14:32 Galway

Saturday 28 October 2023

All13:5714:3215:0715:4216:1716:5217:22

Connolly's RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 14:32 | Winning time: 4m 10.6s

Release The Beast

Age: 4| Weight: 11-11| J: Sean Flanagan| T: P Nolan

1/1

€40,000 3-y-o, Affinisea gelding. Half-brother to fair hurdler She's Commanche. Dam (h95) 2½m hurdle winner. Makes some appeal on paper and wouldn't need to be anything out of the ordinary to make an impact.

Form:

Makaela's Choice^h²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: T Mullins

16/1

Down the field in bumpers and showed only a bit when fifth of 12 in maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, soft) 26 days ago.

Form: 57570-5

Captain Dillon²⁷⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: Phillip Enright| T: S Curling

80/1

18/1, considerate introduction when twelfth of 14 in maiden hurdle at Limerick (16f, soft) on NH debut. Off 9 months.

Form: 0-

Jouster²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: Ricky Doyle| T: G P Cromwell

33/1

Maiden pointer who offered little when well held on hurdling debut at Gowran (16f, heavy) 29 days ago.

Form: 447-0

The Lucky Lobster

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽³⁾| T: D Queally

16/1

€20,000 3-y-o, Yorgunnabelucky gelding. Half-brother to a point winner, and smart hurdler/useful chaser War Sound and modest hurdler Allbarkanobite. Needs a market check-on debut in an ordinary affair.

Form:

Upthereforthinking³³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: Alix Balfe⁽⁷⁾| T: G P Cromwell

28/1

Went backwards from an encouraging hurdling debut when ninth in 12-runner maiden (12/1) at Roscommon (15.9f, soft) 33 days ago. Needs to get back on track.

Form: 469

Mac's Xpress³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: J G Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Gilligan| OR: 97

5/1

Fair maiden who ran respectably when third of 14 in handicap hurdle at Listowel (20f, soft) 35 days ago. Should give another good account.

Form: 50F533

Ollie La Ba Ba^t¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: T Joseph Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: E McCarthy

11/4

Built on hurdling debut effort at second attempt when runner-up in 14-runner maiden at Cork (20.4f, good to soft) 13 days ago, running on. Sets a clear standard.

Form: P-P562

Safran Et Bleu

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: J J Doyle| T: P M J Doyle

14/1

€12,500 3-y-o, Youmzain gelding. Half-brother to 4 winners, including useful hurdler/smart chaser Court Maid and useful bumper winner/useful hurdler Sheamus. Dam maiden hurdler.

Form:

Forecasts

Release The Beast (1/1), Ollie La Ba Ba (11/4), Mac's Xpress (5/1), Safran Et Bleu (14/1), Makaela's Choice (16/1), The Lucky Lobster (16/1), Upthereforthinking (28/1), Jouster (33/1), Captain Dillon (80/1)

OLLIE LA BA BA built on his hurdling debut promise at the second attempt when runner-up at Cork 13 days ago and this looks an excellent opportunity for him to go one better. Mac's Express is fully exposed but is still expected to provide the main threat ahead of newcomer Release The Beast.