14:10 Listowel

Wednesday 20 September 2023

All14:1014:4515:1515:5016:2517:0017:35

McSweeney Brothers Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 14:11 | Winning time: 4m 14.0s

Ballycallan King^p⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Conor Clarke⁽⁷⁾| T: Barry J Fitzgerald

9/2

Modest maiden on the Flat. 7/2, failed to reproduce the form of his second at Roscommon the previous month when fifth of 14 in maiden hurdle there (15.3f, good to soft) 43 days ago. Needs to bounce back but that's entirely possible.

Form: PP64/25

Dorans Law¹⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: M Hourigan

5/2

Showed ability first time up when ninth of 18 in bumper (100/1) at Punchestown (18f, good to soft) 5 months ago. Makes hurdles debut.

Form: 9-

Enoughofthat¹⁵⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: E M O'Sullivan

200/1

Well held in a trio of maiden hurdles, latest 5 months ago. Back down in trip.

Form: 900-

Hell Left Loose^t⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Flanagan| T: Vincent Carroll

125/1

Fair at best on Flat (stays 1m), little recent form. Tough to see him featuring on hurdles bow.

Form:

Jimmy De Giant²⁶⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Phillip Enright| T: Robert Widger

33/1

14/1, offered little when seventh of 8 in bumper at Limerick (16f, heavy) on debut 8 months ago. Makes hurdles debut on first start for yard after leaving John Joseph Hanlon.

Form: 7-

Must Meet At Mals

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁵⁾| T: Patrick J Hassett

100/1

Mustameet gelding. Half-brother to modest hurdler Bouncing Betty. Dam, 1m winner, half-sister to bumper winner/fairly useful hurdler (stayed 2½m) Fontaine Lodge.

Form:

Oogum Boogum

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr E T Mellerick⁽⁷⁾| T: D Budds

33/1

Ocovango gelding. Dam (h82), winning pointer, sister to fairly useful hurdler/useful chaser (stayed 25f) King of The Wolds. Check betting.

Form:

River Vale¹⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: A P Heskin| T: M Winters

16/1

€28,000 3-y-o, Mahler gelding. Brother to bumper winner/fairly useful 2½m hurdle winner Abuffalosoldier. Off mark in points at third attempt (May 1) and worth a peek in the betting.

Form: 22-1

Shotgun Jack²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: C G O'Dwyer⁽⁵⁾| T: P G Kelly

40/1

Well held in bumper/maiden hurdles and looks a longer-term project.

Form: 6-00

Squire Ohara⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: P J Carberry| T: A J Martin

18/1

66/1, seventh of 14 in maiden hurdle at Roscommon (15.3f, good to soft) on debut 43 days ago. Looks one for handicaps at longer trips later on.

Form: 33-7

The Shantou King^p,t¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: M M McDonagh⁽⁵⁾| T: Aengus King

11/1

Fair bumper performer who ran to a modest level in completing for the first time over hurdles when seventh of 14 in maiden at Kilbeggan (16f, good, 10/1) 12 days ago.

Form: 044527

Cloudy Fountain³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr Alan O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: W J Burke| OR: 86

12/1

Shaped better than the distance beaten suggested when sixth of 14 in maiden hurdle at Tramore (21f, heavy, 15/2) 33 days ago, weakening when jumped badly left 2 out. Back down in trip.

Form: P1F-456

Ladybela^h³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: A McCurtin| T: P Kiely

150/1

Little impact in pair of bumpers and similar story on hurdles bow at Tramore (16f, heavy) 33 days ago.

Form: 80-0

Missus Beeton²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Shane Fitzgerald| T: S Nolan

6/1

Showed much improved form despite shaping as though having a bit still to learn when excellent fourth of 10 in minor event hurdle at Bellewstown (17.2f, good, 125/1) 3 weeks ago. Big player back in maiden company.

Form: 0-00674

Mountain Fame¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: E Walsh⁽³⁾| T: D Murphy

150/1

Well beaten in 2 bumpers and fared no better sent hurdling at Wexford (24f, soft) recently. Can only be watched.

Form: 800

Vadsa Queen²⁸

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

11/4

Fairly useful winner at 17f in bumpers. Strong in the betting but proved a let-down sent hurdling when tenth of 13 in maiden (5/6) at Sligo (17.4f, good to soft) on hurdles bow 4 weeks ago. Should do better.

Form: 2/5-10

Forever Frankie⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: S Aherne

80/1

Modest in bumpers, ran below that level sent hurdling when eleventh of 15 in maiden at Galway (16.6f, soft, 40/1) 9 days ago. RESERVE.

Form: 060/9-60

Non-Runners

Willie The Coo⁴

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: A J Martin J: Non Runner

Wisteria Bloom³⁶³

Weight: 11-12| Age: 5

T: G Elliott J: Jack Kennedy

Sunwalk⁷¹

Weight: 11-12| Age: 5

T: S Neville J: Reserve 2

Fast Medicine²⁶

Weight: 11-12| Age: 5

T: J J Hanlon J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Dorans Law (5/2), Vadsa Queen (11/4), Ballycallan King (9/2), Wisteria Bloom (11/2), Missus Beeton (6/1), Fast Medicine (8/1), The Shantou King (11/1), Cloudy Fountain (12/1), River Vale (16/1), Squire Ohara (18/1), Oogum Boogum (33/1), Jimmy De Giant (33/1), Shotgun Jack (40/1), Sunwalk (50/1), Willie The Coo (66/1), Forever Frankie (80/1), Must Meet At Mals (100/1), Hell Left Loose (125/1), Ladybela (150/1), Mountain Fame (150/1), Enoughofthat (200/1)

Bumper winner VADSA QUEEN disappointed making her hurdling debut at Sligo 4 weeks ago but she was well supported that day, so Willie Mullins' 5-y-o is worth another chance in a race that looks to contain plenty of dead wood. Missus Beeton ran a cracker at a huge price at Bellewstown 3 weeks ago and she would be a huge threat if translating that form back in maiden company, with Wisteria Bloom and Ballycallan King another couple to consider.