17:37 Down Royal

Friday 28 August 2026

All16:3017:0517:3718:1218:4719:2219:56

Golden Cow Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 17:43 | Winning time: 3m 57.80s

Bannow Blaze^t²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Tiernan Power Roche| T: J Fogarty| OR: 110

25/1

Won handicap hurdle at Wexford last season but has made an inauspicious start over fences this term, failing to complete on both occasions. Bled back over hurdles at Galway last time and has a bit to prove now.

Form: 120-UFP

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Hopeful Hero^h³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Michael Kenneally⁽⁵⁾| T: T Hogan| OR: 109| BF| D

4/1

Got off the mark in a maiden hurdle at Bellewstown in July. Excuses when well held on handicap debut at Galway last month, subsequently scoping dirty. Looks well worth another chance.

Form: 223-310

Only For Our Man⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: James Smith⁽⁵⁾| T: P Nolan| OR: 107| C

4/1

Won 2¾m novice handicap here in April. Placed all 3 starts since, latest when third of 10 at Killarney (2½m, good to soft, 4/1) in July. The headgear is now discarded and he's entitled to be in the mix though it remains to be seen if he'll benefit from this marked drop back in trip.

Form: 021-223

Small Bucks¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Ben Harvey| T: P E Collins| OR: 107| D

10/1

Improved to open her account for the season at Downpatrick last month and quickly resumed winning ways in mares handicap at Tramore (2m, good) 2 weeks ago. This is a deeper race.

Form: 740101

Dairy Force^h¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 104

7/2

Fourteen runs since last win in 2024 but remains in good form. 10/3, creditable third of 6 in handicap hurdle at Tramore (2m, good) 15 days ago. May find a couple too good again.

Form: 2-02253

Kazakh D'arthel⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 104

9/1

Won small-field novice at Cork last season but has failed to make much impact over hurdles both starts this season. Can only be watched unless the market suggests otherwise.

Form: 414F-08

Mo Ghille Mar^p²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Harry Sexton⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 104| C| D

7/1

Opened her account over hurdles at Wexford in May. Refitted with cheekpieces and back to form when 12¾ lengths fourth of 17 to Timurshah at Galway (17f, good to soft) 26 days ago. Each-way claims.

Form: 06-1774

Certamen^p1,t²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Kieren Buckley| T: E Buckley| OR: 102

25/1

Showed modest form in maiden hurdles but ran no sort of race on handicap debut at Cork earlier this month. Improvement required with first-time cheekpieces applied.

Form: 40/56-0P

Golden Wings^h²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Josh Williamson⁽³⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 102

50/1

Third of 20 in maiden at Punchestown on hurdles debut in January but well below that level in 3 subsequent starts. In leading hands though, and does at least now get her first crack at handicaps, so worthy of note if strong in the betting.

Form: P93P-07

Viceregent³¹⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Mr E P Powell⁽⁷⁾| T: L Lennon| OR: 99

80/1

Proved to be a disappointment for H. D. McGuigan over both hurdles and on the Flat. Off 10 months and has the hood discarded but can only be watched on stable debut.

Form: 24650P/

Home By The Sea¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: J J Slevin| T: P A Fahy| OR: 98

16/1

50/1, showed bit more when sixth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe (2m, good) 18 days ago, caught further back than ideal and then meeting late interference. Any positive market vibes should be noted.

Form: 500-406

Kilt^h²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Simon Torrens| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 98| D

8/1

Left previous efforts behind when winning 14-runner handicap at Wexford in May. Quickly back to form when 7 lengths fourth of 11 at Cork 25 days ago, despite left with a lot to do. Hood goes back on.

Form: 70-1454

Whispering Willow^t1³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Conor Stone-Walsh| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 96

14/1

Readily off the mark in big-field Punchestown hurdle on handicap/stable debut in May before a couple of promising efforts over fences. Has proven disappointing back over hurdles on last 2 starts and needs the first-time tongue strap to work.

Form: 6-13360

Your Call^b⁴⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Caragh Monaghan⁽⁷⁾| T: L Lennon| OR: 98

33/1

Fair winner on the Flat (stays 1m) for Noel Meade but hasn't replicated that over hurdles. Fitted with blinkers for the first time in this sphere but has plenty to prove.

Form: 54590-8

Non-Runners

Lips Freedom²⁷

Weight: 12-1| Age: 6

T: A Kinirons J: Donagh Meyler

Bruant²²

Weight: 11-12| Age: 5

T: A J Martin J: Kevin Sexton

Forecasts

Dairy Force (7/2), Hopeful Hero (4/1), Only For Our Man (4/1), Bruant (6/1), Mo Ghille Mar (7/1), Kilt (8/1), Kazakh D'arthel (9/1), Small Bucks (10/1), Lips Freedom (10/1), Whispering Willow (14/1), Home By The Sea (16/1), Certamen (25/1), Bannow Blaze (25/1), Your Call (33/1), Golden Wings (50/1), Viceregent (80/1)

Several hold claims but the class-dropping LIPS FREEDOM is worth a chance to bounce back. Hopeful Hero had excuses at Galway last time and can resume his progress ahead of Bruant in the run for the places.