20:40 Galway

Friday 29 July 2022

All17:0017:3018:0018:3519:1019:4020:1020:40

Hop House 13 Handicap (50-75)

Off time: 20:40 | Winning time: 3m 24.73s

(1)

Indigo Desert²³³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Colin Keane| T: W P Mullins| OR: 75

9/4

Won 14-runner maiden at Dundalk (10.7f, 9/2), cosily. Off 7 months. Significantly up in trip. First run for yard after leaving M. Halford. Makes handicap debut. Open to improvement.

Form: 01-

(18)

La Hacienda^p²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: Jake Coen⁽⁵⁾| T: M J Smith| OR: 75

10/1

Winner at Leopardstown in July. 25/1, creditable seventh of 19 in handicap at this course (16.5f, good to soft) 2 days ago. In the mix.

Form: 5378-17

(20)

Advantage Point¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Gavin Ryan| T: E & P Harty| OR: 73

28/1

Lightly-raced maiden on Flat. Fairly useful winner at 16f over hurdles. Eighth of 12 in handicap at Killarney (16.8f, good, 11/1) 17 days ago. More needed.

Form: 2/338

(21)

Greek Gladiator⁶⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Gary Carroll| T: J Leavy| OR: 73

125/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Blinkered for 1st time, fifth of 9 in maiden at Navan (14f, soft, 9/4). First run for yard after leaving Aidan O'Brien. Makes handicap debut but off 21 months.

Form: 035/

(17)

Curious Bride^p1,t¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-13| J: Seamie Heffernan| T: E O'Connell| OR: 72

20/1

Respectable seventh of 12 in handicap (18/1) at Killarney (16.8f, good) 17 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time. Can give another good account.

Form: 55/0037

(5)

Mancini^p⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 9-13| J: D E Sheehy⁽³⁾| T: Ian Williams| OR: 72| D

14/1

Sixteen runs since last win in 2020. Creditable third of 5 in handicap at Ascot (16f, good to firm, 4/1) 7 days ago. Respected.

Form: 070683

(10)

Bring Us Paradise^t²²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-12| J: Nathan Crosse⁽³⁾| T: L Comer| OR: 71

33/1

Latest win at Dundalk in February. Respectable sixth of 10 in handicap at Limerick (12.5f, good, 10/1) 22 days ago, left poorly placed. Considered.

Form: 00-1706

(11)

Secret Sea^t¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: Shane Foley| T: E Doyle| OR: 71

20/1

Creditable second of 6 in handicap at Killarney (11.2f, good, 7/1) 17 days ago, needing stronger gallop. Up in trip. Can give another good account.

Form: 0-06132

(8)

Unanswered^t²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: Billy Lee| T: A J Martin| OR: 71| BF| D

13/8

3 wins from 4 runs this year. Latest win at Killarney in July. Good second of 19 in handicap at this course (16.5f, good to soft, 13/8) 2 days ago. Has to be taken seriously.

Form: 00-1112

(19)

Nibblers Charm^p⁵⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 9-10| J: Scott McCullagh⁽⁵⁾| T: R Hackett| OR: 69| C

25/1

66/1, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe (25f, good to soft) 59 days ago. Fair on the Flat, but needs a big step forward.

Form: 4244/93-

(3)

Rich Belief^b²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-10| J: Robbie Colgan| T: K Thornton| OR: 69

16/1

Fourteen runs since last win in 2019. Respectable fourth of 16 in handicap hurdle (8/1) at Bellewstown (16.8f, good) 27 days ago. Fair on the Flat and he enters calculations. Engaged Galway 5.05 Thursday.

Form: 2/67-682

(2)

Leagan Gaeilge⁶³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-9| J: K J Manning| T: B W Duke| OR: 68

100/1

Tenth of 11 in handicap at Naas (10f, heavy, 25/1). Off 21 months. Significantly up in trip with work to do.

Form: 803860/

(16)

Cherub^t⁵⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Wayne Lordan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 75

14/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Tongue strap on for 1st time, eighth of 14 in maiden (10/1) at the Curragh (12f, good) 58 days ago. Makes handicap debut and can't be ruled out.

Form: 388

(4)

Silent Prayer³⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Chris Hayes| T: D K Weld| OR: 74

18/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Third of 9 in maiden at Ballinrobe (9.6f, good to soft, 4/1) 39 days ago. Significantly up in trip. Makes handicap debut. Should improve.

Form: 953

(7)

Great Realisation^p¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Ronan Whelan| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 68

28/1

7/2 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, creditable second of 6 in novice hurdle at Ballinrobe (17.4f, good) 10 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time on the Flat and claims. RESERVE.

Form: 62560-3

Non-Runners

(14)

Endlessly²

Weight: 9-13| Age: 7

T: M J Smith J: Declan McDonogh

(12)

Arabian King²

Weight: 9-12| Age: 6

T: M J Smith J: Sam Ewing

(6)

Bal De Rio²

Weight: 9-12| Age: 9

T: D Hogan J: Daniel King

(13)

Lord Erskine⁸¹

Weight: 9-12| Age: 9

T: H Rogers J: Siobhan Rutledge

(9)

Duleek Street¹⁵

Weight: 9-7| Age: 4

T: J C McConnell J: Reserve 2

(15)

Derrinlaur⁶⁶

Weight: 9-7| Age: 4

T: Mrs J Harrington J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Unanswered (13/8), Indigo Desert (9/4), Lord Erskine (8/1), La Hacienda (10/1), Derrinlaur (10/1), Mancini (14/1), Cherub (14/1), Rich Belief (16/1), Silent Prayer (18/1), Secret Sea (20/1), Curious Bride (20/1), Duleek Street (20/1), Nibblers Charm (25/1), Arabian King (25/1), Bal De Rio (25/1), Advantage Point (28/1), Great Realisation (28/1), Bring Us Paradise (33/1), Endlessly (33/1), Leagan Gaeilge (100/1), Greek Gladiator (125/1)

Plenty are in with a shout. INDIGO DESERT has his first run for Willie Mullins and this lightly-raced winner is fancied to make light of his absence on his handicap debut. Tony Martin's Unanswered is turned out quickly and weighted to have a big say so rates a big threat, while the likes of La Hacienda, Silent Prayer and Cherub need factoring in too.