17:38 Sligo

Wednesday 21 August 2024

All17:0817:3818:1018:4019:1019:4020:10

Aidan Moffitt Memorial Handicap Hurdle (80-102)

Off time: 17:38 | Winning time: 4m 25.2s

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Selected odds by:

Benjis Benefit^p1³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: D King| T: D Hogan| OR: 102

10/3

Opened his account at Down Royal (16.8f) in May and largely run with credit under both codes since, sixth of 8 in maiden at Killarney (14.2f, good to firm) 36 days ago. Possibilities returned to timber with cheekpieces now reached for.

Form: P/F42-25

Verbal Sparring⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: C P Millar⁽⁷⁾| T: D McDonogh| OR: 99| C

5/1

Winner over C&D in June. Twelfth of 13 in handicap hurdle at Roscommon (15.9f, good to soft, 8/1) 44 days ago, beaten when mistake last.

Form: 2F62-10

Rockview Roman²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: A Harvey⁽⁵⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 97

15/2

Lightly-raced maiden over hurdles. Respectable eighth of 17 in handicap (50/1) at Gowran (9.5f, good) 25 days ago, never better than midfield. Entitled to be sharper returned to hurdling.

Form: 00/625-

High Honour⁴⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: John Shinnick⁽⁵⁾| T: D Kinsella| OR: 98

18/1

Lightly-raced maiden over hurdles. Good seventh of 13 in handicap hurdle at Roscommon (15.9f, good to soft, 40/1) 44 days ago.

Form: 0657

Fairytale New York^t1⁷¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Donagh Meyler| T: Mrs C O'Leary| OR: 94

16/1

Minor promise in maiden hurdles last season but never figured on return/handicap debut at Tipperary in May. Unseated at the second in handicap hurdle at this course (20.7f, good to soft) 71 days ago. Tongue strap on 1st time. Worth noting if market speaks in his favour.

Form: P097-0U

Kilbride Hill¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: J Aherne⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 94| C

13/2

11/1, career best when winning 9-runner handicap hurdle at this course (17.8f, soft) 13 days ago, joined last 2 before asserting again run-in. Claims if replicating that effort from this 7 lb higher mark.

Form: F/778-61

Grand Cru Chatho^h,t⁵⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Kieren Buckley| T: E Cawley| OR: 93

16/1

Maiden who ran well returned to hurdling when fifth in a C&D handicap in May (after 7 months off). Unseated early back over fences at Tipperary 50 days ago but not dismissed out of hand returned to these smaller obstacles.

Form: 57FF-5U

Mephisto^v⁴⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Jack Kearney⁽⁵⁾| T: G Keane| OR: 91

14/1

Sixth of 9 in handicap at Bellewstown (12.2f, good, 15/2) 47 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Visor on 1st time over jumps (on when winning on the Flat).

Form: F47F/0F-

Fassbender^p,t¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Phillip Enright| T: M M McNiff| OR: 90

8/1

Fourteen runs since last win in 2022. 4/1, 15½ lengths fifth of 9 to Kilbride Hill in handicap hurdle at this course (17.8f, soft) 13 days ago, left with a very tall ask having been set plenty to do. Worth bearing in mind from his much-reduced mark.

Form: 3970-85

Eddierocket²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: R P Geoghegan⁽⁷⁾| T: N Lee| OR: 88

150/1

Thrice-raced maiden who again offered little after 15 months off when seventeenth of 18 in novice hurdle (200/1) at Galway (21f, good to soft) 21 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 8/0-0

Nawraq^t³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: P Cleary⁽⁷⁾| T: K Smith| OR: 87

11/1

Modest Flat performer who has finished well held all 3 starts over hurdles but did run well on return to the level when second of 20 in handicap at Navan (10.2f, good to firm) 39 days ago. Switch to handicaps in this sphere a plus and one to note if betting speaks in his favour.

Form: 0/00

Aill Dubh^p¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: J J Slevin| T: M Flannery| OR: 86

10/1

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, good fourth of 10 in novice hurdle at this course (20.5f, soft, 40/1) 13 days ago. Needs to pull out a bit more but another who is still low mileage.

Form: 32-70P4

Bowgate Street¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: M Flannery| OR: 86

16/1

40/1, first run since leaving T. Gibney when fourth of 13 in novice hurdle at this course (17.8f, soft) 13 days ago, keeping on gradually without being unduly punished. Remains relatively lightly raced and she could build on that here.

Form: 8/400-P4

Non-Runners

Leading Lion⁴⁰

Weight: 11-9| Age: 4

T: G Elliott J: Jack Kennedy

Breagagh⁹⁵

Weight: 11-5| Age: 6

T: S Millar J: Mr N Gault

Cottage Artist⁹

Weight: 10-6| Age: 11

T: V T O'Brien J: Reserve 1

Georgie's Gal⁵

Weight: 10-6| Age: 6

T: P J Rothwell J: Reserve 2

Forecasts

Benjis Benefit (10/3), Breagagh (4/1), Verbal Sparring (5/1), Kilbride Hill (13/2), Rockview Roman (15/2), Fassbender (8/1), Aill Dubh (10/1), Nawraq (11/1), Leading Lion (12/1), Mephisto (14/1), Bowgate Street (16/1), Fairytale New York (16/1), Grand Cru Chatho (16/1), High Honour (18/1), Eddierocket (150/1)

Competitive fare with top weight BENJIS BENEFIT given the narrow vote. Deservedly awarded a race in this sphere back in the spring, he leaves the impression there could be more to come in this sphere and arriving fit from the Flat, he could be the way to go. Rockview Roman is another of interest returned to hurdling. Handicap debutant Leading Lion and in-form pair Kilbride Hill and Breagagh complete the dangers.