15:17 Cork

Sunday 18 October 2020

All13:3514:0714:4215:1715:5216:2717:0017:30

Mallow Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:17 | Winning time: 4m 41.60s

Halsafari⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Brian Hayes| T: M J Bowe| OR: 116| D

11/2

12/1, good sixth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (24f, heavy) 7 days ago. Back down in trip and needs to find bit more.

Form: 3255-06

Buttons And Bows²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Mark Walsh| T: P J Flynn| OR: 114| C

5/1

Course winner but she arrives below par on Flat of late. Well weighted if return to hurdles sparks a resurgence.

Form: 244-030

Room To Roam^b¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: J C McConnell| OR: 113

9/1

Only one win from 22 NH runs but good second of 15 in handicap hurdle (40/1) at Galway (19.1f, soft) 11 days ago. In the mix.

Form: 90-8672

Gotthenod¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Simon Torrens⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs D A Love| OR: 112| D

7/1

Made it 2-4 this season with career-best win in 17-runner handicap hurdle at Punchestown (16.4f, soft) 18 days ago, forging clear. Up 8 lb so this demands more.

Form: 3P-0101

Knock On Steel¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr T Power Roche⁽⁷⁾| T: B Jordan| OR: 111| C

15/2

Course winner but only fourth of 5 in novice chase at Punchestown (20.9f, good to soft, 13/2) 19 days ago. Switches to hurdles but needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 013334

Smithscorner^t²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: C J Orr⁽⁵⁾| T: M Kennedy| OR: 106| BF| CD

5/2

2 wins from 5 runs this term, latest in chase at Killarney in August, and good fourth of 12 in handicap hurdle at Listowel (20f, good, 7/2) 27 days ago. C&D winner too so merits serious consideration.

Form: 3-21164

Pour Sioux¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: D F O'Regan| T: Miss H McLoughlin| OR: 103| C

10/1

Lightly-raced course winner who posted respectable sixth of 14 in handicap (33/1) at Fairyhouse (13.5f) 17 days ago. Back over hurdles now and respected.

Form: 6-5156

Elite Trooper Grey^b³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-5| J: Kevin Sexton| T: G Elliott| OR: 101

18/1

Lightly-raced maiden over hurdles who wasn't disgraced in first-time cheekpieces when seventh at Tramore last time. Blinkers on now for handicap debut and has more to offer.

Form: 8507

Wild Desire¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 9-12| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: P Nolan| OR: 89

12/1

Arrives in good form, fourth of 17 to Gotthenod in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (16.4f, soft) 18 days ago. Each-way claims once more off unchanged mark.

Form: 7-76634

Forecasts

Smithscorner (5/2), Buttons And Bows (5/1), Halsafari (11/2), Gotthenod (7/1), Knock On Steel (15/2), Room To Roam (9/1), Pour Sioux (10/1), Wild Desire (12/1), Elite Trooper Grey (18/1)

SMITHSCORNER arrives in fine nick and can boast a C&D win too so is fancied to record win number three of the season here. Elite Trooper Grey is much less exposed so could be the one to give him most to do now handicapping, while Buttons And Bows is weighted to have a big say too if shrugging off some modest runs on the level.