15:03 Down Royal

Tuesday 17 March 2026

All13:1813:5314:2815:0315:3816:1316:4817:22

Bluegrass Respire Handicap Hurdle (0-100) (Div 2)

Off time: 15:03 | Winning time: 5m 10.80s

Fool Me Once¹¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Tom Buckley| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 99

12/1

Pulled up in handicap hurdle (12/1) at Fairyhouse (20.4f, heavy) 116 days ago. Now 0-13 in this sphere but he's edging down the weights and isn't written off just yet.

Form: 54305P

Tuckmill²²³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-13| J: Mr R M McParland⁽⁷⁾| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 99| C

40/1

Pulled up in handicap chase at Wexford when last seen 7 months ago. Switches from chase to hurdles and moves up in trip.

Form: 156U-0P

Rolly Bowley Boy¹¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: J J Slevin| T: P J F Murphy| OR: 97| D

28/1

Blinkered for 1st time, pulled up in handicap chase (25/1) at Cork (21.2f, soft) 114 days ago, pulled up before last. Switches from chase to hurdles on debut for new yard.

Form: 27P-FPP

Joya Del Mar¹⁵⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr J P Sutton⁽⁷⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 96

18/1

Remains a maiden after 20 NH runs. 12/1, respectable sixth of 11 in handicap hurdle at Downpatrick 158 days ago. Place possibilities.

Form: 35-PU86

Diaduit Buachaill¹¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr D McGill⁽⁷⁾| T: Gary McGill| OR: 95

18/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Fifteenth of 24 in novice hurdle at Punchestown (19.4f, soft, 200/1) 115 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 560

Leitzel²³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Mr N McParlan| T: S McParlan| OR: 94

66/1

14/1, tenth of 13 in handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan when last seen. Off 7 months ahead of this yard debut and others make more appeal.

Form: 56P-300

Under Cover^p1⁶¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Sean Flanagan| T: A McCann| OR: 94

20/1

Lightly-raced maiden under Rules. 20/1, respectable sixth of 15 in novice hurdle at Fairyhouse 61 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time for this handicap debut.

Form: 0P/7876

What's It To Ya^t²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 92

28/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Tongue strap on for 1st time, unseated rider after seventh in handicap hurdle (80/1) at Punchestown (20.1f, heavy) 27 days ago. Sizeable step forward needed.

Form: 000U

Button Rock¹⁰⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 90

13/2

Lightly-raced maiden. 9/1, good fifth of 14 in novice hurdle at Clonmel 105 days ago, unsuited by drop in trip. Faces a more suitable stamina test now pitched into a handicap and improvement could be on the way.

Form: 6-27805

Little Boy Sivola^p¹⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Josh Williamson⁽⁵⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 87

11/1

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, below form 30¼ lengths sixth of 13 to Midleton Rare in handicap hurdle at Limerick (19.4f, heavy, 33/1) 149 days ago.

Form: 0-70906

Written In My Soul⁵⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Harry Sexton⁽⁷⁾| T: E D Delany| OR: 87

20/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 100/1, seventh of 11 in novice hurdle at Thurles 58 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 254-77

Let Him B³⁷⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Philip Byrnes| T: C Byrnes| OR: 84

14/1

Last of 9 in handicap hurdle at Huntingdon when last seen 12 months ago. Entitled to come on for the run.

Form: 000059-

Pleasureofpressure¹¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Shane O'Callaghan⁽⁵⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 83

11/4

Good second of 16 in handicap hurdle at Tramore (21f, soft, 7/1) 112 days ago. Should make his presence felt.

Form: 464542

Dolly Watkins^p,t³⁴¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Simon Torrens| T: A A Howard| OR: 82

12/1

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, good third of 17 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (19.3f, good to soft, 25/1). Off 11 months, so it's reasonable to expect this 7-y-o to need the run.

Form: 590/893-

Shanroe Nancy^p1⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: Ben Harvey| T: K Thornton| OR: 81

16/1

Eighth of 10 in handicap hurdle (33/1) at Fairyhouse 42 days ago. Cheekpieces on for 1st time.

Form: 099-9P8

Bella Union^p¹⁵⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-8| J: Carl Millar⁽⁵⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 80

8/1

Remains a maiden after 16 NH runs. Seventh of 11 in handicap hurdle (12/1) at Downpatrick 158 days ago, unable to sustain effort. Looks vulnerable.

Form: 45-7657

Chemdawg^p¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: Phillip Enright| T: O McKiernan| OR: 77

8/1

4/1, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Clonmel 19 days ago. Back up in trip and cheekpieces refitted. Wouldn't be without each-way hope if on-song.

Form: 4-3334P

Midleton Rare^b1,t¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-13| J: Conor Stone-Walsh| T: Ian Donoghue| OR: 99| D

16/1

Latest win at Fairyhouse in January. Seventh of 11 in handicap hurdle (12/1) at Naas 13 days ago. Blinkers on 1st time. RESERVE.

Form: 391PP7

Non-Runners

Kanog Bay⁴⁰

Weight: 11-4| Age: 5

T: Ian Donoghue J: Caragh Monaghan

Rebel Cowgirl²⁷

Weight: 11-0| Age: 7

T: M A Cahill J: Cian Quirke

Gerrymandering⁶⁴

Weight: 10-6| Age: 8

T: W J McLernon J: Daniel King

Dunany Point⁹

Weight: 11-6| Age: 7

T: Conor Maxwell J: Reserve 2

Forecasts

Pleasureofpressure (11/4), Rebel Cowgirl (4/1), Button Rock (13/2), Bella Union (8/1), Kanog Bay (8/1), Chemdawg (8/1), Little Boy Sivola (11/1), Dolly Watkins (12/1), Fool Me Once (12/1), Let Him B (14/1), Midleton Rare (16/1), Dunany Point (16/1), Shanroe Nancy (16/1), Joya Del Mar (18/1), Diaduit Buachaill (18/1), Under Cover (20/1), Written In My Soul (20/1), What's It To Ya (28/1), Rolly Bowley Boy (28/1), Gerrymandering (33/1), Tuckmill (40/1), Leitzel (66/1)

There were clear signs that BUTTON ROCK is getting the hang of things when fifth at Clonmel on his latest start in December and, with improvement anticipated now back up in trip for this handicap debut, he gets the nod. Fool Me Once's latest effort was hardly inspiring but he is on a good mark judged on bits and pieces of form, while Rebel Cowgirl has to be taken seriously on the back of her breakthrough success at Punchestown. Pleasureofpressure also enters calculations.