18:15 Bellewstown

Wednesday 25 August 2021

All16:1016:4017:1517:4518:1518:4519:1519:50

Bective Stud Mullacurry Cup Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 18:16 | Winning time: 4m 48.8s

Act Of God²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Paul Townend| T: E J O'Grady| OR: 125

13/2

One win from 1 run last season. Creditable sixth of 19 in handicap hurdle (33/1) at Galway (22.8f, good) 26 days ago. Booking of Townend a plus.

Form: 5/1-4456

Jon Ess²³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Ricky Doyle| T: C O'Dwyer| OR: 121

25/1

14/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, won 13-runner handicap hurdle at Cork (16f, soft) 23 days ago, left in front last. Was most fortunate on the day and others preferred for win purposes.

Form: 122-971

Roi De Dubai¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: J B Foley⁽⁷⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 121| CD

8/1

Didn't need to be at best when winning 6-runner novice chase (5/1) at Wexford (20f, good) 19 days ago, forging clear. Switches from chase to hurdles. Booking of Foley a plus and possibilities.

Form: 0/242-21

Smitty Bacall⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-3| J: K C Sexton| T: J R Barry| OR: 118| D

5/1

Form: 0-53165

Rain In Spain¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: H Morgan⁽³⁾| T: C O'Brien| OR: 117| D

40/1

Latest win in hurdle at Cork (20f) in July. 5/1, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Downpatrick (21.8f, good) 17 days ago, losing touch 4 out. Bounce back rates a distinct possibility.

Form: 03-312P

Thousand Tears⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: M P Burke⁽⁵⁾| T: J M Burke| OR: 117| D

9/1

9/2, won 16-runner handicap hurdle at Killarney (20f, good to soft) 41 days ago, asserting run-in. Worthy of respect again on the back of that.

Form: 513P-41

Clonbury Bridge^p²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: L P Dempsey| T: J P Dempsey| OR: 114

15/2

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, career best when winning 20-runner handicap hurdle (15/2) at Galway (16f, good) 27 days ago, kept up to work. Back up in trip. Progressing well recently.

Form: 35-1221

Aprils Joy^t¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: C D Maxwell| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 111| C| D

8/1

9/2, career best when winning 12-runner handicap at Tramore (12f, soft) 11 days ago, suited by emphasis on stamina. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Leading claims.

Form: 6/13BP-1

Dorans River^t¹⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 10-9| J: Philip Donovan⁽⁷⁾| T: P G Kelly| OR: 110| C| D

20/1

Unreliable type. Course winner. 22/1, good second of 10 in handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe (25.6f, good) 16 days ago. Back down in trip.

Form: 86P-472

Sweet Sixteen^p²³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Phillip Enright| T: J Dullea| OR: 112

16/1

Career best when winning 15-runner handicap hurdle (14/1) at Cork (18.8f, soft) 23 days ago, well on top finish. Not the most consistent but not dismissed if arriving in same form.

Form: 1-42501

Good World¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Mike O'Connor⁽⁵⁾| T: E Griffin| OR: 107| D

5/1

Low-mileage sort who made it 2 wins from last 3 starts when landing 12-runner handicap hurdle at Wexford (20.4f, good, 6/1) 19 days ago, digging deep. That may not prove his limit.

Form: 867-121

Clifftop¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H Rogers| OR: 106| C

16/1

Lightly-raced maiden over hurdles. Good fourth of 15 in novice hurdle at Tramore (16f, soft, 14/1) 10 days ago. Up in trip. May do better now handicapping up in trip.

Form: 960-34

Important Message^t¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-3| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: D P Dunne| OR: 104| CD

50/1

C&D winner. Sixth of 14 in novice chase at Tramore (21.7f, good, 66/1) 13 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles.

Form: U010-06

Loudest Whisper²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-3| J: Jordan Gainford⁽⁵⁾| T: E D Delany| OR: 104| C

8/1

Course winner. Cheekpieces on for 1st time in this code, creditable eighth of 20 in handicap hurdle (25/1) at Galway (16.5f, good to soft) 28 days ago, inadequate test. Back up in trip.

Form: 162P-18

Cahirdown Boy^t⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: C P McNamara| T: E McNamara| OR: 103

40/1

8/1, 30¾ lengths eleventh of 16 to Thousand Tears in handicap hurdle at Killarney (20f, good to soft) 41 days ago. Others make greater appeal.

Form: P8P-480

Non-Runners

Game And Glory²⁰

Weight: 9-12| Age: 5

T: P J Rothwell J: A W Short

Forecasts

Smitty Bacall (5/1), Good World (5/1), Act Of God (13/2), Clonbury Bridge (15/2), Loudest Whisper (8/1), Roi De Dubai (8/1), Aprils Joy (8/1), Thousand Tears (9/1), Clifftop (16/1), Sweet Sixteen (16/1), Dorans River (20/1), Game And Glory (20/1), Jon Ess (25/1), Rain In Spain (40/1), Cahirdown Boy (40/1), Important Message (50/1)

Claims can be made for plenty in a competitive handicap, with the vote in favour of APRILS JOY. A winner over hurdles at Downpatrick in June, she confirmed herself still in top form when going in again on the Flat at Tramore 11 days ago and her present mark still looks exploitable. Thousand Tears, Clonbury Bridge and Good World head up the dangers.