18:40 Kilbeggan
Friday 24 August 2018
All17:1017:4018:1018:4019:1019:4020:10
Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Hurdle (80-109)
- 4YO plus | 2m | Good | 14 Runners | Turf | Weighed In
- Off time: 18:40 | Winning time: 3m 46.0s
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Shed the maiden tag at the 11th time of asking when just holding on to win Ballinrobe maiden (2m1½f, good) last month on first start for this trainer, entitled to be involved now reverting to handicaps.
Winner over this trip at Wexford in May, string of poor efforts since however and remains 4lb higher than winning mark. Needs to bounce back.
Bumper winner on good ground in May last year. Placed over hurdles since and some promise exhibited in handicap runs at Ballinrobe and Galway recently. Has to improve.
Maiden after eight starst but knocking firmly on the door with placed efforts at Down Royal, Gowran Park and Galway this summer. Continues to inch up in the ratings without getting a win.
Denied the hat-trick at Tramore last week when dropped to this 2m trip, still made the frame and ran well. Far from out of contention.
Won a maiden hurdle over C&D last year, improving with racing on the Flat so far this year, including last week at Tramore. Paul Townend an excellent booking and rates one of the likely sorts.
Nothing to note in two maiden hurdles for previous yard, and same again in runs at Wexford (2m, good) and Cork (2m3f, good) since joining current handler. Watching brief unless strong betting moves now handicapping.
Last spotted winning on the AW at Dundalk in February, previous hurdles form rather poor in five starst, including a handicap. Looks to be stable second string here.
Showed dramatic improvement to win back-to-back handicap hurdles at Clonmel and Limerick last winter have been 0-11 previously. Both wins came on testing ground, questions to answer on good, back from a layoff and carrying additional 11lb.
Recently well beaten in a couple of hurdle starts at Gowran Park and Bellewstown, now an eight-race maiden hurdler and hard to make case for.
Best effort over hurdles came when finishing third over 2m1f at Cartmel (good to firm) at the end of June, also ran well next time at Sligo. Narrowly beaten on the Flat at Roscommon this week, should go well.
3-18 over hurdles though last won in 2016 at Sligo off this mark. Was pulled up over fences in March when last out, entitled to need this run on return but competitively weighted.
Won a bumper at Tramore but remains a modest maiden hurdler since and is hard to fancy on latest evidence. Others preferred.
Much-improved when making winning start in handicaps at Tramore (2m, good) five days ago, raised 9lb for the win but could well have more to offer and on the shortlist.
Non-Runners
15
Buffalo Blues16
Weight: 10-8| Age: 4
T: P A Fahy J: Reserve 1
NR
16
Zinat7
Weight: 10-4| Age: 4
T: J F O'Shea J: Reserve 2
NR
17
The Ballyboys13
Weight: 10-7| Age: 8
T: R Hackett J: Reserve 3
NR
Forecasts
One Cool Poet (9/2), Thecraicisninety (11/2), Derby De Thaix (11/2), Moonball (6/1), Touchedbyanangel (7/1), Billy's Angel (7/1), Creative Talent (9/1), Buffalo Blues (10/1), Rock On Lilly (12/1), Mezajy (20/1), The Ballyboys (20/1), Mandarin Monarch (25/1), Effernock Lad (25/1), Frazel Express (33/1), Brex Drago (33/1), Three Kings (33/1), Zinat (33/1)
TOUCHEDBYANANGEL couldn’t complete the hat-trick at Tramore last time, but the drop to 2m may not have helped and he travelled very well through the race before being caught for toe, this longer trip is up his street. The booking of Paul Townend is promising for former C&D winner Creative Talent while Thecraicisninety could be a decent contender now into handicaps having won at Ballinrobe. Tramore winner Moonball is also worth paying attention to up in distance.
- Touchedbyanangel
- Thecraicisninety
- Creative Talent
Previous Winners
Prize Money
1st: €9,240.002nd: €2,865.003rd: €1,365.004th: €615.005th: €240.00
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