16:55 Wexford

Friday 4 April 2025

All15:4516:2016:5517:3018:0018:3019:00

Wexford Racecourse Supporters Club Rated Novice Hurdle

Off time: 16:55 | Winning time: 6m 52.20s

Ira Hayes³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Alex Harvey⁽⁵⁾| T: J C McConnell| C| D

5/1

Winner of sole point start and off the mark in bumpers at the second attempt at Wexford. Subsequently landed the odds on debut in this sphere at Carlisle but disappointed when third of 5 in novice hurdle (5/4) at Wetherby (19.7f, heavy) 37 days ago. Up in trip with bit to prove.

Form: 1-6113

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Machismo^p¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Finn Brickley⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 120| D

10/1

Fairly useful hurdler. Winner in hurdle at Tramore in January. 5/1, creditable fifth of 9 in handicap hurdle at Cork (24.6f, good to soft) 15 days ago, again shaping like a stayer at this trip. Solid claims.

Form: 251425

Artic Lane⁸²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Shane Fitzgerald| T: D Queally| OR: 119| D

7/1

Fairly useful hurdler. 40/1 and blinkered for 1st time when pitched into the deep end, 13¾ lengths fifth of 6 to Salvator Mundi in Moscow Flyer Novices' Hurdle at Punchestown (16.9f, heavy) 82 days ago. Return to calmer waters/step up in trip should see him to better effect.

Form: 2U31U5

The Story So Far^v⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: Philip Byrnes| T: C Byrnes| OR: 119| D

17/2

Latest win in hurdle at Cork in January. Not suited by sharper test when fourth of 7 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (19.4f, soft, 7/1) and shaped as though still in form when respectable seventh of 19 in handicap hurdle at Naas (23.1f, heavy) 40 days ago. Not ruled out.

Form: 672147

Birmingham Alabama³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Jordan Gainford| T: E D Delany| OR: 117| C| D

7/2

Fairly useful hurdler. Course winner. 3 wins from 7 runs this season. 14/1, career best when winning 16-runner handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (24f, good to soft) 32 days ago, having not enjoyed a smooth passage. Unexposed as a stayer and must enter calculations.

Form: 213171

Flemensface³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Ricky Doyle| T: E Griffin| OR: 115

11/1

Lightly-raced winner under NH rules. Creditable third of 10 in novice hurdle at Navan (22.4f, heavy, 7/2) 34 days ago but may need to improve to hit the frame again.

Form: FD1/623

Camino Rock^p,t⁴⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Jake Coen⁽³⁾| T: M F Morris| OR: 114| D

25/1

Fairly useful hurdler. Winner in hurdle at Kilbeggan in September. Ran well after 12 weeks off when respectable third of 20 in handicap hurdle at Gowran (19.8f, heavy, 16/1) 48 days ago. Remains of interest back up in trip.

Form: 961763

Onlymammycanloveme¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Tiernan Power Roche⁽⁵⁾| T: S Neville| OR: 112| D

6/1

Lightly-raced winner under NH rules. 8/1, very good fourth of 14 in handicap hurdle at this course (16f, good to soft) 18 days ago, despite the drop in trip. One to be interested in back over staying trip.

Form: 134314

King Roly²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Shane Fenelon⁽⁵⁾| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 113

11/1

Improved with each run in bumpers and made a successful hurdling debut at Worcester in September. Showed better form in defeat under a penalty at Carlisle the following month but ran poorly on handicap debut (after 4 months off) last time. No surprise to see a better effort from this British raider.

Form: 5-4114P

Rue Taylor⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean Flanagan| T: P Nolan| OR: 108| C

10/1

Lightly-raced winner under NH rules. 2 wins from 4 runs this season. 7/1, respectable fourth of 9 on handicap debut at Punchestown (23f, soft) 43 days ago. Could be more to come over longer trip.

Form: 1154

Therellbguddaysyet²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Paddy Hanlon⁽⁷⁾| T: M J O'Connor| OR: 109| D

12/1

Fair hurdler returned to form when 9/1, good third of 15 in handicap hurdle at Thurles (22.2f, good) 20 days ago. Merits consideration.

Form: 484303

Non-Runners

Now So Jake²⁴⁶

Weight: 12-0| Age: 7

T: D H Kelly J: Cian Quirke

Newtown Rambler¹³⁸

Weight: 11-7| Age: 6

T: H De Bromhead J: Mike O'Connor

Forecasts

Birmingham Alabama (7/2), Ira Hayes (5/1), Onlymammycanloveme (6/1), Artic Lane (7/1), The Story So Far (17/2), Rue Taylor (10/1), Machismo (10/1), Flemensface (11/1), King Roly (11/1), Therellbguddaysyet (12/1), Newtown Rambler (16/1), Now So Jake (16/1), Camino Rock (25/1)

BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA did remarkably well to win following a troubled passage last time and he may be able to follow up that victory from a 4 lb higher mark. Out-and-out stayer Machismo could be a big threat if this is a truly-run race, while The Story So Far isn't ruled out having shaped better than the bare result at Naas.