15:28 Galway

Saturday 29 October 2022

All13:0813:4314:1814:5315:2816:0316:3817:13

W.B. Gavin & Co. Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:28 | Winning time: 5m 56.06s

Champagne Platinum¹⁵¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Simon Torrens| T: E Bolger| OR: 130

50/1

Ran one of lesser races when eighth of 15 in handicap chase at Ballinrobe (23f, good to soft) 151 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Others preferred.

Form: 1278F-8

Minella Escape^p1¹⁸²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 130

28/1

Fell in handicap chase (20/1) at Punchestown (24f, good to soft). Off 6 months. Switches from chase to hurdles. Cheekpieces on for 1st time.

Form: F/9474F-

Espanito Bello²⁹³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: M J M O'Sullivan⁽⁵⁾| T: B Connell| OR: 129

17/2

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, creditable fifth of 11 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (23.8f, soft, 20/1). Off 9 months.

Form: 120/0P5-

Damalisque¹⁵¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: L P Dempsey| T: E & P Harty| OR: 127

16/1

Going through the motions when last seen in the spring. Reappears from an easing mark at least.

Form: 800F0-7

Merlin Giant⁹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Brian Hayes| T: E Mullins| OR: 127| C

9/2

Bumper winner who left his hurdling debut form behind in a first-time hood when landing 17-runner maiden at this course (16.7f, heavy, 10/3) 91 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut and open to further improvement.

Form: 4/217-1

Bold Getaway²⁷¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: C G O'Dwyer⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 125| BF

18/1

Took a step forward when third of 6 in novice hurdle (11/8) at Punchestown (20.3f, soft), despite being unsuited by emphasis on speed. Off 9 months. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Still unexposed.

Form: 524/213-

Prengarde²²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: E Bolger| OR: 125

40/1

9/2, pulled up in minor event chase at Cheltenham (30.2f, soft) on debut over fences 7 months ago. Back over hurdles with something to prove.

Form: 11110P-

Coventry^p¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 123

3/1

Shaped well on first run since leaving Paul Nolan when second of 13 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (23.3f, good) 18 days ago. Cheekpieces back on. Enters calculations.

Form: 5/6270-2

Desertmore House^t⁴³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Ricky Doyle| T: M Brassil| OR: 122| D

16/1

Made it 2 from 2 over hurdles with victory in 9-runner novice hurdle at Downpatrick (21.5f, good, 6/1) 43 days ago, battling well. Into handicaps now and will go on improving.

Form: 0-85611

Futurum Regem¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: E Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: H P Finegan| OR: 122| D

40/1

25/1, below form eighth of 21 in handicap at Navan (14f, heavy) 10 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Needs to up his game.

Form: 1300-8F

Moving Water²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Mark Walsh| T: D McDonogh| OR: 122

4/1

Progressed again to complete hat-trick in12-runner handicap hurdle (9/2) at Gowran (20f, soft) 29 days ago, driven clear. Open to further improvement.

Form: 40-6111

Young Dev³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Danny Mullins| T: D Hogan| OR: 121

22/1

66/1, thirteenth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Listowel (20f, good) 35 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 3132P-0

Mercury Lane^p,t¹⁸⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Jordan Gainford| T: P Nolan| OR: 119

40/1

40/1, nineteenth of 25 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (23.6f, good to soft). Off 6 months. Returns with plenty to prove.

Form: 008550-

Starzov³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: J B Foley| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 118

16/1

Improved to get off the mark at Roscommon in August. Not up to better company at Listowel last time and opening mark asks for more.

Form: F-3215

Wild Hunt³⁸

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

5/1

Ended last season on an upward curve and shaped well when fourth of 12 in handicap hurdle at Listowel (24f, good, 8/1) on return 38 days ago. Should go well again.

Form: 02112-4

Ballyadam Destiny^p,t³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: D King⁽⁷⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 109

20/1

18/1, again ran below form when eleventh of 15 in handicap hurdle at Listowel (20f, good) 35 days ago.

Form: 3-44700

Non-Runners

The Big Galloper²⁶⁵

Weight: 11-8| Age: 8

T: C Byrnes J: Philip Byrnes

William of Wykeham⁴¹⁴

Weight: 10-12| Age: 7

T: M M McNiff J: Phillip Enright

Forecasts

Coventry (3/1), Moving Water (4/1), Merlin Giant (9/2), Wild Hunt (5/1), The Big Galloper (8/1), Espanito Bello (17/2), William of Wykeham (14/1), Starzov (16/1), Damalisque (16/1), Desertmore House (16/1), Bold Getaway (18/1), Ballyadam Destiny (20/1), Young Dev (22/1), Minella Escape (28/1), Mercury Lane (40/1), Futurum Regem (40/1), Prengarde (40/1), Champagne Platinum (50/1)

MERLIN GIANT landed a maiden at Galway in July that's worked out well and is open to further improvement now venturing into handicaps, so he's put forward as the answer. Coventry, Desertmore House and Moving Water are a trio of potential threats.