14:10 Galway

Thursday 3 August 2023

All14:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0517:4018:10

Guinness Beginners Chase

Off time: 14:10 | Winning time: 5m 42.5s

Grozni⁴⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr R W Barron⁽⁷⁾| T: C Byrnes| D

11/4

Fairly useful hurdler. Three wins from 11 runs last season. Caught the eye when third on chase debut in May but not in the same form when fourth of 7 in novice chase at Kilbeggan (19.4f, good, 6/1) 45 days ago, unsuited by drop in trip.

Form: 124-534

I Am Rocco¹⁸⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Phillip Enright| T: B McMahon

100/1

Modest hurdler. Creditable sixth of 14 in novice hurdle (15/2) at Fairyhouse (20.4f, soft). Off 6 months. Makes chase debut. First run for yard after leaving W. P. Mullins.

Form: 47/4P46-

Joyeux Machin^t²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Flanagan| T: P Nolan

2/1

Useful winner at 24f over hurdles. 11/4, third of 4 in novice chase at Wexford (19.8f, good to soft) on debut over fences 27 days ago, held back by a bad mistake. Expected to build on that.

Form: 1P50-13

Mars Harper^p²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Sam Ewing| T: G Elliott| OR: 131

11/2

Useful chaser. Eighteen runs since last win in 2021. Good second of 7 in novice chase (13/2) at this course (18.2f, good to soft) here on Tuesday. Claims with a repeat if allowed to take his chance.

Form: 9206-F2

Sir Argus⁹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins

11/4

Useful hurdler. 16/1, good third of 25 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (23.6f, good to soft) 98 days ago, left poorly placed. Makes chase debut for top yard so a must for the shortlist.

Form: 3F2213-

Jungle Prose^p¹³

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

15/2

Useful winner at 25f over hurdles. Second of 7 in novice chase at Kilbeggan (19f, soft, 5/1) on debut over fences 13 days ago, taking a while to warm to her task over inadequate 19f. More to come upped in trip.

Form: 140-2P2

Non-Runners

Another Choice¹

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: M J Smith J: Keith Donoghue

Pearl Of The West²⁰

Weight: 11-5| Age: 9

T: J C McConnell J: B W Harvey

Forecasts

Joyeux Machin (2/1), Sir Argus (11/4), Grozni (11/4), Mars Harper (11/2), Jungle Prose (15/2), Pearl Of The West (10/1), Another Choice (14/1), I Am Rocco (100/1)

JOYEUX MACHIN's opening effort over fences at Wexford a month ago was full of promise and he's fancied to build on that and open his account. Sir Argus is sure to be well prepared for this chase debut and is a big threat, along with Mars Harper if he's allowed to take his chance.