14:35 Down Royal

Thursday 17 March 2022

All13:5514:3515:1515:5516:3517:1517:50

Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle (80-95)

Off time: 14:35 | Winning time: 5m 19.20s

Finnians Row^t³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: T N Brett| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 94

20/1

66/1, again finished well held when thirteenth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (19.8f, soft) 36 days ago. Easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 785-600

Mrs Watson⁷⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Shane Fenelon| T: P Croke| OR: 93| D

9/2

14/1, career best when winning 13-runner handicap hurdle at Clonmel (19.8f, heavy) 70 days ago, proving game to edge ahead close home. Up 8 lb for that and she's one of the more likely contenders.

Form: 47-4P51

Autumn Crusade^p,t⁶¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Daniel Joseph Hand⁽⁴⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 92

7/1

9/2, followed a good run with a poor one when eleventh of 15 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (20f, soft) 61 days ago. Needs to bounce back quickly.

Form: 97-F830

Silverstrand⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: R Monaghan⁽⁴⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 92

25/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Ninth of 14 on handicap hurdle debut (16/1) at Thurles (16.4f, good to soft) 7 days ago. Up in trip.

Form: 0009

Perfect Arch²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Liam McKenna| T: J J Lambe| OR: 90

50/1

Thrice-raced maiden. 300/1, thirteenth of 25 in novice hurdle at Navan (15.8f, heavy) 23 days ago. Back up in trip. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 000

Montel Glory¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Niall Moore⁽²⁾| T: P Fenton| OR: 88

40/1

Continues to show little, only seventh of 9 in novice hurdle at Clonmel (16f, heavy, 66/1) 14 days ago. Back up in trip. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 88607

Glenabo Bridge^p,t²⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 11-5| J: C G O'Dwyer| T: O McKiernan| OR: 86

4/1

Twelve runs since last win in 2021. Wasn't seen to best effect when eighth of 16 in handicap hurdle (7/1) at Clonmel (16f, heavy) 28 days ago. Back up in trip. Cheekpieces back on.

Form: 54P578

I Don't Get It¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: N J Ryan⁽²⁾| T: N McCluskey| OR: 86

10/3

Remains a maiden after 34 NH runs. Faced stiff task when fifth of 6 in novice hurdle at Leopardstown (16f, good to soft, 50/1) 10 days ago. Back up in trip. Very capable back in handicap company.

Form: 424045

Our Patron Saint¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: N T Prendergast⁽²⁾| T: Mrs S Dawson| OR: 86

50/1

Thrice-raced maiden. 125/1, last of 11 in novice hurdle at Leopardstown (16f, good to soft) 10 days ago. Back up in trip. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 060

Happy Dancing⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: S A Mulcahy| T: Miss E Doyle| OR: 84

6/1

Showed first form when fourth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (16f, soft, 33/1) 44 days ago. Back up in trip. Task is now to back that up here.

Form: 0006P4

Speedy Pix^p⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Thomas Reilly⁽²⁾| T: T G McCourt| OR: 94

33/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 100/1 and fit from hurdling, last of 14 in handicap at Dundalk (10.7f) 6 days ago. Switches back over hurdles. Up in trip. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 9F00

Costalita^p1⁷⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: M J Doyle⁽⁴⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 81| D

40/1

100/1, pulled up before 4 out in handicap hurdle at Clonmel (19.8f, heavy) 70 days ago won by Mrs Watson. Cheekpieces on for 1st time.

Form: 4106/PP

Ballyhubbock⁷⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: C F Hart⁽²⁾| T: F J Flood| OR: 80

20/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 50/1, shaped as if retaining ability after 42 months off when eleventh of 21 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (15.6f, heavy) 76 days ago. Up in trip.

Form: 0007/0

Howyated^t¹⁶⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Mark McDonagh| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 80

12/1

20/1, pulled up before 2 out in handicap hurdle at Tipperary (24f, good to soft) 165 days ago.

Form: 0-60F6P

Newmills Glory^h1⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Dillon Maxwell| T: Mrs S Dawson| OR: 80

80/1

Looks of no account at this stage, only ninth of 11 on handicap debut at this course (16.7f, good to soft) 51 days ago. Hooded for 1st time.

Form: 60-0069

Zagnzig¹⁶⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 10-13| J: Shane O'Callaghan| T: H Smyth| OR: 80| CD

16/1

C&D winner. Twenty two runs since last win in 2018. 10/1, bit below form eighth of 19 in handicap hurdle at Gowran (20f, good) 166 days ago.

Form: 9-86628

Non-Runners

Colwinston⁴⁵

Weight: 11-7| Age: 12

T: Miss S Barkley J: Aidan Kelly

Mooney Boy¹⁰

Weight: 11-7| Age: 5

T: P J Rothwell J: Non Runner

Harvey Hillstar⁸¹

Weight: 11-4| Age: 5

T: Gary McGill J: Non Runner

Mise Raftaire⁵

Weight: 11-3| Age: 7

T: A McCann J: Gary Noonan

Ximyerg⁵

Weight: 10-13| Age: 6

T: P J Rothwell J: Reserve 1

Forecasts

I Don't Get It (10/3), Glenabo Bridge (4/1), Mise Raftaire (9/2), Mrs Watson (9/2), Happy Dancing (6/1), Autumn Crusade (7/1), Howyated (12/1), Zagnzig (16/1), Finnians Row (20/1), Ballyhubbock (20/1), Silverstrand (25/1), Colwinston (25/1), Speedy Pix (33/1), Mooney Boy (33/1), Costalita (40/1), Montel Glory (40/1), Perfect Arch (50/1), Our Patron Saint (50/1), Harvey Hillstar (50/1), Ximyerg (66/1), Newmills Glory (80/1)

It's hard to put much faith in a 34-race maiden but, in a race that may not take much winning, I DON'T GET IT is put forward as the answer. Back down to a career-low mark, he could prove tough to peg back if getting his own way on the front end. Mrs Watson opened her account at Clonmel in January and she should remain competitive despite an 8 lb rise, with Mise Raftaire another worth considering.