17:30 Ballinrobe

Monday 29 May 2023

All16:3017:0017:3018:0018:3019:0019:30

McHale Mayo Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 17:30 | Winning time: 5m 34.01s

Merlin Giant³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Donagh Meyler| T: E Mullins| OR: 139| C

14/1

Promising type. Two wins from 5 runs last season. 14/1, thirteenth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (16.4f, good to soft) 34 days ago. Significantly back up in trip and he has a bigger performance in him.

Form: 17/1410-

Ambitious Fellow³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Sean Flanagan| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 133

20/1

Three wins from 7 runs last season. Fourteenth of 18 in handicap hurdle (40/1) at Punchestown (19.1f, good to soft) 30 days ago. Should strip fitter with that under his belt.

Form: 21B1P0-

Dollar Value¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: T G McCourt| OR: 132

33/1

Temperamental sort. Three wins from 7 runs last season. 16/1, sixteenth of 19 in handicap at Navan (13f, soft) 16 days ago, doing too much too soon. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Up in trip.

Form: 131163-

Power Of Pause³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 131

12/1

Pulled up in handicap hurdle (50/1) at Punchestown (19.1f, good to soft) 30 days ago, bad mistake proving costly.

Form: 34B6/7P-

Lunar Power^b³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: N J Ryan⁽⁷⁾| T: N Meade| OR: 129

33/1

66/1, eighteenth of 25 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (23.6f, good to soft) 32 days ago. Blinkers on first time.

Form: 284/930-

Purple Mountain¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: Brian Hayes| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 123

150/1

125/1, first run since leaving W. P. Mullins when thirteenth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Killarney (17f, good to soft) 15 days ago. Significantly up in trip.

Form: 160/3P-0

The Little Yank¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: Liam Quinlan⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 123| C

18/1

Course winner. Bit below form seventh of 16 in handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan (24.2f, good to soft, 22/1) 17 days ago, left with lot to do. Lurks on a dangerous mark if building on that.

Form: 735FF-7

Papal Lodge^b⁴⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Danny Mullins| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 120

33/1

Latest win in hurdle at Thurles in March. 16/1, sixteenth of 19 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (21.7f, soft) 49 days ago. Blinkers back on. Others more persuasive.

Form: 87/5610-

Troubled Times^t²³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: Phillip Enright| T: S Curling| OR: 118

11/4

Promising individual. Career best when winning 7-runner novice hurdle at Cork (19f, good to soft, 11/8) 23 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut and no surprise were there more to come.

Form: 14211-1

Gold Speed^h³³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-4| J: D F O'Regan| T: A Murray| OR: 117

15/2

9/1, creditable fourth of 25 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (19.8f, good to soft) 33 days ago, running on.

Form: U/24574-

A Great View^p³²

Age: 12| Weight: 10-3| J: C G O'Dwyer⁽⁵⁾| T: D Cullen| OR: 116

9/1

Seventeenth of 25 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (23.6f, good to soft, 28/1) 32 days ago. Cheekpieces replace blinkers and he needs to bounce back.

Form: 9P0600-

Run For Pat^b¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-3| J: C McGivern⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 116

25/1

Latest win in hurdle at Fairyhouse in January. Below form eighth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan (24.2f, good to soft, 10/1) 17 days ago.

Form: 21514-8

Prince Zaltar¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: P J O'Hanlon⁽⁵⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 115

7/1

Tongue strap on for first time, career best when winning 16-runner handicap hurdle at Killarney (20f, good, 9/2) 14 days ago, driven out.

Form: P2412-1

Tucson Train⁶⁰⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: J B Foley| T: T Mullins| OR: 115

25/1

Winner in hurdle at Tipperary in July 2021. Creditable fourth of 8 in handicap hurdle at Gowran (24f, good, 6/1). Off 20 months. Not easy to make a case for.

Form: 282164/

Lady Rita¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-1| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: Louise G Lyons| OR: 114| D

9/2

Sent on too soon when fourth of 16 in handicap hurdle (8/1) at Kilbeggan (24.2f, good to soft) 17 days ago. Needs treating as though still in form.

Form: 42/786-4

Fruit Blossom^p⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Danny Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 109

10/1

Cheekpieces on for first time, career best when winning 12-runner handicap hurdle (11/2) at Wexford (20f, good to soft) 9 days ago, readily. This is a deeper race but she merits respect.

Form: 70322-1

Non-Runners

Dancing Jeremy¹⁸

Weight: 10-0| Age: 8

T: J Fahey J: Reserve 1

Policy Breaker¹¹

Weight: 10-0| Age: 6

T: P J Gilligan J: Reserve 2

Forecasts

Troubled Times (11/4), Lady Rita (9/2), Prince Zaltar (7/1), Gold Speed (15/2), A Great View (9/1), Fruit Blossom (10/1), Power Of Pause (12/1), Merlin Giant (14/1), The Little Yank (18/1), Ambitious Fellow (20/1), Run For Pat (25/1), Tucson Train (25/1), Lunar Power (33/1), Dollar Value (33/1), Papal Lodge (33/1), Purple Mountain (150/1)

TROUBLED TIMES is a mare on the up and from a very fair-looking mark with the promise of more to come, she is the most persuasive option. Lady Rita ran well under the circumstances at Kilbeggan last time and needs treating as though still in top form, with Fruit Blossom completing the shortlist.