16:05 Galway

Sunday 30 October 2022

All12:4013:1513:5014:2014:5515:3016:0516:35

Kirby Group Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:09 | Winning time: 3m 58.70s

Groody Rover⁹⁵⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: J P Shinnick⁽⁷⁾| T: P Fenton| OR: 128| D

40/1

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles. Career best when winning 10-runner handicap hurdle (7/1) at Down Royal (19.5f, heavy) back in March 2020. Absent since and betting likely to prove the best guide here.

Form: 317011/

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Garrybello¹⁹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: T Cooper| OR: 125

14/1

Fairly useful form when winning both completed starts in France and he may have needed first start for new yard in Grade 2 at Fairyhouse back in the spring. Switch to handicaps a plus on return and interesting what the market makes of him.

Form: 1F1P-

Cerberus²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Mark Walsh| T: A Leahy| OR: 123| D

25/1

Fifteen runs since last win in 2019. 80/1, eighth of 13 in handicap hurdle at Tipperary (16f, good) 28 days ago. Not taken lightly.

Form: 4604P-8

Blanketontheground³⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: Gary Noonan⁽⁷⁾| T: E McCarthy| OR: 119| D

4/1

Good third of 15 in handicap hurdle at Listowel (20f, good, 8/1) 36 days ago, plugging on straight. No reason why he won't give another good account in present groove.

Form: 1/R-4333

Mount Brown^p1²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: B J Cooper| T: N Meade| OR: 119| D

4/1

Good third of 13 in handicap hurdle at Tipperary (16f, good, 11/2) 28 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 95127-3

The Dasher Conway²²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: L P Dempsey| T: Mrs G Callaghan| OR: 115| D

6/1

Latest win in hurdle at Clonmel (16.4f) in May. 17/2, good second of 12 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, good) 22 days ago. Can make presence felt.

Form: 07-1802

Takarengo⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: J M Moore| T: T Mullins| OR: 111| D

13/2

33/1, fifteenth of 16 in handicap at Leopardstown (12f, soft) 15 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Can give a good account without posing serious threat to principals.

Form: 46310/7-

Fortunedefortunata²²³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: D F O'Regan| T: G Elliott| OR: 109| D

5/1

Twice-raced winner over hurdles. 4/1, fourth of 7 in novice hurdle at Southwell (15.8f, good to soft). Off 7 months. First run for yard after leaving David Bridgwater. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 14-

Grange Walk¹⁸⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: M J M O'Sullivan⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 109| BF| D

9/2

Running below form when fell in handicap chase (11/4) at Punchestown (16f, good to soft) when last seen in April. Switches back to smaller obstacles on return.

Form: 1F22FF-

Staging Post^t¹²²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Phillip Enright| T: M M McNiff| OR: 108| D

50/1

Fair winner at 18f in bumpers. Pulled up in handicap hurdle (50/1) at Tipperary (20f, good to soft) in June, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out. Absent again since and he's not the easiest to assess.

Form: 30/144-P

Non-Runners

Clifton Warrior³⁷

Weight: 11-9| Age: 6

T: H De Bromhead J: Non Runner

Explosive Boy³⁷

Weight: 10-5| Age: 8

T: A J Martin J: P J Carberry

Forecasts

Blanketontheground (4/1), Mount Brown (4/1), Grange Walk (9/2), Fortunedefortunata (5/1), The Dasher Conway (6/1), Takarengo (13/2), Clifton Warrior (10/1), Garrybello (14/1), Cerberus (25/1), Explosive Boy (25/1), Groody Rover (40/1), Staging Post (50/1)

MOUNT BROWN picked up where he left off when finishing a good third over this trip at Tipperary 4 weeks ago and, as a low-mileage 5-y-o, he could well be the way to go with the prospect of a little more to come. Explosive Boy caught the ey on return over fences on his latest outing and is worth a look, along with The Dasher Conway.