17:22 Down Royal

Tuesday 17 March 2026

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

Bluegrass Mare Prepare Mares Flat Race

Off time: 17:22 | Winning time: 4m 21.70s

Belladaball^t⁹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr D G Lavery| T: G P Cromwell

5/1

Bred to stay well and showed plenty to work on starting out in a tongue tie when third of 17 in maiden bumper at Fairyhouse (9/2) 3 months ago. Can build on that.

Form: 3

Delorean Dynamite³²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr N McParlan| T: Ms M Mullins

22/1

Well held in bumpers last spring (well backed on debut, never in it in Punchestown Grade 3 following month). Returns for new trainer.

Form: 00-

Freeway³⁰⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr N Gault⁽⁷⁾| T: S Millar

100/1

66/1, always behind in similar event at Wexford in May.

Form: 0

Freya Cova

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr J C Barry| T: D Broad

20/1

Free Eagle mare. Sister to smart multiple bumper winner Windbeneathmywings, and half-sister to 4 winners, including Sopran Mistery. Obvious appeal on paper.

Form:

Gortnaclea Castle

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr A T Feeney⁽⁷⁾| T: M O Quigley

12/1

Berkshire mare. Half-sister to fair 2¼m hurdle winner Shudawudacuddagh. Dam poor maiden hurdler.

Form:

Lizzie Twigg

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr J M Halford⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott

4/1

Poet's Word mare. Sister to a winner on Flat and half-sister to Natris. One for shortlist on debut given connections.

Form:

Louve D'arc¹²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Ms L A Byrne⁽⁷⁾| T: William Harvey

11/1

Shaped well albeit endured a hard race first time up in 4-y-o fillies' bumper at Galway in October. Well held in good contest at Navan following month and not seen since.

Form: 47

Myluckymaker⁹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr J W Hendrick⁽⁷⁾| T: A Murray

11/1

80/1, went with little encouragement on debut at Fairyhouse 3 months ago.

Form: 8

Surfin Usa⁵⁸⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins| BF

5/2

Jukebox Jury half-sister to useful dual bumper winner up to 2¼m/useful 2m hurdle winner Fun Fun Fun. Sent off odds on but held back by inexperience when second at Sligo on debut 19 months ago. Capable of better despite long absence.

Form: 2-

Thelittleballerina

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr J Dunne⁽⁷⁾| T: Ian Donoghue

16/1

Capri mare. Dam (b80), runner-up on first of 2 starts in bumpers, half-sister to smart hurdler/top-class chaser (stayed 29f) Bellshill.

Form:

Viva Laa Vida

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr R James⁽⁷⁾| T: H De Bromhead

7/1

€32,000 3-y-o, Poet's Word mare. Half-sister to a point winner. Dam (h141), 2m-2½m hurdle winner, half-sister to useful hurdler/very smart chaser (stays 3¼m) Three Card Brag. One to note on debut.

Form:

Betterthanadream

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Mr S Connor⁽⁷⁾| T: Stephen Carlin

50/1

Old Persian filly. Half-sister to modest hurdler/chaser Cullenwaine.

Form:

Infinity Succes⁵⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Mr D McGill⁽⁷⁾| T: S R B Crawford

16/1

Held back by inexperience when very well backed in academy hurdle at Cork on debut in October and ran even worse tried blinkered in 4-runner Gowran bumper in January. Has left Declan Queally since.

Form: 64

Forecasts

Surfin Usa (5/2), Lizzie Twigg (4/1), Belladaball (5/1), Viva Laa Vida (7/1), Myluckymaker (11/1), Louve D'arc (11/1), Gortnaclea Castle (12/1), Thelittleballerina (16/1), Infinity Succes (16/1), Freya Cova (20/1), Delorean Dynamite (22/1), Betterthanadream (50/1), Freeway (100/1)

SURFIN USA has been off a long time since her encouraging debut second at Sligo but she's capable of better despite that absence and looks the way to go. Newcomers Lizzie Twigg and Viva Laa Vida are interesting rivals.