18:38 Bellewstown

Wednesday 26 August 2026

All15:5116:2517:0017:3518:0518:3819:0819:38

John Purfield Memorial Handicap Hurdle (0-100) (Div 1)

Off time: 18:43 | Winning time: 4m 6.70s

Codger's Rock²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny Gilligan| T: C Collins| OR: 98

25/1

Second of 14 in 2m maiden hurdle at Kilbeggan in May but hasn't reproduced it twice since, including Cork handicap debut 23 days ago.

Form: 7F7-260

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Garrick Painter^p,t⁶¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Simon Torrens| T: N C Kelly| OR: 98| BF

11/1

Landed a gamble to get off the mark over hurdles at Perth last June. Third on the Flat at Galway the following month but no impact in 2 handicap hurdles this summer. Has a tongue strap refitted. Worth a second look in the betting.

Form: 0P9/1-06

Direct Approach²²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-11| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 100

12/1

Fair but temperamental maiden on the Flat for Donnacha O'Brien. Signs of ability in maiden hurdles for Gordon Elliott in recent weeks and could have more to offer in handicaps.

Form: 9-635

Tuckmill^p1³⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr R M McParland⁽⁷⁾| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 96| D

50/1

A hurdle/chase winner in 2024/25 but has lost form since, including pulling up over fences latest. Hard to make a case for at present.

Form: U/0P70-P

Convincing^p¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Eoghan Finegan⁽⁵⁾| T: Ciaran Murphy| OR: 93

6/1

Left previous hurdle efforts behind when winning 13-runner handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan (2m, good, 8/1) 18 days ago. Another bold show likely.

Form: 007-1

Masego³⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Alex Harvey| T: J C McConnell| OR: 96

7/2

Showed a bit in juvenile hurdles this time last year and has done well in low-grade handicaps on the Flat this year, including a Leopardstown win. Interesting on his first handicap in this sphere.

Form: 754-

Let It Settle²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Phillip Enright| T: T R Hughes| OR: 88

16/1

Not seen to best effect when 17¾ lengths eighth of 16 to Chesterbaylad in handicap hurdle (8/1) at Cork (17f, good to soft) 23 days ago, left poorly placed. Now back on the same mark as when second at Cork in July. Gets the vote.

Form: 00-0268

Dictionary Corner^p1²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: J J Slevin| T: E McCarthy| OR: 86

50/1

Offered first signs of encouragement over hurdles when sixth of 15 in a mares maiden at Cork in May but she's failed to build on it since, pulling up in handicaps last twice.

Form: P8-66PP

Zarushio^p1¹⁰⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Conor Stone-Walsh| T: Tom Dreaper| OR: 83

66/1

Little form, including well held in 2 handicaps in the spring. First-time cheekpieces need to spark improvement back from 105 days off.

Form: 90000-0

Chesterbaylad²³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: Josh Williamson⁽³⁾| T: Ms H P Markham| OR: 80| D

11/2

Improved to win 16-runner handicap hurdle at Cork (17f, good to soft, 6/1) 23 days ago by 3¾ lengths from Surviving Murmansk. Merits consideration off 6 lb higher.

Form: 0-02741

Lunar Landscape¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: Thomas Coyle| OR: 80

9/2

Best effort over hurdles when fourth of 15 in handicap at Ballinrobe (2m, good) 16 days ago. Not taken lightly with Darragh O'Keeffe taking the reins.

Form: 7/00-604

Backinabit^b²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: Daniel King| T: D Hogan| OR: 77| D

6/1

Won 17f handicap at Wexford in July but below par twice since. Remains 5 lb above that winning mark.

Form: P0-P189

Crypto Crash^p,t1¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-4| J: Danny Mullins| T: D Budds| OR: 76

20/1

Hard to get too excited by recent Flat efforts and he fell too far out to predict where he'd have finished in a handicap hurdle at Cork at the beginning of this month.

Form: 00P-69F

Avandra^p,t¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: Shane O'Callaghan⁽³⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 73

12/1

Long-standing maiden but is going through a good spell, making effort earlier than ideal when fourth of 14 in handicap hurdle (5/1) at Wexford (17f, good) 19 days ago. Blinkers off, cheekpieces back on. Worthy of respect.

Form: 820534

Surviving Murmansk¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Harry Sexton⁽⁷⁾| T: J Barcoe| OR: 72| D

18/1

Front runner who recorded creditable efforts at Cork (second to Chesterbaylad) and Kilbeggan at the start of this month but disappointed at Tramore 10 days ago.

Form: 6-60260

Non-Runners

Turlough Abu²⁰

Weight: 10-5| Age: 4

T: V T O'Brien J: Reserve 1

Paymelater¹⁷

Weight: 11-1| Age: 7

T: S Millar J: Reserve 2

Owl's Delight¹⁰

Weight: 10-9| Age: 7

T: R Donohoe J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Masego (7/2), Lunar Landscape (9/2), Chesterbaylad (11/2), Convincing (6/1), Backinabit (6/1), Garrick Painter (11/1), Direct Approach (12/1), Avandra (12/1), Let It Settle (16/1), Surviving Murmansk (18/1), Crypto Crash (20/1), Paymelater (20/1), Codger's Rock (25/1), Tuckmill (50/1), Dictionary Corner (50/1), Turlough Abu (50/1), Zarushio (66/1), Owl's Delight (66/1)

LET IT SETTLE had an excuse at Cork last time and might be worth chancing having returned to the same mark as when second to a next-time-out scorer there in July. Last-time-out Cork scorer Chesterbaylad heads the many dangers along with Lunar Landscape and Convincing. Direct Approach is an unexposed handicap newcomer from a top stable, while Masego tackles his first handicap hurdle on the back of a good spell on the Flat.