16:13 Galway

Saturday 25 October 2025

All13:5314:2815:0315:3816:1316:4517:18

W.B. Gavin & Co. Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:13 | Winning time: 5m 35.5s

Shannon Royale^t1¹⁸⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Keith Donoghue| T: Ian Donoghue| OR: 136| D

16/1

Made a pleasing start to his chasing career but soon went the wrong way temperamentally. Reverts to hurdling on first run for yard after leaving Gordon Elliott.

Form: 21P65P-

Da Capo Glory⁵⁴¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr D Allen⁽⁷⁾| T: Padraig Butler| OR: 134| C

20/1

Latest win in hurdle at Cork in January 2024. Finished ninth of 25 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (23.5f, good to soft, 28/1) when last seen 18 months ago. Probably best watched on this return to action.

Form: P13779/

Grann's Boy¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Jordan Gainford| T: H Rogers| OR: 128| C

6/1

Doubled his tally on the Flat recently and has been successful on 3 of his last 5 starts in this sphere, including in handicap at Listowel last month. Will stay this longer trip and probably hasn't yet shown all he can as a hurdler.

Form: 3/141-01

Ataboycharlie²⁹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Kieren Buckley| T: E Cawley| OR: 126

14/1

Failed to fully fire in a trio of maiden chases but is potentially well treated reverting to hurdling after 9 months off. Interesting.

Form: F72/575-

Digby¹¹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-13| J: Liam McKenna⁽⁵⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 123

40/1

33/1, fifteenth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (23.1f, good to soft) 11 days ago, never travelling well. Not easy to make a case for on recent form.

Form: 1-12U30

Hgranca De Thaix²³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Sean Flanagan| T: B Connell| OR: 121| C

9/1

Course winner. Blinkered for 1st time, pulled up in handicap chase at Gowran (16f, heavy, 10/1), soon beaten. Off 7 months. Switches from chase to hurdles. Significantly back up in trip.

Form: 11/408P-

Make Good^p,t²¹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-10| J: J J Slevin| T: Joseph Murray| OR: 120

14/1

Creditable fourth of 15 in handicap at the Curragh (12f, soft, 12/1) 21 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Below form on last hurdle run.

Form: 221185/

Sportinthepark³³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Sam Ewing| T: N Meade| OR: 120| C

5/1

Useful winner at 18f in chases. Shaped better than the distance beaten suggests when fourth of 8 in Craddockstown Novices' Chase (14/1) at Punchestown (16.3f, good to soft) on final outing. Switches from chase to hurdles. Off 11 months.

Form: 30/6214-

Cato's Revenge^p¹⁸⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: Simon Torrens| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 117

25/1

Isn't easy to predict and ran one of his lesser races when thirteenth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Cork (19f, soft). Off 6 months.

Form: U90/650-

Donkey Years^t³¹

Age: 11| Weight: 10-6| J: Calum Hogan⁽⁷⁾| T: E McNamara| OR: 116

16/1

Last of 13 in handicap hurdle (9/1) at Listowel (24f, good to soft) 31 days ago. Has work to do.

Form: 92-6070

Fighting Fit^t¹⁷⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-6| J: Peter Smithers⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Dempsey| OR: 116| C

12/1

40/1, eighth of 14 in handicap chase at Punchestown (20.4f, good) 178 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles and is much lower in the weights in this sphere.

Form: 294/638-

Rue Taylor²⁰⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-6| J: Eoin Staples⁽⁷⁾| T: P Nolan| OR: 116

12/1

Resumed progress/winning ways stepped up even further in trip in 11-runner novice hurdle (10/1) at Wexford (24.5f, soft) in April. Off since but capable fresh and remains unexposed.

Form: 11541-

Artic Lane¹⁶²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Kevin A Murphy⁽⁷⁾| T: D Queally| OR: 115

6/1

Winner in hurdle at Thurles in November. Seemed not to stay when eighth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan (24.2f, good, 13/2) on final outing. Back down in trip.

Form: 1U5U7-8

Paul Collins¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-1| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: B McMahon| OR: 111| CD

11/2

Resumed his progress to narrowly get off the mark in 10-runner handicap hurdle (7/1) at this course (22.3f, soft) 18 days ago, staying on to lead near finish. Ought to remain competitive.

Form: 452-401

The Miracle Man¹⁸⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Daniel King| T: A L T Moore| OR: 107

15/2

Scored at Fairyhouse in April and ran at least as well in defeat in a stronger race there next time. Off 6 months.

Form: 7FU216-

Forecasts

Sportinthepark (5/1), Paul Collins (11/2), Grann's Boy (6/1), Artic Lane (6/1), The Miracle Man (15/2), Hgranca De Thaix (9/1), Fighting Fit (12/1), Rue Taylor (12/1), Ataboycharlie (14/1), Make Good (14/1), Shannon Royale (16/1), Donkey Years (16/1), Da Capo Glory (20/1), Cato's Revenge (25/1), Digby (40/1)

ATABOYCHARLIE failed to fully fire in a trio of maiden chases but is potentially well treated reverting to hurdling after 9 months off, so he's given the tentative vote. Paul Collins looked value for a bit extra over the result when opening his account here earlier in the month and promises to go well again, with Grann's Boy and Rue Taylor completing the shortlist.