16:30 Galway

Thursday 3 August 2023

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

Guinness Novice Hurdle

Off time: 16:30 | Winning time: 4m 52.50s

What Path⁶⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| C

9/2

Promising type who posted a career best when winning 5-runner novice hurdle (6/5) at Kilbeggan (24.4f, good to soft) 60 days ago, comfortably. Looks competitive on form.

Form: 3/21P-11

All In Montmartre^t⁴⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead

33/1

Tongue strap on, won 15-runner novice hurdle at Downpatrick (18.8f, good, 20/1) on NH debut 46 days ago, pushed out. Should progress but he needs to here.

Form: P-1

Barry Lyndon⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: C D Maxwell| T: D A McLoughlin

25/1

Twice-raced winner over hurdles. 1¼ lengths second of 6 to Pink In The Park in minor event hurdle (4/1) at Wexford (16.7f, good) 43 days ago, flattered by proximity. Up in trip. Likely to improve.

Form: 12

Encanto Bruno²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: B W Harvey⁽³⁾| T: J C McConnell

85/40

Highly promising sort. 1/2, career best when winning 12-runner novice hurdle at Bellewstown (16.8f, good) on hurdles bow 26 days ago, easily. Up in trip. Open to significant progress so he's a big player.

Form: 1/110-1

Horantzau D'airy^t⁷²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 130

4/1

Useful hurdler who landed the odds in 16-runner novice hurdle at Punchestown (15.8f, good to soft) 72 days ago. Significantly up in trip. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 2/2234-1

The Big Doyen²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Kevin Sexton| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 125

11/2

Useful hurdler. Very easily landed the odds in 17-runner novice hurdle at Tipperary (20f, good to soft) 28 days ag. This demands more but he can't be discounted.

Form: 2D259-1

The Short Go^h⁸⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead

13/2

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles who comfortably took 15-runner novice hurdle at Killarney (20f, good, 4/9) 80 days ago. Open to improvement and merits plenty of respect.

Form: 32/23-1

Pink In The Park⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 125

7/1

Fairly useful hurdler. Career best when winning 6-runner minor event hurdle at Wexford (16.7f, good, 2/5) 43 days ago by 1¼ lengths from Barry Lyndon. Needs considering.

Form: 2253-11

Non-Runners

Gortmillish²¹

Weight: 11-7| Age: 7

T: G Elliott J: Jack Kennedy

Ochocinco⁶²

Weight: 11-4| Age: 5

T: Colm Murphy J: L A McKenna

Black Samurai⁶³⁵

Weight: 11-0| Age: 9

T: S Aherne J: Sean O'Keeffe

Forecasts

Encanto Bruno (85/40), Horantzau D'airy (4/1), What Path (9/2), The Big Doyen (11/2), The Short Go (13/2), Pink In The Park (7/1), Gortmillish (10/1), Ochocinco (14/1), Barry Lyndon (25/1), All In Montmartre (33/1), Black Samurai (33/1)

Lots of potential on show, not least from John McConnell's ENCANTO BRUNO who created a highly favourable impression when going in on his hurdling debut at Bellewstown. This smart bumper winner can take a big step forward here and fend off the Willie Mullins-trained duo What Path and Horantzau d'Airy who both bring better form to the table and are hugely respected. Henry de Bromhead's The Short Go completes the shortlist in a fascinating contest.