Packie Downey Memorial Rated Novice Chase

Off time: 16:05 | Winning time: 4m 54.02s

Desert Friend²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Donagh Meyler| T: D Hogan| OR: 120

4/1

Promising type. Career best when winning 7-runner maiden chase at Clonmel (16.3f, good, 11/2) 25 days ago, well on top finish. Open to further progress and leading claims.

Form: 5534-61

Mr Saxobeat²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: T Gibney| D

11/4

Fairly useful hurdler. 13/8, winning start over fences in 4-runner maiden at Clonmel (20f, good) 25 days ago, pushed out. Should progress.

Form: 73P80-1

Sphagnum^p,t¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Simon Torrens| T: J P Broderick| OR: 116| D

11/1

Fairly useful effort when winning 6-runner maiden at Downpatrick (23.5f, good to soft, 7/1) 17 days ago, keeping on well. Has good chance on form.

Form: 2159-F1

Too Bright^t¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: L A McKenna⁽⁵⁾| T: N Meade| OR: 120| D

15/2

Fairly useful chaser. Won maiden at Kilbeggan in June. Respectable third of 6 in handicap (11/4) at Kilbeggan (19.4f, good) 15 days ago.

Form: 07-PF13

Dovlator³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: J J Slevin| T: D A McLoughlin| D

17/2

Fairly useful hurdler. Third of 5 in minor event hurdle (5/1) at Wexford (24f, good to soft) 34 days ago, having run of race. Makes chase debut.

Form: 12200-3

Hamundarson^p1,t³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 118

13/2

Fairly useful winner at 16f over hurdles. 28/1, sixth of 8 in novice chase at Ballinrobe (17f, good) 36 days ago. Bounce back needed in 1st time cheekpieces.

Form: 210/2-46

Railway Hurricane^b,t³²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Danny Mullins| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 119| C

7/2

Fairly useful hurdler/chaser. Twenty three runs since last win in 2020. Fourth of 7 in handicap chase (9/1) at Tramore (15.2f, good) 32 days ago. Back up in trip.

Form: 276P-44

Forecasts

Mr Saxobeat (11/4), Railway Hurricane (7/2), Desert Friend (4/1), Hamundarson (13/2), Too Bright (15/2), Dovlator (17/2), Sphagnum (11/1)

There should be more to come from DESERT FRIEND on the back of his smooth Clonmel maiden success and he could prove the answer to this rated novice. Mr Saxobeat and Sphagnum also arrive on the back of maiden chase wins last month and might give Denis Hogan's charge most to do.