14:50 Gowran Park

Saturday 26 November 2022

All12:0012:3513:0513:4014:1514:5015:20

Glanbia Novice Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:51 | Winning time: 4m 22.90s

Enchanted Magic²⁸⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 120| CD

6/4

20/1, won 16-runner C&D juvenile hurdle (heavy) on debut in February. Has switched from Eoin Doyle to Willie Mullins. Could be very useful.

Form: 1-

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Backintheroom⁷

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

50/1

Twice-raced winner over hurdles. C&D winner. Last of 6 in minor event hurdle (20/1) at Punchestown (16.1f, good to soft) 7 days ago, possibly amiss when. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Uphill task.

Form: 1-6

Rodney Bay¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Jordan Gainford| T: Joseph Murray| OR: 113

10/1

Winner in hurdle at Downpatrick in October. 9/1, creditable third of 23 in handicap hurdle at Navan (16f, soft) 13 days ago.

Form: 235123

Itwasfate²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 112

9/1

4/1, fourth of 6 in novice hurdle at Wexford (16.4f, heavy) 26 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut. C

Form: 24-F214

Hey Johnny¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Danny Mullins| T: T Mullins| OR: 110| BF| D

11/4

Promising individual. Won comfortably from Marelly at Clonmel last month. Unseated early in handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (16.4f, good, 7/2) since. Remains open to improvement. Likely to have a big say.

Form: 008-31U

Marelly³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: R Deegan| T: E McCarthy| OR: 101

8/1

Good 2¼ lengths second of 16 to Hey Johnny in handicap hurdle at Clonmel (16.5f, heavy, 7/2) 30 days ago, no match for winner. Each-way claims.

Form: 060622

McGrath From Clune²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Phillip Enright| T: R Tyner| OR: 99

16/1

Thrice-raced maiden. 50/1, fifth of 8 in novice hurdle at Galway (16.4f, heavy) 28 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Potential improver.

Form: 70-5

Astrophysicist^p,t¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-3| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁵⁾| T: J Nash| OR: 97| C

33/1

Cheekpieces on for 1st time in this code, below form eleventh of 19 in handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (16.4f, good, 66/1) 15 days ago, doing too much too soon.

Form: 906460

Champ Royal²⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-3| J: Sarah Kavanagh⁽⁷⁾| T: Colm Murphy| OR: 97| BF

10/1

10/3, below form ninth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Naas (19f, good to soft). Off 8 months.

Form: 94/8439-

A Mere Bagatelle⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Sam Ewing| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 90

22/1

Bit below form fifth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (16f, heavy, 8/1) 4 days ago.

Form: 344635

Fongs Way^t⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Cian Quirke⁽⁷⁾| T: T J Nagle-Jr| OR: 90

25/1

22/1, fourth of 12 in handicap hurdle at Cork (16f, soft) 6 days ago.

Form: 9/500-P4

Non-Runners

Benz¹⁷

Weight: 10-13| Age: 4

T: G Elliott J: Jack Kennedy

Forecasts

Enchanted Magic (6/4), Hey Johnny (11/4), Marelly (8/1), Benz (8/1), Itwasfate (9/1), Champ Royal (10/1), Rodney Bay (10/1), McGrath From Clune (16/1), A Mere Bagatelle (22/1), Fongs Way (25/1), Astrophysicist (33/1), Backintheroom (50/1)

C&D debut winner ENCHANTED MAGIC lacks experience but he could have plenty more to offer for new trainer Willie Mullins and gets the nod, with confidence increased should the betting vibes be strong. Hey Johnny can confirm Clonmel superiority over Marelly and give the selection most to think about.