16:10 Wexford

Friday 31 March 2023

All16:1016:4017:1017:4018:1018:4019:10

Connolly's RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 16:10 | Winning time: 5m 49.0s

Demandrivingdouvan¹²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr B Dunleavy⁽⁷⁾| T: Mary Ellen Doyle| BF

15/8

Point/bumper winner who shaped with encouragement when fourth in 14-runner Punchestown maiden (21.7f) on hurdles bow in November. Entitled to do better in this sphere and one to consider on debut for new yard.

Form: 1-214

Applicationofcash^h1,t1¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Phillip Enright| T: S Curling

66/1

€11,000 3-y-o, Hillstar gelding. Half-brother to a point winner. Dam (h80), maiden hurdler, half-sister to fairly useful chaser (33f winner) Treo Eile. Wears tongue strap. Pulled up both starts in points (latest Mar 19).

Form: PP

Arthor^t¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Mike O'Connor⁽⁵⁾| T: J J Mangan| OR: 102

14/1

Fair hurdler. Remains a maiden after 7 hurdle runs. Below form fifth of 16 in novice hurdle at Thurles (16f, soft, 4/1) 13 days ago, soon beaten. Up in trip.

Form: 0-95355

Free Flowing¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: R P Geoghegan⁽⁷⁾| T: N Lee

7/2

€13,000 3-y-o, Sans Frontieres gelding. Last of 5 finishers only start in points but offered plenty sent hurdling when second of 16 in novice hurdle at Thurles (16f, soft) on NH debut 13 days ago. shaken up home turn and keeping on. Player with improvement expected.

Form: 5-2

John W Creasy³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: D E Mullins| T: Ms M Mullins

14/1

Twice-raced maiden under NH rules. Tenth of 14 in novice hurdle at Fairyhouse (16.5f, good to soft, 11/2) on hurdles bow 34 days ago. Up in trip.

Form: 5-440

Ik's Man^t²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: M J M O'Sullivan⁽⁵⁾| T: T O'Brien

11/4

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. Creditable fifth of 18 in novice hurdle at Clonmel (18.7f, soft, 7/2) 29 days ago. Pick of her form gives her sound claims of being in the mix.

Form: 336245

Power Hour²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: T N Brett⁽⁷⁾| T: M A Gunn

8/1

Modest hurdler. 10/1, creditable fourth of 8 in bumper at this course (16f, good to soft) 26 days ago. Switches from bumpers to hurdles. Up in trip.

Form: 3/656-54

Crossgales Ophelia⁴³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Mr J W Hendrick⁽⁷⁾| T: Brendan Walsh| OR: 98| C

12/1

25/1 and tongue strap on for 1st time, pulled up in novice hurdle at Clonmel (18.9f, heavy) 43 days ago, losing place from 3 out and pulled up 2 out. Needs to get back on track here.

Form: B444-9P

Alainn Abbey³³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-3| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: E Sheehy

80/1

€2,200 3-y-o, Workforce filly. Dam unraced half-sister to fair hurdler/modest chaser (winner up to 3m) Spring Charm and fair but temperamental hurdler (2m winner) Petrosian. Pulled up both starts in points (latest Feb 26).

Form: PP

Forecasts

Demandrivingdouvan (15/8), Ik's Man (11/4), Free Flowing (7/2), Power Hour (8/1), Crossgales Ophelia (12/1), John W Creasy (14/1), Arthor (14/1), Applicationofcash (66/1), Alainn Abbey (80/1)

FREE FLOWING displayed plenty of ability when runner-up in a Thurles maiden on hurdles debut recently and with progress anticipated, including now tackling this longer trip, he gets the nod to build on that and go one place better. Demandrivingdouvan rates a big threat though judged on his exploits for Gordon Elliott, with Ik's Man completing the shortlist.