15:10 Listowel

Wednesday 21 September 2022

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5517:30

Devon Inn Hotel Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:10 | Winning time: 5m 54.05s

Macgiloney¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: D King⁽⁷⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 130| D

25/1

Well held in minor event hurdle at Galway (21.4f, good to soft, 33/1) 16 days ago. Back in handicap company today but others more persuasive.

Form: F8P539

Shoot First⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Philip Byrnes⁽⁷⁾| T: C Byrnes| OR: 124

10/3

Winner in hurdle at Tipperary in June. 4/1, improved despite not being seen to best effect when second of 17 in handicap hurdle at Galway (22.5f, good) 56 days ago, nearest at the finish having met trouble approaching 2 out. Major player with better to come upped to 3m.

Form: 3R-412

Perceval Legallois⁵²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Mark Walsh| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 123| BF| D

7/2

Latest win in hurdle at Wexford in July. 10/3, improved further when second of 16 in handicap hurdle at Galway (24.3f, soft) 52 days ago. Fancied to be in the mix once again.

Form: 53-3U12

Another Choice^t⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Paul Townend| T: M J Smith| OR: 122

7/2

Latest win in hurdle at Downpatrick in July. 7/2, returned to form after 7 weeks off when second of 5 in minor event hurdle at Navan (21.7f, good) 4 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 31-2162

Noble Birth⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Kieren Buckley⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 120

7/1

2 wins from 5 runs this season. Career best when winning 9-runner handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe (25.7f, good, 5/2) 44 days ago, suited by increase in trip. May well do better.

Form: 6-32131

Chiricahua^b1,t⁶²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: P Nolan| OR: 119| D

16/1

1 win from 3 runs this season. Third of 5 in minor event hurdle at Limerick (20f, good, 15/8) 62 days ago, very much on the back foot after a mid-race blunder. Blinkers applied for handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 42U-143

Riggs²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Simon Torrens| T: J C McConnell| OR: 119

20/1

Thirteen runs since last win in 2020. 16/1, step back in the right direction when fifth of 8 in handicap hurdle at Bellewstown (20f, good to firm) 29 days ago, inadequate test. Back up in trip today but looks up against it.

Form: PP-7665

Arabian King^t³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: B J Cooper| T: M J Smith| OR: 118

25/1

Made a winning hurdling debut at Killarney in July. 6/1, ninth of 10 in handicap at same track (14.2f, good to soft) 34 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Should progress.

Form: 1

Bronson In Blue⁴⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Thomas Reilly⁽⁷⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 118| D

14/1

Latest win in hurdle at Hexham in March. Creditable 7¾ lengths fourth of 9 to Noble Birth in handicap hurdle (10/3) at Ballinrobe (25.7f, good) 44 days ago, ideally needing stronger gallop.

Form: 11-8354

Wild Hunt¹⁸¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: D G Hogan| T: D Hogan| OR: 116| D

8/1

Latest win in hurdle at Down Royal in March. Good second of 12 in handicap hurdle at Cork (24f, good to soft, 10/3) back in March. One to look out for after 6 months off the track.

Form: 802112-

Sweet Street^t1¹³⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: M J M O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: R J McGrath| OR: 113| D

33/1

Supported 17/2, let down by jumping when fell mid-race in beginners chase at Tipperary (23.3f, good to soft) on debut over fences back in May. Switches from chase to hurdles. Tongue strap on 1st time.

Form: 04730-F

Balinaboola Steel^p¹⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-7| J: Danny Mullins| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 111| CD

22/1

Won this corresponding event in 2020. Latest win in chase at Limerick in July. 18/1, ran too badly to be true when eighth of 10 in handicap chase at Kilbeggan (19f, good) 19 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Back up in trip.

Form: 631048

Non-Runners

Smitty Bacall³³

Weight: 10-7| Age: 11

T: J P Flavin J: Darragh O'Keeffe

Mont Saint Vincent¹⁷³

Weight: 10-1| Age: 6

T: E McNamara J: C P McNamara

Forecasts

Shoot First (10/3), Perceval Legallois (7/2), Another Choice (7/2), Noble Birth (7/1), Wild Hunt (8/1), Bronson In Blue (14/1), Chiricahua (16/1), Smitty Bacall (16/1), Riggs (20/1), Balinaboola Steel (22/1), Macgiloney (25/1), Arabian King (25/1), Mont Saint Vincent (25/1), Sweet Street (33/1)

Plenty in with a squeak but SHOOT FIRST took his form up a notch when runner-up on handicap debut at Galway 8 weeks ago, and with further improvement anticipated stepping up to 3m, he looks the one to side with. Perceval Legallois also narrowly missed out on making a winning start in handicaps last time but Gavin Cromwell's charge may have to settle for silver once again, while Noble Birth and Wild Hunt are another couple worthy of a mention.