14:30 Galway

Saturday 5 August 2023

All13:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:2517:55

BoyleSports Handicap Hurdle (Listed)

Off time: 14:30 | Winning time: 5m 41.08s

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Selected odds by:

Icare Allen^t²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: A P Kelly⁽⁵⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 138

4/1

14/1, very good fourth of 19 in handicap hurdle at this course (16f, good to soft) 2 days ago. Significantly up in trip. Not out of things if coping with this quick turnaround.

Form: 3/300-84

Highland Charge²²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: N J Ryan⁽⁷⁾| T: N Meade| OR: 137

20/1

Proved at least as good as ever in slightly calmer waters when winning 10-runner handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan (19f, soft, 14/1) 22 days ago, digging deep. This obviously a much tougher assignment.

Form: 3P800-1

Hallowed Star^p³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Keith Donoghue| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 135| CD

8/1

C&D winner. 10/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, bit below form sixth of 19 in handicap at this course (16.5f, good to soft) 3 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Significantly back up in trip.

Form: 1FPF-50

Gallant John Joe^t,v²²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: D E Mullins| T: O McKiernan| OR: 132| D

28/1

Visored for 1st time, wasted no time getting back to form when second of 6 in minor event hurdle at Cork (24f, good to soft, 13/2) 22 days ago. Can give another good account.

Form: 3023-P2

Power Of Pause⁶⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 132

7/1

Ran up to best when second of 16 in handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe (22.4f, good, 12/1) just under 10 weeks ago, suited by increase in trip.

Form: 4B6/7P-2

Ambitious Fellow²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Sam Ewing| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 131

14/1

Three wins from 7 runs last season. 9/1, back on track when third of 6 in minor event hurdle at Cork (24f, good to soft) 22 days ago.

Form: B1P0-03

Ilikedwayurthinkin^b²²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: M P Walsh| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 131| CD

20/1

Course winner. Thirteen runs since last win in 2021. 17/2, not seen to best effect when sixth of 13 in handicap chase at Kilbeggan (25f, soft) 22 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Can go well.

Form: PU34-76

Maze Runner⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: W P Mullins| OR: 131| C

17/2

Better than result when tenth of 20 in handicap (9/1) at this course (16.8f, heavy) 5 days ago, forced to make his ground up out wide. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Useful hurdler, respectable on last outing. Not taken lightly.

Form: 00653/5-

Thecompanysergeant¹¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Donagh Meyler| T: D Hogan| OR: 131

15/2

Has made a promising start over hurdles, scoring at Navan in March before runner-up to Nick Rockett in Easter Festival Novices' Hurdle at Fairyhouse (20.4f, good to soft) 4 months ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut with more to come and big player.

Form: 113212-

Watch The Weather^t³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: R P Cody| OR: 131

20/1

Gambled-on 15/2 and had breathing operation, career best when winning 15-runner handicap hurdle at Tipperary (20f, good to soft) 30 days ago. Hiked up 14 lb for that success but his previous 2 victories came back-to-back.

Form: P2090-1

Foveros³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: W P Mullins| OR: 130| C

14/1

Course winner. 33/1, shaped as if retaining all ability after 11 months off when 5¼ lengths eighth of 16 to Dartan in handicap at the Curragh (16f, good) 5 weeks ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles.

Form: 60980/0-

La Prima Donna^b1⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 129

22/1

Unreliable sort. One win from 3 runs last season. Wasn't in the mood after 11 months off when refusing to race in minor event hurdle (13/8) at Kilbeggan (18.3f, good) 47 days ago. Up in trip. Blinkers on 1st time. Hard to trust after that.

Form: F25/1B-R

Nikini⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: K Callaghan⁽⁵⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 128

16/1

Two wins from 6 runs last season. Showed improved form when fifth of 17 in maiden at Leopardstown (15f, good, 5/4) 44 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Significantly up in trip. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 4/11207-

Act Of God^p1¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: B W Harvey⁽³⁾| T: E J O'Grady| OR: 127

40/1

Below form when thirteenth of 14 in handicap at Killarney (16.8f, good to soft, 8/1) 18 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Fairly useful hurdler, bit below form on last outing. Must improve.

Form: B/F2516-

Digby⁵⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: P J O'Hanlon⁽⁵⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 127| D

9/1

Shaped as if better for the run after 11 months off when third of 7 in handicap hurdle at Roscommon (20.7f, good to soft, 8/1) 54 days ago.

Form: 141/3F-3

Bugs Moran⁴⁶⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Jack Kennedy| T: N Meade| OR: 127

17/2

Winner in hurdle at Fairyhouse in April 2022. Good second of 25 in handicap hurdle (11/1) at Punchestown (23.6f, good to soft). Must've had his issues to have been off for 15 months but remains capable of better still. RESERVE.

Form: 244312/

Non-Runners

Finest Evermore³⁵⁰

Weight: 11-12| Age: 7

T: W P Mullins J: D E Mullins

Merlin Giant²

Weight: 11-7| Age: 6

T: E Mullins J: J J Slevin

Lucid Dreams¹

Weight: 11-1| Age: 8

T: J P Ryan J: L Quinlan

Streets Of Doyen²²

Weight: 11-1| Age: 9

T: T Gibney J: Darragh O'Keeffe

Dartan⁵

Weight: 11-0| Age: 6

T: M J Smith J: J Smith

An Mhi³⁴

Weight: 10-10| Age: 6

T: G Elliott J: Danny Gilligan

Au Fleuron²²

Weight: 10-10| Age: 6

T: G Elliott J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Icare Allen (4/1), Power Of Pause (7/1), Thecompanysergeant (15/2), Lucid Dreams (8/1), Hallowed Star (8/1), Bugs Moran (17/2), Maze Runner (17/2), Digby (9/1), Finest Evermore (10/1), Ambitious Fellow (14/1), Foveros (14/1), An Mhi (14/1), Merlin Giant (16/1), Dartan (16/1), Nikini (16/1), Streets Of Doyen (16/1), Watch The Weather (20/1), Highland Charge (20/1), Ilikedwayurthinkin (20/1), La Prima Donna (22/1), Gallant John Joe (28/1), Act Of God (40/1), Au Fleuron (66/1)

THECOMPANYSERGEANT has made a promising start over hurdles and having finished runner-up in a Grade 2 at Fairyhouse back in April (admittedly well beaten), Denis Hogan's 6-y-o is taken to go one better and double his tally over hurdles. Willie Mullins fires plenty of darts and Maze Runner could emerge as his best chance, while Ilikedwayurthinkin and Watch The Weather are another couple worth considering.