19:30 Sligo

Wednesday 17 August 2022

All17:2517:5518:3019:0019:3020:0020:30

Francie 'Banger' Burns Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 19:30 | Winning time: 5m 7.30s

The Grey Lad³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Gary Noonan⁽⁷⁾| T: P W Flynn| OR: 113| BF

2/1

5/2, good second of 9 in handicap hurdle at Killarney (20f, good) 34 days ago, clear of rest. Can give another good account.

Form: 4028-12

Hophornbeam^t²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: Jordan Gainford| T: G Elliott| OR: 112

6/1

Latest win in hurdle at Cartmel in June. 12/1, creditable fourth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Galway (16.5f, good) 21 days ago. Up in trip and not ruled out.

Form: 40-1124

Abraham^t,v³⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: C Brassil⁽⁵⁾| T: M Brassil| OR: 111

33/1

Visored for 1st time, tenth of 15 in handicap (28/1) at Killarney (14.1f, good) 35 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Visor on 1st time over jumps. Something to find on form.

Form: 6/4188P-

Snugsborough Benny¹⁷

Age: 12| Weight: 11-10| J: Dillon Maxwell⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Broderick| OR: 109| D

16/1

33/1, very good third of 6 in minor event chase at Galway (22.5f, soft) 17 days ago, flattered by proximity. Switches from chase to hurdles and others preferred.

Form: 3236-33

Fassbender^t¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽⁵⁾| T: M M McNiff| OR: 107

7/1

16/1, respectable sixth of 14 in handicap at this course (13f, soft) 14 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Yard in good form. Getting better with each recent run. Considered.

Form: 1U6-721

Story Rory^t²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: T Gibney| OR: 103| BF

5/1

Winner in hurdle at Ballinrobe in May. 2/1, creditable third of 7 in handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe (21.6f, good) 29 days ago. Claims.

Form: 3900-13

Guido Reni^t¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: K Thornton| OR: 99

5/1

Twenty three runs since last win in 2018. Creditable third of 8 in handicap hurdle at this course (20.2f, good, 7/2) 13 days ago. Not taken lightly at these weights.

Form: 38-7533

Innisfree Beauty²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Richard Condon⁽⁷⁾| T: Ciaran Murphy| OR: 96| C

11/2

Course winner. Winner in hurdle here in July. Good eighth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Galway (16.5f, good, 28/1) 21 days ago. Back up in trip and expected to be bang there off 6 lb lower mark.

Form: 6P0-158

Non-Runners

Endlessly²¹

Weight: 11-7| Age: 7

T: M J Smith J: Keith Donoghue

Forecasts

The Grey Lad (2/1), Story Rory (5/1), Guido Reni (5/1), Innisfree Beauty (11/2), Hophornbeam (6/1), Fassbender (7/1), Snugsborough Benny (16/1), Endlessly (16/1), Abraham (33/1)

Course-winner INNISFREE BEAUTY can race off a 6 lb lower mark than when posting a decent eighth at Galway last time out so looks the way to go here. Fassbender hails from an in-form yard and is feared most back in this sphere, with Guido Reni weighted to have a say too despite arriving on a long losing run.