17:05 Galway

Thursday 31 July 2025

All14:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0517:4018:10

Guinness Novice Hurdle

Off time: 17:05 | Winning time: 4m 57.8s

Cinammon Roll¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott

11/1

Built on Downpatrick bumper success when off the mark over the same course on hurdles debut. Didn't need to improve when landing the hat-trick at Perth earlier this month, forging clear to justify odds-on favouritism. This is much more competitive but he's clearly going the right way.

Form: 1-7111

Kamikaz Du Plessis¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Jordan Gainford| T: G Elliott| OR: 125| D

14/1

Built on promise of hurdles debut by notching a quickfire double this month, latest when improving again to win a 4-runner novice hurdle at Downpatrick (21.8f, good to firm) 16 days ago, for all he was able to dictate. Jack Kennedy partners stable's other runner but he remains open to progress.

Form: 3/2-211

Carrigg Island^h⁵⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: E McCarthy| OR: 123| D

40/1

Won a maiden hurdle at Limerick on debut but hung away his chance at Killarney in May. Quickly resumed progress returned to a right-handed track in a first-time hood (retained) when second of 4 in novice hurdle at Clonmel (22.6f, good to soft, 22/1) 55 days ago. Has more on his plate here.

Form: 1-52

I Am River⁶⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Mark Walsh| T: W P Mullins

5/1

€210,000 3-y-o. Strong in the betting only to go amiss on Rules debut in a bumper in January 2024. Overcame 17-month absence when landing a 16-runner novice hurdle at Kilbeggan (20f, good to soft) on hurdles bow 60 days ago, always holding on. In excellent hands and likely to progress further.

Form: P/1

Strong Link²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Donagh Meyler| T: R O'Sullivan

5/2

Bumper winner at Wexford in May and looked a useful prospect when winning 15-runner novice hurdle at Tipperary (20.4f, good to soft, 9/4) on hurdles bow 28 days ago, plenty in hand at the finish having travelled strongly throughout. Remains one to be interested in.

Form: U232-11

Bobbysingindablues³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: J G Gilligan⁽⁵⁾| T: P J Gilligan| OR: 100

100/1

Maiden has shown some promise over hurdles but ran poorly when pulled up in novice hurdle at Cartmel (22.1f, soft) 34 days ago. Tough ask in this company.

Form: 37F57-P

Cameletta Vega⁸²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| C

15/8

Won a bumper on debut here in August and despite not going on from that, showed improvement upped in trip on hurdles debut when readily winning a 16-runner novice hurdle at Cork (19.2f) in May, beating subsequent 4-time winner Emily Love. Has the vote of confidence from Paul Townend. Strong claims.

Form: 1748-1

Keep Up⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Sean Cleary-Farrell⁽⁷⁾| T: W P Mullins

9/2

Won a maiden bumper on debut (second franked form) before finishing fifth of 13 in a listed bumper at Gowran Park. Overcame inexperience to win a 17-runner novice hurdle at Punchestown (21.6f, good) on hurdles bow, would have won by further but for mistake at last. Likely to improve for top yard.

Form: 15-1

The Cheeky Pup²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: Sean Flanagan| T: J J Hanlon

400/1

Has offered little in two starts over hurdles and has significant improvement to find if he's to be competitive in this sort of company.

Form: 00

Non-Runners

Sunny South West⁹

Weight: 11-4| Age: 5

T: Edward F Power J: Phillip Enright

Forecasts

Cameletta Vega (15/8), Strong Link (5/2), Keep Up (9/2), I Am River (5/1), Cinammon Roll (11/1), Kamikaz Du Plessis (14/1), Sunny South West (16/1), Carrigg Island (40/1), Bobbysingindablues (100/1), The Cheeky Pup (400/1)

Course bumper winner CAMELETTA VEGA was successful on hurdles debut at Cork in May and that form could hardly have worked out better, with runner-up Emily Love going on to win 4 times subsequently. She gets the vote of confidence from stable jockey Paul Townend and is taken to make it 2-2 over hurdles. Strong Link looked a useful prospect when recording a smooth success on hurdles bow at Tipperary and he may prove next best ahead of Willie Mullins' other runners Keep Up and I Am River.