13:25 Gowran Park

Saturday 9 March 2019

All13:2513:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:25

Philip Ireland Tyres Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 13:27 | Winning time: 4m 5.4s

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Selected odds by:

At The Acorn^t1⁷²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Phillip Enright| T: A J Martin

5/2

Acquired for €150,000 after beating a useful sort in a point-to-point on heavy ground. Will need further in due course, but a truer gallop than last time may be enough to see him home in this company.

Form: 1-3

Drop The Anchor²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: M P Walsh| T: P A Fahy| D

4/1

Beautifully bred Listowel bumper winner in September has made an encouraging start over hurdles. Only a matter of time before he opens his account but handicaps seem a more likely option. Still worth noting in the market.

Form: 5-164

Explosive Boy

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: E O'Connell⁽⁵⁾| T: A J Martin

66/1

By French sire No Risk At All out of a dam who was only moderate. Stable second string and one for a future in handicaps.

Form:

Muyam Spirit¹²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: D G Hogan| T: D Hogan

100/1

Gelding by Muhaymin out of a Tagel mare. Pulled up on sole point-to-point start in March before finishing 17th of 24 beaten 37L on maiden hurdle debut at Cork when last seen in November. Others make more appeal.

Form: P-0

Pairc Na Ngael²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: J S McGarvey| T: C Byrnes

16/1

By Yeats out of the top-class hurdler Solerina. Bred to want a lot further than this and that evident in both starts to date. One to track for handicaps further down the line.

Form: 06

Stephenstown⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: N P Madden| T: E Griffin

20/1

Winners in his pedigree and he looked very much one to maintain that tradition when putting in an improved display last time. Owner may have stronger options in this.

Form: 04

Touch Of Oscar⁹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: J P O'Brien

33/1

Showed some ability in a point-to-point but his first run under rules was devoid of promise. Hard to fancy without an excuse for that showing.

Form: 60

Working Capitol

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: B Browne⁽⁵⁾| T: O McKiernan

50/1

€12,000 son of Tobougg out of a mare who was a winning hurdler. Stable 3-14 with runners here over past five years.

Form:

Edene D'Arc²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| CD

1/1

Has proved disappointing over hurdles as she has had every chance whilst lacking a change of gear. Worth noting her bumper win came on heavy ground so the softer ground here is a positive.

Form: 13-423

Knockanora Lady⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: I J McCarthy| T: S Curling

100/1

Has not jumped well in three starts over hurdles when sent off at big prices. Clearly not good enough judged on what she has done.

Form: 96U9

Rock Samphire^t1²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: C D Maxwell| T: E D Delany

100/1

Represents a good small yard but this French Flat winner was tailed off last of 25 on hurdling debut. Highly doubtful a tongue-tie can make that much difference.

Form: 0

Try Dollys Sister⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: P D Kennedy| T: P G Fahey

100/1

A Kalanisi mare that is a half-sister to useful point-to-pointer Dualla Lord and hurdles winner Do Try Dolly. Showed little on her debut and was 66/1 when failing to complete the course eight days later.

Form: 0U

Colenso²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: D E Mullins| T: P T Flavin

66/1

Rated just 56 on the Flat and after two runs in maiden company it is clear he will come into his own once handicapping.

Form: 06

Flash De Clerval²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: J J Slevin| T: Miss E Doyle

20/1

Fifth foal. Half-brother to French winners Ultrason (2m4f-2m5f chase), Cannyon (1m5f AQPS Flat/2m4f hurdle) and Valse De Vienne (1m5f AQPS Flat); dam French 2m2f-2m5f chase winner; weak in the market when falling on debut and well held at the time.

Form: F

Nero Rock²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: B J Cooper| T: M F Morris

66/1

Gelding by Shirocco out of a Beneficial mare. Cost €20,000 as a yearling before fetching €40,000 as a three-year-old. Well beaten on bumper debut and likely to need more experience.

Form: 9

Novel Character²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Brian Hayes| T: J J Hanlon

100/1

Moderate Flat maiden who has not looked as though he will be any better over hurdles. Looks out of his depth.

Form: 0U

Seizieme²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Robbie Colgan| T: B McMahon

100/1

Has only beaten one other finisher in two starts to date so will probably need a calamity of Foinavon proportions in order to succeed.

Form: 00

Sir Popple¹⁸⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: A McCurtin⁽³⁾| T: T Doyle

100/1

Poor form in a series of limited performances. Unlikely to be troubling the judge unless he has made surprising progress whilst on the sidelines.

Form:

Zoffalee²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: S G McDermott| T: A McNamara

66/1

Won a Chester novice event (7f, good to soft) on the Flat in 2017, when with Tom Dascombe. Form was on the slide in that code last year, and hasn't shown much in three starts for this trainer.

Form: 88

Arizona Flyer

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: D J McInerney⁽³⁾| T: M Winters

50/1

By Fame And Glory out of a half-sister to Hurricane Fly who has produced the useful Tornado Flyer. Clearly plenty to take from the pedigree and worth a market check.

Form:

Non-Runners

Marshalled

Weight: 11-12| Age: 5

T: P Roche J: Reserve 1

Dont Go Yet

Weight: 11-12| Age: 5

T: E Cawley J: Reserve 2

Each Way¹³

Weight: 11-5| Age: 5

T: P Nolan J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Edene D'Arc (1/1), At The Acorn (5/2), Drop The Anchor (4/1), Pairc Na Ngael (16/1), Flash De Clerval (20/1), Stephenstown (20/1), Touch Of Oscar (33/1), Arizona Flyer (50/1), Working Capitol (50/1), Nero Rock (66/1), Zoffalee (66/1), Colenso (66/1), Explosive Boy (66/1), Muyam Spirit (100/1), Novel Character (100/1), Knockanora Lady (100/1), Try Dollys Sister (100/1), Rock Samphire (100/1), Seizieme (100/1), Sir Popple (100/1)

This is not the most competitive of maidens despite the number of runners. Edene D'Arc looks the pick on form but her failure to quicken raises doubts and she may need the ground to be even more testing than the current descriotion of soft. The McManus hoops will be every much in evidence on horses who have plenty of potential. Jockey bookings indicate Drop The Anchor may be the most forward and he is worth noting in early trading. AT THE ACORN has the stronger form credentials having been third when claimer ridden on his Limerick debut in a race that did not bring his stamina into play. He will be hard to beat granted a stronger gallop here.