18:40 Bellewstown

Wednesday 30 August 2023

All16:0516:3517:0517:4018:1018:4019:1019:40

John Purfield Memorial Handicap Hurdle (80-95) (Div 1)

Off time: 18:39 | Winning time: 4m 12.0s

Alhaajeb^t³

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: J S McGarvey| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 95

20/1

Lightly-raced maiden over hurdles. Fair winner at 11f on flat. Eighth of 10 in handicap hurdle (22/1) at Sligo (16.9f, good) 52 days ago. Tongue strap on 1st time over jumps.

Form: 36-788

Got Grey^p1,t¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-11| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 95

16/1

Thirteenth of 16 in handicap hurdle (5/1) at Ballinrobe (16.6f, good) 16 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time.

Form: 000-F60

Mater Matuta^p,t¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Jordan Gainford| T: E D Delany| OR: 91| C

9/2

Won this race 12 months ago. Possibly unsuited by very testing ground when below-form fifth of 12 in handicap hurdle (9/2) at Tramore (16f, heavy) 12 days ago, unable to sustain effort. Shortlist material.

Form: 328-625

Mr Globalist^p¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: J J Slevin| T: S Slevin| OR: 94

10/1

9/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, bit below form fourth of 15 in novice hurdle at Tramore (16f, good) 13 days ago. Looks competitive on form.

Form: P58-374

Is That So¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Eoin G Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: A Murray| OR: 90

33/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. Ninth of 12 in handicap hurdle (66/1) at Tramore (16f, heavy) 12 days ago.

Form: 0/0-059

Applejack Poet¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: T P Harney⁽⁷⁾| T: Liz Doyle| OR: 89

9/2

Creditable fourth of 14 in handicap hurdle (8/1) at Kilbeggan (16f, good to soft) 18 days ago.

Form: 900-974

Neev's Dream^t¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: T Gibney| OR: 88

9/2

11/2, bit below form sixth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan (16f, good to soft) 18 days ago. Creditable fourth on reappearance prior to that. Merits consideration.

Form: 0708-46

Chequer Square^t¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: Phillip Enright| T: P J Gilligan| OR: 90

25/1

18/1, twelfth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe (16.6f, good) 16 days ago.

Form: 79-P050

Steps In The Sand²³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: E Walsh⁽³⁾| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 89

11/2

Lightly-raced maiden over hurdles. Modest winner at 12f on flat. 16/1, creditable fourth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Cork (18.7f, good to soft) 23 days ago.

Form: U0-734

Rene Artois¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁵⁾| T: J Nash| OR: 88

40/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Twelfth of 15 in novice hurdle at Tramore (16f, good, 80/1) 13 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Potential improver.

Form: 690

Aegirine²³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: E M O'Sullivan| OR: 87

20/1

18/1, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Cork (18.7f, good to soft) 23 days ago, not fluent 4 out.

Form: 000-56P

Be My Hero²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 82

9/2

Remains a maiden after 16 NH runs. 12/1, creditable fifth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Sligo (17.8f, good to soft) 20 days ago. Respected for top trainer/jockey pairing.

Form: 07-6285

Sayitfirst²³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: D Moloney⁽⁷⁾| T: D Collins| OR: 80

18/1

18/1, thirteenth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Cork (18.7f, good to soft) 23 days ago.

Form: 000-060

Non-Runners

I Am The Sea¹⁰

Weight: 11-4| Age: 4

T: P M Cloke J: Sean O'Keeffe

Karloss²⁸¹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 6

T: C Byrnes J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Karloss (4/1), Applejack Poet (9/2), Be My Hero (9/2), Mater Matuta (9/2), Neev's Dream (9/2), Steps In The Sand (11/2), Mr Globalist (10/1), I Am The Sea (14/1), Got Grey (16/1), Sayitfirst (18/1), Aegirine (20/1), Alhaajeb (20/1), Chequer Square (25/1), Is That So (33/1), Rene Artois (40/1)

MATER MATUTA had very testing ground as a possible excuse for her below-par fifth at Tramore 12 days ago and might be able to notch a second successive win in this contest under Jordan Gainford. Neev's Dream is second choice ahead of Gordon Elliott's Be My Hero. Karloss is one who would also enter the reckoning if the market speaks in his favour on this first outing for Charles Byrnes.