14:10 Down Royal

Monday 5 May 2025

All13:0013:3514:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:05

Club Lemon Handicap Hurdle (0-100)

Off time: 14:12 | Winning time: 4m 7.40s

Malbas²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-13| J: Kieren Buckley| T: E Buckley| OR: 99

9/4

Rejuvenated after 4 months off/following a yard switch when winning 14-runner handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, good, 10/1) 29 days ago, asserting run-in. Enters calculations with a repeat.

Form: 638001-

Vale Of Glory^t²⁵⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-13| J: Eoin G Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: A Murray| OR: 99

20/1

Dual hurdles winner who wasn't disgraced when fifth of 15 in handicap hurdle (14/1) at Killarney (20.2f, good to soft) in August. Absent since and the market can prove a useful guide ahead of this.

Form: 747P/65-

Benz^t²⁶⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Alix Balfe⁽⁷⁾| T: R K Watson| OR: 98

50/1

Twelve runs since last win in 2022. Lame when pulled up in handicap hurdle (28/1) at Wexford (20.4f, good to soft), folding tamely after tenth. Off 8 months and he's likely best watched.

Form: 660/50P-

Farrokh²⁰⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: E Walsh| T: B Connell| OR: 98| BF

8/1

Improved in first-time cheekpieces when landing 14-runner handicap hurdle at Tipperary (2m) this time last year. Consistent in defeat switched to chasing thereafter last year and worth a second look from lower hurdles mark on return from 6 months off.

Form: 5P2323-

Western Comandor²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Paddy Hanlon⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 97| CD

28/1

C&D winner. Eighteen runs since last win in 2023. First run since leaving Enda Bolger when ninth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe (21.5f, good, 22/1) 24 days ago.

Form: P094U9-

Royal Reprobate²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: T P Harney⁽⁷⁾| T: R O'Sullivan| OR: 95

14/1

Twelfth of 15 in handicap hurdle (13/2) at Ballinrobe (21.5f, good) 24 days ago, weakening after 2 out. Drop back in trip can help now and he's not one to write off.

Form: 908050-

Flashthelights^p,t¹⁴⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: O R Brown⁽⁵⁾| T: N C Kelly| OR: 92| D

14/1

Latest win in hurdle at Wexford in August. Below form eighth of 13 in handicap hurdle at Musselburgh (19.8f, good to soft, 14/1) in December, weakening before 2 out. Absent since and more required from this sort of mark.

Form: 134178-

Telnobody^h³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Shane O'Callaghan⁽⁵⁾| T: R O'Sullivan| OR: 89

33/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Hooded for 1st time, last of 11 in handicap hurdle (18/1) at Downpatrick (17.8f, good to soft) 36 days ago.

Form: 7/00F50-

Tubberfinn Lady^t¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Patrick M O'Brien⁽⁷⁾| T: M Mulvany| OR: 89

4/1

11/2, career best when winning 14-runner handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan (18.2f, good) 11 days ago, travelling strongly. Booking of O'Brien a plus. Should go well again.

Form: 009001-

Voice Of Reason²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: P Cleary⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 89

11/1

Remains a maiden after 17 NH runs. Fifth of 9 in claiming hurdle (7/1) at Tramore (16.7f, good to soft) 21 days ago, merely plugging on. Others look to arrive with more pressing claims.

Form: 767075-

Nakassama¹⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Niall Moore⁽⁵⁾| T: N C Kelly| OR: 88

18/1

Pulled up in handicap hurdle (22/1) at Musselburgh (19.8f, good to soft) in December, dropping away leaving back straight. Bounce back called for.

Form: 00803P-

Chesterbaylad^h1³²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Conor Smithers⁽⁷⁾| T: Ms H P Markham| OR: 93

33/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 12/1, jumped none too fluently when sixteenth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Naas (16f, good to soft) 32 days ago. Hooded for 1st time and much more is needed.

Form: 5840-

Quinn The Eskimo²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: R Deegan| T: P Nolan| OR: 85

9/2

Lightly-raced maiden. 28/1, showed a lot more than previously when 7½ lengths fourth of 14 to Malbas in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, good) 29 days ago, keeping on. Remains less exposed than most and there could yet be more to come in handicaps.

Form: 0004-

Shing Shilla¹²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Ben Kennedy⁽⁷⁾| T: A Sexton| OR: 85

40/1

Temperamental sort. Fifteenth of 18 in handicap hurdle (16/1) at Punchestown (16.4f, heavy) 125 days ago, folding. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 507050-

Hitthehayson^p²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: D Robinson| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 83

40/1

Lightly-raced maiden who failed to match her previous best when tenth of 12 in handicap hurdle at Tramore (16.7f, good to soft, 17/2) 21 days ago. Others make greater appeal.

Form: 700P50-

Be My Hero^t³²⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-10| J: Kevin Sexton| T: G Elliott| OR: 82

25/1

Remains a maiden after 23 NH runs. 17/2, respectable tenth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Roscommon (15.6f, good). Off 10 months. Others more persuasive.

Form: 83560/0-

Ardad Derek²⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: Mark McDonagh| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 76

33/1

20/1, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Bellewstown (17.2f, good), behind when pulled up before 3 out. Off 8 months and progress required if he's to feature.

Form: 7007/7P-

Miss Direct^h,t²¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Mike O'Connor| T: P Cluskey| OR: 74

40/1

Little to shout about in mares' maiden hurdles and no upturn for switch to handicaps with a tongue tie added during second half of last year. Passed over on return from 7 months off.

Form: 00/8P89-

Zero Fighter^t²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: J Smith⁽⁵⁾| T: E D Delany| OR: 92

66/1

On a lengthy losing run and doing little on the Flat prior finishing a well held sixth of 7 on handicap hurdle debut at Bellewstown (17.2f) 23 days ago, weakening quickly. Reserve 1.

Form: 4/006-

Non-Runners

Shadow Paddy¹³⁰

Weight: 11-9| Age: 5

T: E McCarthy J: Gary Noonan

Fort Randall¹⁰⁴

Weight: 11-7| Age: 6

T: N C Kelly J: Gavin Brouder

Party Pack²²

Weight: 10-13| Age: 7

T: J P Flavin J: Reserve 2

Kinbara Hills¹⁵

Weight: 11-11| Age: 6

T: S R B Crawford J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Malbas (9/4), Tubberfinn Lady (4/1), Quinn The Eskimo (9/2), Farrokh (8/1), Voice Of Reason (11/1), Royal Reprobate (14/1), Flashthelights (14/1), Fort Randall (16/1), Nakassama (18/1), Vale Of Glory (20/1), Be My Hero (25/1), Western Comandor (28/1), Telnobody (33/1), Chesterbaylad (33/1), Ardad Derek (33/1), Shadow Paddy (33/1), Shing Shilla (40/1), Hitthehayson (40/1), Miss Direct (40/1), Benz (50/1), Zero Fighter (66/1)

TUBBERFINN LADY left previous efforts well behind when running out a good winner of a Kilbeggan handicap 11 days ago and, with her rider's claim more than off-setting her rise in the weights, she appeals as a big player again. Farrokh could have more to offer over hurdles on return to action and he's a danger, as is recent Fairyhouse scorer Malbas. Quinn The Eskimo and Shadow Paddy are others to keep an eye on.