15:40 Downpatrick

Friday 21 May 2021

All13:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:2017:50

Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle (80-95) (Div 2)

Off time: 15:41 | Winning time: 5m 39.50s

Saol Iontach^t⁵⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: C P McNamara| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 95

7/2

Long-standing maiden who took step back in right direction when fourth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Clonmel (18.3f, good to soft, 7/1) 50 days ago. Has good chance on pick of form from reduced mark.

Form: 205794-

Massons Castle²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: P J O'Hanlon⁽⁴⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 94

10/1

Thrice-raced maiden. 40/1, ran best race to date when fourth of 14 in novice hurdle at Kilbeggan (19.4f, good) 29 days ago. May do better again now handicapping upped further in trip.

Form: 804-

Aliym^t¹⁷¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: J R Wildman⁽⁴⁾| T: Mrs D Foster| OR: 93

13/2

40/1, fifteenth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (21f, heavy) in December. First run for yard after leaving Denis Hogan and worth a close check in the betting on the back of a break.

Form: 00/0890-

King And Queen¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Shane Fenelon⁽⁴⁾| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 92

12/1

Fair winner at 11f on Flat. Lightly-raced maiden over hurdles. 22/1, below form sixth of 10 in handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe (21.3f, soft) 17 days ago. Worth noting if the market speaks in his favour.

Form: 700-6

Lily Light Foot³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: N Terrassin⁽⁴⁾| T: E P Harty| OR: 92

7/1

Creditable eighth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe (17.6f, good to soft, 11/1) 35 days ago. Back up in trip. Present mark demands more but not discounted in this field.

Form: 807888-

Magic Piper³²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: J B Foley⁽⁴⁾| T: T Gibney| OR: 90

5/1

Not disgraced when midfield in pair of 20f handicaps around the turn of the year. However, recent efforts not so inspiring, well beaten when pulled up at Limerick (22f) in April. Bounce back required.

Form: 97660P-

Go Battle^h1³³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: H Morgan⁽²⁾| T: P Byrne| OR: 87

80/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Seventh of 14 in novice hurdle (200/1) at Tramore (16f, good to soft) 33 days ago. May do better now handicapping upped significantly in trip. Market should guide.

Form: 6/PP077-

Diaspora⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: B Browne| T: D M O'Brien| OR: 85

6/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 8/1, very good third of 12 in novice hurdle at Wexford (20f, soft) 5 days ago. Task is to build on that again now.

Form: 0605-3

Frazel Express^t²³⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Simon Torrens| T: A A Howard| OR: 85

25/1

Bumper winner who didn't kick on over hurdles for Peter Fahey earlier in career. Limited impact upon belated return to action for new yard last autumn and she has another absence to overcome here.

Form: 0060/9F-

Lady L'lerom^p,t⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: C J Orr| T: S Nolan| OR: 85

20/1

Yet to better poor form over hurdles and leap of improvement required to figure now handicapping.

Form: 9990P9-

Claire's Charm⁹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: T N Brett⁽⁴⁾| T: Liam G O'brien| OR: 83

22/1

Thrice-raced maiden. 200/1, eleventh of 20 in novice hurdle at Punchestown (20f, heavy) 96 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 770-

X' Girl^t1²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Mike O'Connor⁽⁴⁾| T: A McCann| OR: 81

12/1

Twelfth of 22 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (16.4f) 24 days ago. Significantly back up in trip. Tongue strap on 1st time. More needed but still low-mileage from a handicapping perspective.

Form: 7UP000-

My Peggy¹⁹²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: Dylan Johnston⁽⁴⁾| T: N C Kelly| OR: 80

33/1

Fifth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (19.5f, heavy) when last seen in November, racing off the pace and plodding on. Best watched on return. Reserve 1.

Form: 00/00P5-

Non-Runners

Call Me Merry¹³

Weight: 11-8| Age: 6

T: P F Cashman J: Shane Fitzgerald

Thimbleweed¹²⁹

Weight: 10-13| Age: 6

T: N C Kelly J: Reserve 2

Gipsi Joe¹

Weight: 11-12| Age: 5

T: N Meade J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Saol Iontach (7/2), Magic Piper (5/1), Call Me Merry (5/1), Diaspora (6/1), Aliym (13/2), Gipsi Joe (13/2), Lily Light Foot (7/1), Massons Castle (10/1), King And Queen (12/1), X' Girl (12/1), Lady L'lerom (20/1), Claire's Charm (22/1), Frazel Express (25/1), Thimbleweed (25/1), My Peggy (33/1), Go Battle (80/1)

A very trappy affair with the narrow vote in favour of SAOL IONTACH. A long-standing maiden, she at least took a step back in the right direction on the back of 3 months off when fourth at Clonmel in April and may well sharpen up for that effort. Call Me Merry and Massons Castle head up the dangers, whilst King And Queen is worth monitoring closely in the betting.