16:50 Sligo

Sunday 7 July 2024

All13:3014:0014:3515:0515:4016:1516:5017:25

Sligo Park Hotel Handicap Hurdle (80-109)

Off time: 16:50 | Winning time: 6m 20.8s

Benny The Duke^p²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Niall Moore⁽⁷⁾| T: R P Cody| OR: 109

25/1

Blinkered for 1st time, fifth of 14 in novice chase at Kilbeggan (20.2f, good to soft, 200/1) on debut over fences 20 days ago, going in snatches. Switches from chase to hurdles with more required.

Form: 650/0P5

Mr Dibbs³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Eoin G Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: A Murray| OR: 107

8/1

Career best when winning 16-runner novice hurdle at Kilbeggan (20.1f, good, 4/1) 35 days ago. Up in trip for his handicap hurdle debut. Well in the mix.

Form: 2874-81

Outside The Door^p²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Peter Smithers⁽⁷⁾| T: P Roche| OR: 106

11/1

Twelfth of 16 in handicap chase (7/1) at Roscommon (25.2f, good) 27 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Cheekpieces back on. Can give a good account if shrugging off latest effort.

Form: 8562U-0

Western Comandor²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: J S McGarvey| T: A McNamara| OR: 105

80/1

Twelve runs since last win in 2023. 11/1, ninth of 11 in handicap chase at Downpatrick (19.4f, good) 22 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Significantly back up in trip.

Form: 53P6-P9

Housemartin^t⁵²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Phillip Enright| T: E J O'Grady| OR: 104

22/1

One win from 3 runs last season. 9/1, below form tenth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Clonmel (19f, soft) 52 days ago. Significantly up in trip. Others more persuasive.

Form: 80/120-0

I Am Spider Man²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Philip Byrnes⁽³⁾| T: C Byrnes| OR: 104| C

4/1

Career best when winning 13-runner handicap hurdle at this course (20.7f, good to soft, 9/4) 26 days ago. Up in trip. Can make his presence felt.

Form: 306-491

Sphagnum^p,t²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Dillon Maxwell⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Broderick| OR: 104| C

7/1

Course winner. Creditable fifth of 16 in handicap chase at Roscommon (25.2f, good, 12/1) 27 days ago, left poorly placed. Much respected reverted to hurdles.

Form: 40FP-F5

Glendine Billy³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Danny Mullins| T: A Mullins| OR: 101

7/2

Good 12 lengths second of 13 to Early Arrival in handicap hurdle at Tramore (21.8f, good to soft, 10/1) 36 days ago, running on. Can go well again.

Form: 0470-32

Early Arrival³⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: K Callaghan⁽⁵⁾| T: J Barcoe| OR: 100

7/1

Career best when winning 13-runner handicap hurdle (4/1) at Tramore (21.8f, good to soft) 36 days ago by 12 lengths from Glendine Billy, kept up to work. Merits consideration.

Form: 0029-21

The Abbey^b1⁵⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 11-5| J: Danny Gilligan⁽³⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 100| D

20/1

12/1, tenth of 15 in handicap chase at Killarney (26f, good to soft) 56 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Blinkers on 1st time.

Form: 98544-0

Tom Kelly²⁰⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: H Morgan| T: Jayne Hearne| OR: 97

25/1

25/1, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (23.9f, heavy), Off 6 months and needs to hit the ground running.

Form: P/3447P-

Amaulino^v,t⁸⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-0| J: Daire James McConville⁽⁷⁾| T: R K Watson| OR: 95

100/1

Sixteen runs since last win in 2019. Ninth of 11 in handicap chase at Down Royal (26.2f, good to soft, 66/1) 84 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles.

Form: 7P/P5P9-

Miss Vivacious²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: T Gibney| OR: 94

25/1

Pulled up in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (23.3f, good, 33/1) 28 days ago. Others appeal more.

Form: 6542-PP

Mustameet Secret^p²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Eoghan Finegan⁽⁷⁾| T: H P Finegan| OR: 92

11/2

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, creditable fourth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Cork (20f, good to soft, 33/1) 2 days ago. Back up in trip.

Form: 4/024-74

Non-Runners

Flicker Of Hope³⁹

Weight: 11-12| Age: 5

T: M Fahey J: Aidan Kelly

Forecasts

Glendine Billy (7/2), I Am Spider Man (4/1), Flicker Of Hope (4/1), Mustameet Secret (11/2), Sphagnum (7/1), Early Arrival (7/1), Mr Dibbs (8/1), Outside The Door (11/1), The Abbey (20/1), Housemartin (22/1), Benny The Duke (25/1), Tom Kelly (25/1), Miss Vivacious (25/1), Western Comandor (80/1), Amaulino (100/1)

This looks very competitive but FLICKER OF HOPE arrives on an upward curve so is fancied to defy an 8 lb rise in the weights and follow up his stylish Wexford victory. Course winner I Am Spider Man heads the list of dangers, although a solid case can also be made for Mr Dibbs, Glendine Billy, Early Arrival and Sphagnum.