Joe Walsh Memorial Hurdle

Off time: 15:05 | Winning time: 5m 56.2s

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Selected odds by:

Dr Mikey³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: D J McInerney⁽³⁾| T: Ms M Flynn| OR: 140| C

3/1

Plenty to like about his handicap hurdle debut finishing fourth of 10 beaten 2½L in a 2m Galway contest at the festival this week. Likely to be popular in the market.

Form: 215/1-74

High Nellie¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: C A Landers⁽⁵⁾| T: M J Bowe| OR: 117| C| D

16/1

Course winner who has also won over the trip. The mare has been in fine fettle of late running well in a couple of starts since June including a win last time out at Limerick. Place claims at least.

Form: 15-62P1

Arctic Fire^h²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: D F O'Regan| T: D Cullen| OR: 158

11/8

Officially rated 169 in his pomp for trainer-Willie Mullins. Can still mix it with the best and remains on a handy mark here on second start for new yard.

Form: 14213/3

Flaxen Flare^b⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: B J Geraghty| T: G Elliott| OR: 133| C

8/1

Solid and consistent sort who has a course win to his name. Four from 22 over hurdles and races 15lb lower than his last winning mark. Interesting jockey booking.

Form: P03-252

Gangster⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Sean Flanagan| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 136| D

10/1

Quickly weakened from the last in a Galway 2m2f chase at the Festival this week finishing seventh of 15 beaten over 15L. Not won over hurdles for three years but races 2lb lower than that win here.

Form: 32/4-557

Gusty Rocky⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: J S McGarvey| T: P J Flynn| OR: 130| D

9/2

Distance winner who appears a work in progress over the larger obstacles, where the market should be informative today.

Form: 5430/2U

Sutton Manor^p⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 136| D

7/1

Distance winner who has failed to finish any of his last four races since March over both hurdles and fences. Something clearly amiss and best avoided in this company.

Form: 06FPP-P

Whoyakodding^p³²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: D E Mullins| T: G Ahern| OR: 89| D

66/1

Has rendered many unsatisfactory runs this year including his last three starts over hurdles. Hard to construct much of a case for him here.

Form: 1P-U66P

Forecasts

Arctic Fire (11/8), Dr Mikey (3/1), Gusty Rocky (9/2), Sutton Manor (7/1), Flaxen Flare (8/1), Gangster (10/1), High Nellie (16/1), Whoyakodding (66/1)

Officially rated 169 in his pomp for trainer-Willie Mullins, ARCTIC FIRE can still mix it with the best and remains on a handy mark here on second start for trainer Dennis Cullen. Winner of the Grade 1 Hattons Grace hurdle in November 2015 the nine-year-old should have enough to handle any potential challengers in this company. Guinness handicap hurdle fourth in the week at Galway, Dr Mikey, the Gordon Elliott-trained Flaxen Flare and Gangster can battle for the minors.