14:45 Downpatrick

Friday 20 September 2024

All14:1514:4515:2015:5516:3017:0017:35

MB McGrady & Co Chartered Accountants Handicap Hurdle (80-109)

Off time: 14:45 | Winning time: 4m 14.30s

Point Gellibrand^b²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: Gerard O'Leary| OR: 109

16/1

Lightly-raced maiden over hurdles. Fairly useful winner at 10f on flat. 16/1 and blinkered for 1st time, sixth of 8 in handicap hurdle at Cartmel (22.1f, heavy) 25 days ago.

Form: 4-3746

Gladiatorial^t⁹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr D McGill⁽⁷⁾| T: N C Kelly| OR: 106| C

20/1

Course winner. Twenty one runs since last win in 2021. Cheekpieces on for 1st time, ninth of 10 in handicap hurdle (16/1) at this C&D (good) 97 days ago. Looks competitive on form.

Form: 2255-69

Steps In The Sand¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: E Walsh| T: C Collins| OR: 104| CD

5/1

C&D winner in July. 16/1, good third of 16 in Flat handicap at Tipperary (12.5f, good) 19 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Player.

Form: 8-22114

Darkened^b,t⁷⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Sam Ewing| T: N C Kelly| OR: 102

33/1

Good sixth of 15 in claiming hurdle at Roscommon (20.6f, good to soft, 50/1) 74 days ago.

Form: 5/468-96

Mary^t²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: C J Todd| T: Ian Williams| OR: 99

10/3

Career best when winning 15-runner handicap hurdle (7/2) at Stratford (16.3f, good) 24 days ago, always holding on. Can give a good account.

Form: 67-9P41

The Vegas Raider^v,t¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: K A Heffernan| OR: 99

11/2

Winner in hurdle at Ballinrobe in August. Respectable eleventh of 20 in handicap hurdle at Galway (16.7f, good to soft, 10/1) 11 days ago.

Form: 7-32160

Bayou Belle²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Peter Smithers⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Fahey| OR: 96

10/3

Creditable second of 13 in handicap hurdle at Wexford (16.9f, good to soft, 5/1) 21 days ago. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 853-222

Only One Plan^p¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Tiernan Power Roche⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 95

7/1

One win from 22 NH runs. 12/1, fifteenth of 20 in handicap hurdle at Galway (16.7f, good to soft) 11 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 7-02360

Kilbride Hill³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Danny Mullins| T: J P Ryan| OR: 94| D

12/1

1 win from 3 runs this season. Respectable fifth of 13 in handicap hurdle at Sligo (17.4f, soft, 13/2) 30 days ago.

Form: 778-615

Pepperpots¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Mr B J Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: B J Walsh| OR: 94| CD

16/1

Winner in bumper here in May. Below form sixth of 14 in maiden hurdle (28/1) at Kilbeggan (16f, good to soft) 16 days ago. Potential improver in handicaps.

Form: 176556

Thunder Rose^p²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-6| J: Jake Coen⁽³⁾| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 87

28/1

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, sixth of 9 in handicap hurdle at this C&D (good, 50/1) 25 days ago. Difficult ask.

Form: 80-6506

Forecasts

Mary (10/3), Bayou Belle (10/3), Steps In The Sand (5/1), The Vegas Raider (11/2), Only One Plan (7/1), Kilbride Hill (12/1), Pepperpots (16/1), Point Gellibrand (16/1), Gladiatorial (20/1), Thunder Rose (28/1), Darkened (33/1)

BAYOU BELLE has been knocking at the door at Wexford in recent months and can deservedly get her head back in front. Steps In The Sand has thrived under both codes this summer and is second choice ahead of Mary, a winner at Stratford last month.