18:15 Galway

Thursday 30 July 2020

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

Arthur Guinness Handicap Hurdle (80-109)

Off time: 18:15 | Winning time: 3m 46.4s

Alabaster^p²²

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: D Hogan| OR: 109

6/1

Improving sort over hurdles, highlighted by a decent effort to finish fourth of 14 at Bellewstown earlier this month.

Form: 775-4

Ashqar^t²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr L P Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Gilligan| OR: 109

16/1

Finished in the money in four starts over hurdles but was bereft of any ability on his final two starts for previous handler and much of the same on stable debut at Bellewstown earlier this month. Tough ask.

Form: 24476-6

Cornakill Rose²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: E Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: P Magee| OR: 109

16/1

Off the mark for connections at the sixth time of asking landing a Bellewstown maiden hurdle over 2m4f earlier this month. Worthy of consideration on handicap debut.

Form: 655P/41

Magic Sea¹³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr N McParlan⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs S Dawson| OR: 109

20/1

Off the mark at the 13th time of asking when landing a handicap hurdle over 2m1f in December. Poor effort followed before sparking in a Down Royal handicap hurdle when last seen in March off a 1lb lower mark.

Form: 461052-

Bua Boy³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: D G Hogan| T: D Hogan| OR: 108| D

5/1

Winner of one of his seven starts over hurdles. Plenty of questions to be answered here an the basis of a number of dismal efforts over hurdles in handicap company.

Form: 38903-0

Thousand Tears¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: M P Burke⁽⁷⁾| T: J M Burke| OR: 108

9/1

Eight-race maiden, posted a career best effort to finish close up behind Bective Cave at Kilbeggan earlier this month. More improvement needed.

Form: F005-92

Act In Time^h,t²⁷²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Mark Walsh| T: P Roche| OR: 107

14/1

Solid but regressing 126-rated handicap chaser, pulled up on latest starts at Listowel and Down Royal in September/November. One from eight over hurdles but one to note in the betting.

Form: P9/01PP-

Stylish Moment^p²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: H Morgan⁽⁷⁾| T: E Doyle| OR: 107

11/1

Solid and consistent 119-rated handicapper over the larger obstacles but yet to get off the mark over timber in nine starts. Shouldn't be underestimated.

Form: 81122-8

Rare Conor^t¹⁹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: T Gibney| OR: 106

11/2

11-race maiden, posted a career best effort over hurdles when runner-up in a Punchestown handicap when last seen in January. Looks a tall order on return to action.

Form: 47/0582-

The Rubinator^p1³⁰⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Sean O'Keeffe⁽⁵⁾| T: R O'Sullivan| OR: 106| D

15/2

Off the mark for connections at the seventh attempt on his second start over hurdles when landing a Wexford maiden in June 2019. Had training problems and first-time cheekpieces unlikely to trigger improvement.

Form: P/551F0-

Muhaafiz¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: G P Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: V T O'Brien| OR: 101| D

16/1

Useful 101-rated handicap hurdler winner of one of his 12 starts over timber. Well held on the Flat in a couple of recent starts and looks up against it here.

Form: 6/61729-

Fight For Love^t²¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G Elliott| OR: 99| D

10/1

Unable to follow up December win at Fairyhouse on Boxing Day at Down Royal. Hard to assess after absence but is worth a check in the betting market to gauge stable confidence.

Form: 0/93017-

Aunty Audrey¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Simon Torrens⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Flynn| OR: 95| D

22/1

Running well in defeat in a couple of starts on the Flat this month. Returns from hurdling exploits are uninspiring and others preferred.

Form: 1F3500-

Castlehume^t⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: K J Brouder| T: S J Mahon| OR: 93| C

22/1

Twice won at Bellewstown and Galway in summer 2018 for Noel Meade but has struggled since switching to this trainer. Well held in a couple of starts since return to action this month.

Form: 0680-F7

Costly Diamond^t⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: R P Treacy⁽³⁾| T: B Cawley| OR: 88

50/1

Second Reserve: Won a maiden point-to-point in November 2018 buy yet to pose a threat in bumper/hurdles career.

Form: 6507-96

Ceide Fields⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-1| J: P J Carberry| T: S J Mahon| OR: 82

80/1

Third Reserve: Off the track since pulling up at Listowel in September 2018 over the larger obstacles before a heavy defeat over hurdles at Ballinrobe last week.

Form: 0FP0P/8

Non-Runners

Roachdale House⁵

Weight: 11-10| Age: 9

T: P W Flynn J: L P Dempsey

Acclamatio⁷

Weight: 11-0| Age: 6

T: A J Martin J: R M Power

Lusis Naturea¹²

Weight: 11-0| Age: 9

T: Paul Traynor J: C J Orr

Dani's Boy²

Weight: 10-11| Age: 5

T: P A Fahy J: Danny Mullins

Noble Intention⁶

Weight: 10-11| Age: 6

T: A J Martin J: Reserve 1

Forecasts

Bua Boy (5/1), Rare Conor (11/2), Alabaster (6/1), The Rubinator (15/2), Thousand Tears (9/1), Fight For Love (10/1), Acclamatio (10/1), Stylish Moment (11/1), Act In Time (14/1), Noble Intention (14/1), Lusis Naturea (14/1), Roachdale House (14/1), Dani's Boy (14/1), Ashqar (16/1), Muhaafiz (16/1), Cornakill Rose (16/1), Magic Sea (20/1), Aunty Audrey (22/1), Castlehume (22/1), Costly Diamond (50/1), Ceide Fields (80/1)

The Denis Hogan-trained ALABASTER shaped well in defeat at Bellewstown recently finishing fourth of the 14 runners. That run should have him in a good position the get off the mark over hurdles at the fourth time of asking for connections. The six-year-old can see off the attentions of the Gordon Elliott-trained Fight For Love under jockey Davy Russell, who is likely to emerge as the biggest danger. Stylish Moment for trainer Eoin Doyle looks next best following an encouraging comeback run at Bellewstown this month.