17:35 Downpatrick

Friday 24 May 2024

All17:0517:3518:0518:3519:0519:3520:05

Frank And Brian Fitzsimons Memorial Handicap Hurdle (80-109)

Off time: 17:35 | Winning time: 4m 36.70s

Hidden Land^h¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr J C Barry⁽³⁾| T: A Kinirons| OR: 109| CD

6/1

C&D winner. Eleven runs since last win in 2022. Good third of 11 in handicap hurdle at this course (17.7f, good, 9/2) 14 days ago, faring best of those ridden prominently. Enters calculations.

Form: 7/5066-3

Winding River^p,t⁶⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Phillip Enright| T: O McKiernan| OR: 107| CD

5/1

C&D winner. 8/1, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Thurles (22.9f, heavy) 69 days ago, tailed off when pulled up before last. Cheekpieces back on.

Form: 0231/5P-

Bigz Belief^b,t⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: J Smith⁽⁷⁾| T: M J Smith| OR: 106

17/2

7/1, respectable fourth of 12 in claiming hurdle at Clonmel (19f, good to soft) 8 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 80U5P-4

Darkened^b,t¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: J S McGarvey| T: N C Kelly| OR: 106

20/1

Won on AW Flat for this yard in February. Respectable sixth of 14 in handicap at Sligo (10.6f, good to soft, 10/1) 19 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Dropped to a handy mark over hurdles.

Form: 005/468-

Willyouwalkwithme²⁵²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Keith Donoghue| T: H Smyth| OR: 106| C

25/1

Course winner. Sixth of 9 in handicap hurdle at this course (17.8f, soft, 12/1). Off 8 months. Rejoined trainer after leaving S. Wilson.

Form: 246F56-

Justicialism^b¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: R Deegan| T: Gerald Quinn| OR: 102

5/1

Fifteen runs since last win in 2022. Very good third of 15 in handicap hurdle (33/1) at this course (21.8f, good) 14 days ago. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 09F00-3

Lucky Storm^t¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Jordan Gainford| T: G Elliott| OR: 102

20/1

Creditable third of 14 in novice hurdle (18/1) at Tipperary (16.5f, good to soft) 15 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Top yard won the race last year. On the shortlist.

Form: 0F2P7-3

Jinxs Link⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: J J Slevin| T: M Rice| OR: 98

9/2

22/1, creditable fourth of 8 in maiden at Sligo (13.4f, good) 9 days ago, running on late. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Respectable on last hurdle run.

Form: 321506-

Golden Temple^b,t⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Sam Ewing| T: N Meade| OR: 102

18/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Pulled up in handicap hurdle (12/1) at Clonmel (16.2f, soft) 8 days ago, weakening after next. Blinkers back on, tongue strap back on.

Form: 4456-P

Fassbender^t¹²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Philip Byrnes⁽³⁾| T: M M McNiff| OR: 95| C

18/1

Course winner. Twelve runs since last win in 2022. 50/1, thirteenth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Gowran (16f, heavy) 120 days ago.

Form: 233970-

Ask The Leader²¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: D M Christie| OR: 92| CD

25/1

C&D winner. 28/1, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Sligo (17.5f, soft), pulled up before 2 out. Off 7 months.

Form: 4F00UP-

Baltinglass Hill^p¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Simon Torrens| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 91

10/1

Twelve runs since last win in 2021. Respectable fifth of 16 in handicap hurdle (18/1) at Ballinrobe (16.8f, good) 17 days ago. Cheekpieces back on.

Form: 02830-5

Sula Warrior³¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: Sean Flanagan| T: J G Cosgrave| OR: 90

25/1

33/1, below form eighth of 13 in handicap hurdle at this course (17.8f, good). Off 10 months. Can give a good account without posing serious threat to principals.

Form: 2515P/8-

The Riastrad^h⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: Ricky Doyle| T: D Kinsella| OR: 85

22/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Seventh of 11 in handicap hurdle (20/1) at Wexford (17.2f, heavy) 6 days ago, unable to sustain effort.

Form: 0006-7

Duchamps Art¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-3| J: Danny Mullins| T: Ms M Mullins| OR: 90

40/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Fifth of 17 in juvenile hurdle (150/1) at Cork (17.3f, good) 13 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Should have more to offer. One to note in the betting.

Form: 090-5

Forecasts

Jinxs Link (9/2), Winding River (5/1), Justicialism (5/1), Hidden Land (6/1), Bigz Belief (17/2), Baltinglass Hill (10/1), Golden Temple (18/1), Fassbender (18/1), Darkened (20/1), Lucky Storm (20/1), The Riastrad (22/1), Sula Warrior (25/1), Ask The Leader (25/1), Willyouwalkwithme (25/1), Duchamps Art (40/1)

JUSTICIALISM ran well in refitted blinkers here last time and might be the way to go if the headgear continues to have a positive effect. Hidden Land is another who is much respected on the back of a recent good effort at this venue. Gordon Elliott won this race last year and his handicap newcomer Lucky Storm completes the shortlist.