15:45 Sligo

Sunday 9 July 2023

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5517:30

Friends Of Brian Mulligan Opportunity Handicap Hurdle (80-116)

Off time: 15:45 | Winning time: 4m 6.8s

The Big Chap^t²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁴⁾| T: P W Flynn| OR: 116| BF

9/2

Two wins from 5 runs last season. Pulled up in handicap hurdle (6/4) at Roscommon (20.7f, good to soft) 27 days ago. Had been in good form previously, so might well bounce back.

Form: 6221-3P

Bigz Belief^b,t¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: J Smith⁽⁴⁾| T: M J Smith| OR: 114| C

7/1

Fourteenth of 16 in handicap (4/1) at Limerick (11.3f, good) 16 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Fairly useful hurdler, improved to win on last hurdle outing. Should benefit from a return to this sphere.

Form: 0R07-51

Willyouwalkwithme²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: J P Shinnick⁽⁴⁾| T: H Smyth| OR: 109| CD

14/1

Course winner. Two wins from 6 runs last season. Respectable fourth of 8 in handicap hurdle at Downpatrick (17.3f, good, 7/2) 21 days ago. Not discounted.

Form: 091-424

Pont Audemer¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: Kieren Buckley| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 112

11/2

Winner in hurdle at Limerick in January. 8/1, creditable third of 9 in handicap at Ballinrobe (9.6f, good) on IRE flat debut 13 days ago. Has to be taken seriously.

Form: 00133-3

Garcon Doux⁶⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Cian Quirke⁽⁴⁾| T: P Fenton| OR: 104

7/1

8/1, below form eleventh of 18 in handicap hurdle at Cork (20f, good to soft) 64 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 90473-0

Alhaajeb³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Shane Fenelon⁽⁴⁾| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 98| C

22/1

Lightly-raced maiden over hurdles. Fair winner at 11f on Flat. Eighth of 10 in handicap hurdle (12/1) at Kilbeggan (16f, good to soft) 35 days ago. Others make more appeal.

Form: 36-78

Warm In Gorey^t²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: P J O'Hanlon| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 96

5/1

Career best when winning 10-runner handicap hurdle at Punchestown (19.6f, good, 11/2) 28 days ago, cosily. Should go well again.

Form: 752-021

Staging Post^b,t²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: M M McNiff| OR: 94| BF| C

9/4

Eleven runs since last win in 2021. 11/4, good second of 14 in handicap hurdle at this course (17.6f, good to soft) 26 days ago. Makes plenty of appeal.

Form: 0084-32

Woodstream Lad^b1²⁶²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Mike O'Connor| T: R K Watson| OR: 83

50/1

8/1, fourteenth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Thurles (15.7f, good to soft). Off 8 months. Blinkers on 1st time. Difficult ask.

Form: 0/08770-

So Easy Way¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: D Moloney⁽⁴⁾| T: I Madden| OR: 80| D

66/1

150/1, tenth of 12 in maiden at Ballinrobe (9.6f, good) on flat debut 13 days ago. Pulled up on last hurdle outing. Easy to look elsewhere.

Form: PP00-4P

Forecasts

Staging Post (9/4), The Big Chap (9/2), Warm In Gorey (5/1), Pont Audemer (11/2), Bigz Belief (7/1), Garcon Doux (7/1), Willyouwalkwithme (14/1), Alhaajeb (22/1), Woodstream Lad (50/1), So Easy Way (66/1)

WARM IN GOREY upped his game to run out a cosy winner at Punchestown last time and he's worth a chance to follow up at the possible expense of Staging Post, who arrives on the back of a good second. Pont Audemer is another one to consider.