15:40 Galway

Sunday 31 July 2022

All14:0014:3015:0515:4016:1016:4017:1017:40

Lord Hemphill Memorial Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:40 | Winning time: 4m 42.50s

Vado Forte¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 137

16/1

Standout effort for this yard when making a winning start at Limerick in October. Fifth of 7 in handicap chase at Killarney (17f, good, 22/1) 16 days ago. More needed.

Form: 4/15-505

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

January Jets^b1⁷⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 136| C

12/1

Ran poorly when ninth of 11 in minor event hurdle at Wexford (17f, good to soft, 10/1) 78 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase. Blinkers on 1st time. Not easy to make a case for on recent evidence.

Form: 6P/254-9

Espion Du Chenet^t¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Phillip Enright| T: Louise G Lyons| OR: 133| D

16/1

Three wins from 12 runs last season. Latest win in chase at Punchestown in May. Respectable third of 7 in handicap chase at Killarney (17f, good, 8/1) 16 days ago. Looks summed up by his handicap mark, however.

Form: 105-133

Russian Diamond²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Donagh Meyler| T: E Mullins| OR: 133| C

3/1

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, creditable seventh of 20 in handicap chase (10/1) at this course (22.5f, good to soft) 2 days ago, doing too much too soon. Not taken lightly.

Form: U150-47

Robinnia¹⁸⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: W P Mullins| OR: 125| D

10/3

Again let down by her jumping when 33¾ lengths sixth of 7 to Ballyshannon Rose in Gr 2 chase (13/2) at Thurles (20.3f, good to soft). Off 6 months. Makes handicap chase debut. Enters calculations.

Form: 1F13F6-

Powersbomb^t⁶

Age: 12| Weight: 10-7| J: J J Slevin| T: B McMahon| OR: 123| C| D

16/1

Below form eleventh of 20 in handicap hurdle (14/1) at this course (16.6f, good to soft) 6 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase. Bounce back required.

Form: 1P66-50

Ferdia²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Danny Mullins| T: J P Ryan| OR: 121

11/4

Twenty four runs since last win in 2021. 14/1, respectable sixth of 16 in handicap hurdle at this course (16f, good to soft) 2 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase.

Form: 322236

Say It Ain't So^t¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Simon Torrens| T: R Hackett| OR: 118

22/1

Latest win in chase at Clonmel in April. Not in same form after 3 months off when fourth of 5 in novice chase at Tipperary (19.5f, soft, 16/1) 14 days ago. Makes handicap chase debut.

Form: 471/01-4

Benefit Run^p¹⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: C J Orr| T: R O'Sullivan| OR: 116| D

13/2

Below form returned to hurdling from a much lower mark after 6 months off when seventh of 14 in handicap hurdle at Killarney (17f, good, 10/1) 16 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase. Cheekpieces back on. Could well have a say in proceedings.

Form: 54307-7

Ciankyle²³

Age: 11| Weight: 10-0| J: Aileen O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: P Cluskey| OR: 112| D

40/1

25/1, respectable sixth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan (19f, good to soft) 23 days ago, weakening early in straight. Switches from hurdles to chase. Has work to do.

Form: 621-046

Non-Runners

Exit Poll⁷⁶

Weight: 11-12| Age: 8

T: Mrs J Harrington J: Sean O'Keeffe

Zarkareva⁶⁴

Weight: 11-7| Age: 6

T: H De Bromhead J: Rachael Blackmore

Cornerkova¹⁴

Weight: 10-12| Age: 7

T: H De Bromhead J: C Brassil

Costly Diamond⁴⁴

Weight: 10-4| Age: 8

T: G Hanmer J: K Brogan

Sil Ver Klass²

Weight: 10-2| Age: 8

T: A J Martin J: J B Foley

Forecasts

Ferdia (11/4), Russian Diamond (3/1), Robinnia (10/3), Cornerkova (7/2), Zarkareva (9/2), Benefit Run (13/2), Sil Ver Klass (8/1), Exit Poll (10/1), January Jets (12/1), Costly Diamond (12/1), Vado Forte (16/1), Powersbomb (16/1), Espion Du Chenet (16/1), Say It Ain't So (22/1), Ciankyle (40/1)

Plenty in with a squeak but CORNERKOVA arrives chasing a hat-trick, and with Henry de Bromhead's charge barely having had to break sweat to score at Tipperary a fortnight ago, she looks the way to go with further improvement on the cards. Robinnia heads the opposition on handicap debut/return, with the selection's stablemate Zarkareva and top-weight Exit Poll another couple worth considering.