Advent Insurance Irish EBF Mares Hurdle (Grade 3)

Off time: 13:15 | Winning time: 5m 6.7s

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Selected odds by:

Concertista³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: P Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 150| D

4/5

Smart hurdler. Didn't need to be at her best when winning 6-runner Grade 2 hurdle at Fairyhouse (19.5f, soft, 6/4) 31 days ago, proving 1¾ lengths too good for Minella Melody. Major player.

Form: 2/4331-1

Buildmeupbuttercup^h,t⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: D J Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 145

8/1

Useful hurdler. Career best when winning 5-runner listed mares event at Punchestown (18.6f, heavy, 3/1) 44 days ago by nose from Elimay, just holding on. Paul Townend prefers Concertista.

Form: 54-5111

Minella Melody³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 140| D

17/2

Useful hurdler. Creditable 1¾ lengths second of 6 to Concertista in Gr 2 hurdle (13/8) at Fairyhouse (19.5f, soft) 31 days ago, flattered by proximity. Likely to come up short once more.

Form: 1110-22

Black Tears^p⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: J W Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 148| C

7/1

Smart hurdler. Course winner. 12 lengths third of 5 to Buildmeupbuttercup in listed mares event at Punchestown (18.6f, heavy, 4/1) 44 days ago. Should be sharper now and she's a big player.

Form: 23122-3

Mary Frances²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: S W Flanagan| T: M Hassett| OR: 138

20/1

Useful hurdler. 4/1, career best when winning 6-runner minor event hurdle at Clonmel (24f, heavy) 26 days ago, easily. This is more demanding, but she's not without each-way hope.

Form: 27512-1

My Sister Sarah^p⁷⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: B J Cooper| T: W P Mullins| OR: 142| D

11/2

Useful hurdler. Cheekpieces on for 1st time, didn't need to improve to win 6-runner listed mares event (2/5) at Limerick (22.4f, heavy) 79 days ago by 10 lengths from Shanning. Solid place claims.

Form: 4FB-221

Serpolette^t³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: J J Slevin| T: E D Delany| OR: 101| D

300/1

Fair hurdler. Winner at Bellewstown in August. Pulled up in handicap hurdle at Gowran (16f, heavy, 22/1) 39 days ago. Back up in trip and she's flying too high in the company.

Form: 54150P

Non-Runners

Darrens Hope¹

Weight: 11-4| Age: 6

T: R Murphy J: K M Donoghue

Forecasts

Concertista (4/5), My Sister Sarah (11/2), Black Tears (7/1), Buildmeupbuttercup (8/1), Minella Melody (17/2), Mary Frances (20/1), Darrens Hope (50/1), Serpolette (300/1)

Consistent and progressive last season, BLACK TEARS looked in need of the run when third in the listed event won by Buildmeupbuttercup at Punchestown in November. She is likely to be a different proposition here and is taken to emerge on top. Buildmeupbuttercup is clearly in good heart but she's not the slickest of jumpers and stablemates Concertista and My Sister Sarah rate the main dangers.