17:05 Fairyhouse

Saturday 8 April 2023

All14:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0517:40

RYBO Handicap Hurdle (Grade A)

Off time: 17:06 | Winning time: 4m 10.4s

Shanroe^t¹⁴¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Donagh Meyler| T: K Thornton| OR: 138| CD

28/1

C&D winner. 8/1, respectable second of 9 in handicap hurdle at Ascot (15.7f, good to soft) 141 days ago, keeping on run-in. Each-way claims with a repeat.

Form: 1241/0-2

Da Capo Glory⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr Darragh Allen⁽⁷⁾| T: Padraig Butler| OR: 135| D

9/1

Bumper/maiden hurdle winner and similar form in defeat both starts since, fourth in Grade 3 Red Mills Trial at Gowran in February. Remains open to improvement now handicapping and he's one to consider.

Form: 5/1713-4

Magnor Glory^h¹⁹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Mike O'Connor⁽⁵⁾| T: T O'Brien| OR: 134| D

22/1

Steadily progressive 7-y-o who surpassed previous form to land Listowel handicap (2m) in September, deserving of extra credit given he came from further back than other principals. Absent since but he may yet have more to offer on that evidence.

Form: 51-6101

Tax For Max^t²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 134| D

14/1

Latest win in hurdle at Punchestown in November. Eighteenth of 26 in handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (21f, soft, 40/1) 24 days ago. Back down in trip.

Form: 143160

Monbeg Park²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr B Lawless⁽⁷⁾| T: S Doyle| OR: 133| BF

8/1

Latest win in hurdle at Punchestown in November. Very good second of 11 in handicap hurdle at Down Royal (20f, heavy, 16/5) 22 days ago, keeping on to pull clear of remainder. Up 3 lb in what rates a stronger affair but he remains low-mileage.

Form: 3-213P2

Power Of Pause⁷⁰⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: J B Foley| T: W P Mullins| OR: 132

50/1

Latest win in hurdle at Punchestown in December 2020. Creditable sixth of 24 in handicap hurdle back at that venue in spring 2021. Unlikely to be lacking for fitness given connections and the market may prove a useful guide on belated return.

Form: 1134B6/

Horantzau D'airy^t³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 128| BF

16/1

Tongue strap on for 1st time, second of 13 in novice hurdle at Leopardstown (16f, good to soft, 5/6) 33 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 1/2-22

The Big Doyen⁵⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: K C Sexton| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 125| D

4/1

Promising sort. 13/2, 21¾ lengths last of 5 to Hunters Yarn in listed hurdle at Navan (16f, good to soft) 55 days ago, left poorly placed. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Looks competitive on form.

Form: 16-2D25

Wajaaha^p¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: L A McKenna⁽⁵⁾| T: P J McKenna| OR: 125| D

40/1

Flat/hurdles winner for Charles Byrnes late last year and better than bare result when seventh in Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso (16.2f) in March. Ran poorly back on the level at Navan later that month and bounce back called for now.

Form: 23/1227

Hey Johnny⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: T Mullins| OR: 121| D

11/1

Latest win in hurdle at Thurles in January. 4/1, good 5 lengths third of 18 to Little Mixup in handicap hurdle at Naas (15.5f, good to soft) 41 days ago. Present mark within reach on that evidence and he's not out of things.

Form: UP4153

Captains Nephew^t⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 119| D

14/1

Gambled on, much improved when winning 18-runner novice hurdle (17/2) at Clonmel (16f, heavy) 51 days ago, pushed out. More on his plate switched to a competitive handicap but it remains early days with him.

Form: 883571

Jazzy Matty^p,t²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: M J M O'Sullivan⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 127| CD

15/2

C&D winner. 2 wins from 5 runs this season. 18/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, career best when winning 21-runner Boodles Juvenile hurdle at Cheltenham (16.4f, soft) 25 days ago, staying on to lead dying strides. Big shout again if this doesn't come too soon.

Form: 521541

Little Mixup¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: M M McDonagh⁽⁵⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 119| D

28/1

3 wins from 7 runs this season. Respectable fifth of 14 in handicap hurdle (7/1) at Navan (16f, heavy) 19 days ago. Can give a good account without posing serious threat to principals.

Form: 011315

Risk Belle²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Mark Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 127

7/2

10/1, good neck third of 21 to Jazzy Matty in Boodles Juvenile hurdle at Cheltenham (16.4f, soft) 25 days ago. Has to be taken seriously.

Form: 1-154F3

Vultan^t⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: P J Carberry| T: A J Martin| OR: 119| D

80/1

Useful winner at 12f on Flat who built on hurdles debut effort to land Gowran maiden (2m) in October 2021 (final start for Joseph O'Brien). However, well held all 3 starts for this yard, 40 lengths thirteenth of 18 to Little Mixup in handicap hurdle at Naas (15.5f) 6 weeks ago.

Form: 21-0P0

Ballybawn Belter⁶²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss Liz Doyle| OR: 114| D

8/1

Career best when winning 22-runner handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (17.7f, good to soft, 16/1) 62 days ago, driven out. Open to further progress.

Form: 1-25751

Result Amended

Monbeg Park - Original Position 1st. Amended Position 2nd.

Risk Belle - Original Position 2nd. Amended Position 1st.

Forecasts

Risk Belle (7/2), The Big Doyen (4/1), Jazzy Matty (15/2), Monbeg Park (8/1), Ballybawn Belter (8/1), Da Capo Glory (9/1), Hey Johnny (11/1), Tax For Max (14/1), Captains Nephew (14/1), Horantzau D'airy (16/1), Magnor Glory (22/1), Little Mixup (28/1), Shanroe (28/1), Wajaaha (40/1), Power Of Pause (50/1), Vultan (80/1)

This could well go to one of the 4-y-os with RISK BELLE narrowly selected to come out on top. Third behind re-opposing Jazzy Matty in last month's Boodles Juvenile at the Cheltenham Festival, she was arguably deserving of extra credit having come from off the pace to briefly take up the lead and there should be more to come on the back of just 6 starts. Aforementioned Jazzy Matty rates a big threat however, along with The Big Doyen and Da Capo Glory.