debut at Roscommon over 3m1f earlier this month. Plenty to prove dropping in trip.

Form: 00660/6

Doctor Duffy^p¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: C A Landers⁽⁵⁾| T: C Byrnes| BF

11/10

Solid 140-rated handicap hurdler. Fair effort on chase debut at Tipperary at the beginning of the month before finishing second of nine over 3m1f at Roscommon 12 days later.

Form: 2080-42

Hear No Evil²¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: J S McGarvey| T: N C Kelly

40/1

Shown fairly useful form in the past over hurdles but a long absence appears to have seen him lose his edge. One to note in the betting on first start over fences.

Form: 131/409-

Kagney¹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Liam McKenna⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Lambe| OR: 107

66/1

Third of seven in a Down Royal novice chase when in March where the manner and distance of defeat was on-par with previous dismal efforts over fences before another below-par performance at Tipperary this month.

Form: P6/583-5

Karl Der Grosse¹³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins

9/4

Jukebox Jury gelding out of a Lando mare. Lightly raced in the last two years and has clearly had his problems but big performance would not surprise.

Form: 313P/P-

Larry Looby²⁴⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: E Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: D McDonogh

125/1

Golden Lariat gelding out of a New Frontier I mare. Not seen since starting at odds of 100/1 at Punchestown over hurdles in November. Which tells it's own story.

Form: 381P/00-

Not So Simple^p¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: J J Slevin| T: N Lee

50/1

Gelding by Kalanisi. No impression and never a factor in a number of starts over hurdles since December. Pleasing effort on first start over fences at Roscommon earlier this month.

Form: 0584-54

Percy Veer¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: R P Treacy⁽³⁾| T: E McNamara

25/1

Winner of a couple of starts over hurdles in September/October 2018. Only got as far as the first on chasing debut at Tipperary earlier this month.

Form: U1153/F

Roman Rock^p²⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Phillip Enright| T: M F Morris

28/1

Showed promise on his first two starts as a hurdler, but it has been a tale of woe since then. Shaped well on second start over fences at Cork in November but plenty to prove on return here.

Form: 360/0U3-

Rightplacerightime^t¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: L P Dempsey| T: K F O'Donnell

28/1

A number of placed efforts over hurdles between November/January. Unlikely to be troubling the judge on first start over fences in this contest.

Form: 055103-

Court Maid¹⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: D J Mullins| T: T Mullins| C

3/1

Solid and consistent 126-rated handicap hurdler. Has to be respected making chasing debut in this company and certainly worth a check in the market as post time looms.

Form: 6/03031-

Pivotal Flame¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Danny Mullins| T: W J Lanigan

33/1

Deservedly off the mark at the 12th time of asking for connections when landing a Ballinrobe handicap hurdle in September. Nothing since and well held on chasing debut earlier this month.

Form: 4123P-6

Non-Runners

Braid Blue²⁷⁹

Weight: 12-0| Age: 7

T: G Elliott J: D N Russell

Demain Des L'Aube²⁰

Weight: 12-0| Age: 7

T: H De Bromhead J: Rachael Blackmore

Forecasts

Doctor Duffy (11/10), Karl Der Grosse (9/4), Braid Blue (5/2), Court Maid (3/1), Demain Des L'Aube (6/1), Percy Veer (25/1), Roman Rock (28/1), Rightplacerightime (28/1), Pivotal Flame (33/1), Hear No Evil (40/1), Not So Simple (50/1), Kagney (66/1), Larry Looby (125/1), Avec Espoir (125/1)

Difficult to get away from the clear and obvious chances of the Charles Byrnes-trained DOCTOR DUFFY. The seven-year-old has shown a good attitude on both starts over fences earlier this month and can improve on his pleasing effort at Roscommon, despite sent off the 8/15f. The gelding can hold off the attentions of 145-rated handicap hurdler, Braid Blue on chasing debut for trainer and jockey combination of Gordon Elliott/Davy Russell. The Henry De Bromhead-trained Demain Des L'aube and Noel Kelly's, Hear No Evil can compete for remaining prize money, while Roman ROck for trainer Mouse Morris should not be taken lightly.