17:10 Galway

Tuesday 1 August 2023

All17:1017:4018:1018:4019:1519:5020:20

COLM QUINN BMW Novice Hurdle (Listed)

Off time: 17:10 | Winning time: 3m 49.8s

Absurde⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins

4/6

Smart performer on Flat, doing well under circumstances when second of 16 to Vauban in Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot in June, left with lot to do. Made a successful hurdling debut at KIlbeggan in May and is sure to improve.

Form: 1

Arctic Saint⁹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: D Moloney| T: Mrs G O'Connor

250/1

Thrice-raced maiden under NH rules. Last of 9 in novice hurdle at Warwick (19f, good to soft, 9/1) 96 days ago. First run for yard after leaving Kim Bailey. Very hard to make a case for.

Form: 029-

Sherodan⁶³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Sean Flanagan| T: Peter Fahey| D

16/1

Fairly useful in bumpers and ran to a similar level when second of 15 in maiden (7/2) at Ballinrobe (16.2f, good) on hurdles bow 63 days ago, clear of rest. Likely to improve.

Form: 12/2

Space Tourist⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: W P Mullins| D

11/2

Made the most of a good opportunity on her Limerick hurdling debut and showed improved form when following up with ease in 5-runner minor event at Kilbeggan (18.3f, good, 6/4) 43 days ago, pushed out. Merits consideration.

Form: 03/13-11

Williamstowndancer²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| D

5/1

Improved a little to make it 2 from 2 over hurdles in 8-runner minor event at Roscommon (15.5f, good to soft) 22 days ago, driven out. Open to further progress.

Form: 1R53-11

Arctic Fly⁵¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: W P Mullins| D

12/1

Fair bumper winner who needed only to match that form to score emphatically on her Punchestown hurdling bow (2m) 51 days ago. Open to improvement.

Form: 166-1

Calico^t⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 123| D

16/1

Proved better than ever when winning 8-runner novice hurdle at Ballinrobe (17f, good) 7 days ago, driven clear. This requires another jolt of improvement.

Form: 31-1521

Castra Vetera¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: Sam Ewing| T: J P O'Brien| D

25/1

Capitalised on the marked drop in grade after 3 months off when winning 16-runner maiden hurdle at Kilbeggan (19f, soft, 16/5) 18 days ago. This demands more.

Form: 1277/P-1

Enfranchise^t1²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Brian Hayes| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 123

16/1

Useful on the Flat and seemed to run her best race over hurdles when seventh of 13 in Grade 3 event (200/1) at Tipperary (16f, good) 26 days ago.

Form: 0-547

Forecasts

Absurde (4/6), Williamstowndancer (5/1), Space Tourist (11/2), Arctic Fly (12/1), Sherodan (16/1), Calico (16/1), Enfranchise (16/1), Castra Vetera (25/1), Arctic Saint (250/1)

Smart Flat performer ABSURDE shaped well behind his thrown-in stablemate Vauban at Royal Ascot in June and is very much of interest now returned to hurdles. He can make it 2 from 2 in this sphere, with Williamstowndancer and Space Tourist fancied to fill the places and bring up 1-2-3 for Willie Mullins.