12:48 Down Royal

Sunday 26 December 2021

All12:1312:4813:2313:5814:3315:0315:35

Connolly's RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 12:49 | Winning time: 4m 37.40s

Daring Rocco^t1³³

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: C Brassil⁽⁵⁾| T: M Brassil

40/1

Once-raced maiden. 50/1, seventh of 9 in novice hurdle at Punchestown (21.7f, good to soft) on NH debut 33 days ago. Down in trip. Tongue strap on for 1st time.

Form: 57

O'Toole²⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: J J Slevin| T: S R B Crawford

4/9

Smart winner of a bumper on debut before 4¾ lengths second of 8 to Kilcruit in Champion INH Flat Race (33/1) at Punchestown (16.3f, good to soft). Fascinating contender now making hurdles debut.

Form: 12-

Billable Grant²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: C D Maxwell| T: C A McBratney

66/1

Twice-raced maiden. Sixth of 11 in bumper at Punchestown (15.9f, good to soft, 80/1) 21 days ago, going in snatches. Makes hurdles debut.

Form: 5-P6

Flashthelights^t¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr M McConville⁽⁷⁾| T: S McConville

125/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. Pulled up in novice hurdle at Naas (18.8f, soft, 80/1) 10 days ago, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out.

Form: 0-7605P

Free Nelson^h⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: D F O'Regan| T: G Elliott

5/1

Promising sort. 25/1 and hooded for 1st time when very good second of 9 in novice hurdle at Clonmel (16.4f, heavy) 45 days ago. Yard having good spell. Open to improvement and a likely type.

Form: 0/482

Harvey Hillstar²²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Sam Ewing⁽³⁾| T: Gary McGill

150/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. 300/1, fourteenth of 17 in novice hurdle at Navan (20f, good to soft) 22 days ago.

Form: 00890

I Don't Get It⁷⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: N J Ryan⁽⁷⁾| T: N McCluskey| OR: 86

18/1

Modest hurdler. Remains a maiden after 19 hurdle runs. 9/2, bit below form third of 8 in handicap hurdle at Downpatrick (17.8f, soft) 79 days ago, ridden too aggressively.

Form: 742083

Helisone

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Mike O'Connor⁽⁵⁾| T: H De Bromhead

5/1

€28,000 3-y-o, Saddler Maker filly. Dam lightly raced on Flat in France. Newcomers from yard often fancied and commands maximum respect.

Form:

Away Down Under

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: P J Cawley⁽⁷⁾| T: N C Kelly

50/1

€1,800 3-y-o, Walk In The Park filly. Half-sister to bumper winner/fairly useful 23f hurdle winner Bally Conor.

Form:

Layla's Daffodil¹⁵⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽⁵⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 105

10/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 7/2, below form sixth of 15 in novice hurdle at Ballinrobe (17.4f, good) 159 days ago.

Form: 46-36

Non-Runners

Kilcarthy Boy⁶⁶

Weight: 11-10| Age: 5

T: K Smith J: Ricky Doyle

Forecasts

O'Toole (4/9), Free Nelson (5/1), Helisone (5/1), Layla's Daffodil (10/1), I Don't Get It (18/1), Daring Rocco (40/1), Away Down Under (50/1), Kilcarthy Boy (50/1), Billable Grant (66/1), Flashthelights (125/1), Harvey Hillstar (150/1)

The ones with experience don't set an exacting standard and O'TOOLE looks a fascinating contender now sent hurdling. He was one of the best bumper horses around last season and he could take high rank amongst this season's novice hurdlers. Free Nelson sets the standard and has the potential for better still, so is feared most, ahead of newcomer Helisone, who needs monitoring in the market.