15:30 Galway

Sunday 6 August 2023

All13:5014:2014:5515:3016:0016:3017:0017:30

Lord Hemphill Memorial Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:30 | Winning time: 4m 34.00s

Sole Pretender^b,e/s¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: R P Geoghegan⁽⁷⁾| T: N Lee| OR: 151| D

15/2

Unreliable sort. Eyeshields on for 1st time, blinkered for 1st time, career best when winning 11-runner handicap chase at Killarney (17f, good, 11/2) 16 days ago, kept up to work. Capable of going well again.

Form: 333-2R1

Mt Leinster^h,t²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 147| C

11/2

Tongue strap on for 1st time in this code, creditable second of 6 in minor event at this course (14.1f, good to soft, 10/3) 2 days ago.

Form: 4112/37-

Embittered^t¹⁴³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Mr H C Swan⁽⁵⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 140

14/1

Pulled up in handicap chase at Cheltenham (20.6f, soft, 66/1) 143 days ago, trip too far. Can bounce back.

Form: 38726P-

Hereditary Rule^t¹⁰²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: B W Harvey⁽³⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 138

12/1

Four wins from 10 runs last season. Career best when winning 9-runner handicap chase at Punchestown (21.2f, good to soft, 14/1) 102 days ago, driven out. Respected.

Form: 113001-

Hubrisko^t³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 137| C

5/2

Promising type. Second of 4 in novice chase at Wexford (19.8f, good to soft, 9/4) 30 days ago. Makes handicap chase debut. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 340-322

Vado Forte⁵⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-6| J: Sean Flanagan| T: R O'Sullivan| OR: 131| CD

10/1

C&D winner (won this last year for Gordon Elliott). Creditable third of 8 in handicap chase (10/1) at Punchestown (16f, good) 57 days ago. Merits consideration.

Form: 588U8-3

Barnacullia⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: M Mulvany| OR: 130| CD

11/2

C&D winner. Respectable fifth of 19 in handicap at this course (16.5f, good to soft, 22/1) 4 days ago. Switches from Flat to chase. Others more persuasive.

Form: 49244P-

Roseys Hollow³³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-2| J: Simon Torrens| T: Jonathan Sweeney| OR: 127| D

17/2

Didn't need to be at best when winning 5-runner novice chase (30/100) at Tipperary (16.8f, soft) 33 days ago, cruising clear. Makes handicap chase debut.

Form: 23-F321

Fighting Fit^t¹⁰¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Dempsey| OR: 123

33/1

22/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, pulled up in handicap chase at Punchestown (16f, good to soft) 101 days ago, pulled up early in straight.

Form: 211/5FP-

Pats Choice^b¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Danny Gilligan⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 122

10/1

Latest win in chase at Wexford in June. 4/1, creditable 9¼ lengths fourth of 11 to Sole Pretender in handicap chase at Killarney (17f, good) 16 days ago, slowly away.

Form: 22-2514

Charlie Stout^t⁶⁹

Age: 12| Weight: 10-0| J: K Callaghan⁽⁵⁾| T: S Nolan| OR: 116| CD

33/1

C&D winner. Latest win in chase at Wexford in March. Bit below form fourth of 8 in handicap chase at Ballinrobe (19.4f, good, 5/1) 69 days ago. Plenty to find on form.

Form: 20414-4

Benefit Run^p²⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 10-0| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: R O'Sullivan| OR: 106| D

50/1

Third of 15 in handicap hurdle (20/1) at Roscommon (15.5f, good to soft) 27 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase. Cheekpieces back on. Something to find on form.

Form: 2P254-3

Non-Runners

Dollar Value²³

Weight: 11-1| Age: 8

T: T G McCourt J: L A McKenna

Mr Saxobeat²

Weight: 10-0| Age: 7

T: T Gibney J: Darragh O'Keeffe

Forecasts

Hubrisko (5/2), Barnacullia (11/2), Mt Leinster (11/2), Sole Pretender (15/2), Roseys Hollow (17/2), Pats Choice (10/1), Vado Forte (10/1), Hereditary Rule (12/1), Embittered (14/1), Mr Saxobeat (14/1), Dollar Value (25/1), Fighting Fit (33/1), Charlie Stout (33/1), Benefit Run (50/1)

The unexposed HUBRISKO remains capable of better heading into handicaps so gets the vote. Vado Forte won this last year off 6 lb higher so must be respected for all he hasn't hit those heights for his current yard. Sole Pretender may have his quirks but he arrives on the back of a career-best win at Killarney under this rider.