14:17 Downpatrick

Friday 8 October 2021

All13:4514:1714:5215:2716:0216:3217:05

Randox Health Rated Novice Hurdle

Off time: 14:18 | Winning time: 4m 44.60s

Mars Harper^p⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Jordan Gainford⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 116| BF

9/4

Fairly useful hurdler. Latest win in hurdle at Down Royal in June. Creditable third of 6 in minor event hurdle (5/2) at Killarney (22.8f, soft) 5 days ago. Yard having good spell, so in the shake-up.

Form: 213223

Wild Shot^t⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: R Deegan⁽⁵⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 116

11/2

Lightly-raced maiden over hurdles. 16/5, excellent second of 18 in novice hurdle at Clonmel (16.7f, good) 8 days ago. Looks competitive on form.

Form: 4-332

Craic Eile⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-12| J: Shane Fitzgerald⁽⁵⁾| T: D Budds| OR: 115

20/1

Fairly useful hurdler. 2 wins from 5 runs this season. Twelfth of 16 in handicap at Bellewstown (12f, good to soft, 8/1) 8 days ago, so something to find back in this sphere.

Form: U-40131

Longacre Square^p⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: J S McGarvey| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 114| CD

14/1

Unreliable type. 4/1 and cheekpieces on, won 10-runner claiming hurdle at Clonmel (19.9f, good) 8 days ago. Needs to back it up now on his first run for yard after leaving Gordon Elliott.

Form: 1R4061

Rock On Seamie²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: D J McInerney| T: R Hackett| OR: 106

17/2

Fair hurdler. Career best when winning 14-runner handicap hurdle (16/5) at Navan (15.8f, good) 20 days ago. Not taken lightly in his current mood.

Form: 48-2231

Trixie Mc^t¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: T Gibney| OR: 106

11/1

Fair hurdler. Latest win in hurdle at Kilbeggan in September. Only fifteenth of 16 in handicap hurdle (22/1) at Listowel (20f, good) 13 days ago so needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 183310

Tom McGreevy¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss E Doyle| OR: 102

5/1

Remains a maiden after 7 hurdle runs. Good sixth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Roscommon (15.4f, good, 6/1) 11 days ago. Up in trip and not discounted.

Form: 06-6526

Dazzling Darren²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: C D Maxwell| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 102| BF

7/2

Fair hurdler. Winner in hurdle at Down Royal in August and good second of 12 in handicap hurdle (9/4) at this C&D (soft) 21 days ago. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 960-812

Non-Runners

Top Line Tommy⁸

Weight: 11-9| Age: 5

T: E J O'Grady J: Jack Kennedy

Kilashee⁶

Weight: 11-0| Age: 6

T: J P Ryan J: Danny Mullins

Forecasts

Mars Harper (9/4), Dazzling Darren (7/2), Tom McGreevy (5/1), Wild Shot (11/2), Top Line Tommy (7/1), Rock On Seamie (17/2), Kilashee (10/1), Trixie Mc (11/1), Longacre Square (14/1), Craic Eile (20/1)

A few with chances, but DAZZLING DARREN comes here at the top of his game so gets the nod on the back of his excellent C&D handicap second. Tom Mcgreevy is still without a win but feared most given his fine recent form with both Wild Shot and Rock On Seamie not taken lightly either in a competitive novice hurdle.