14:17 Downpatrick

Sunday 10 August 2025

All14:1714:4715:1715:5216:2216:5217:22

ITBA Mares Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 14:17 | Winning time: 4m 13.7s

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Selected odds by:

Atomic Queen³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Sam Ewing| T: Peter Fahey

5/1

Promising individual. Bumper winner at Limerick in May. 10/1, eleventh of 14 in novice hurdle at Kilbeggan (16f, good) on hurdles bow 30 days ago. Likely to improve with that run under her belt.

Form: 0-120

Hillhead Runner^t¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Eoin Staples⁽⁷⁾| T: G P Cromwell

15/8

Fair hurdler. One win from 3 runs last season. Last-flight faller in novice hurdle (8/1) at Wexford (20f, good to soft) 17 days ago, looking booked for second place at the time of her exit. Big player.

Form: 691-42F

Boldplay⁹³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Mr R Guiney⁽⁷⁾| T: Paul Traynor

40/1

Twice-raced maiden. 50/1, first run for Harry Smyth when ninth of 12 in bumper at this C&D (good) 93 days ago. Now switch to hurdles starting out for another new yard and it's best to look elsewhere.

Form: 7-9

Galileo Springs^t³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Ricky Doyle| T: M Brassil

5/4

Promising individual. Seventh of 9 in bumper (7/1) at Roscommon (15.9f, good) 34 days ago. Switches from bumpers to hurdles and she is open to improvement in this sphere.

Form: 99223-7

George's Angel²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: I Ryan⁽⁷⁾| T: R K Watson

300/1

Twice-raced maiden under Rules. Eleventh of 12 in novice hurdle at this C&D (good to firm, 300/1) on hurdles bow 27 days ago. Readily passed over.

Form: 00

Lightning Legs⁵⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: J C Gainford| T: G Elliott

16/1

Modest maiden on the Flat, finishing last of 14 in handicap at Down Royal (12.9f, good, 25/1) on latest start 50 days ago. Will need to raise her game now switched to hurdles. Yard also saddles Penny Perfect.

Form:

Penny Perfect

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: Danny Gilligan| T: G Elliott

11/1

Capri filly. Half-sister to 4 winners, including fairly useful hurdler Moonlight Beam and fairly useful hurdler/chaser The Kings Baby. Represents top yard and it'll be interesting to see how she shapes up in the betting.

Form:

Whispering Willow⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: J G Gilligan⁽⁵⁾| T: P J Gilligan

20/1

Once-raced maiden. 40/1, eighth of 15 in bumper at Galway (16.8f, good to soft) on NH debut 8 days ago. Failed to complete in 3 of her 4 starts between the flags and opposable now switched to hurdles.

Form: PF-3U8

Non-Runners

Chasing Crowns²

Weight: 10-13| Age: 5

T: E Sheehy J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Galileo Springs (5/4), Hillhead Runner (15/8), Atomic Queen (5/1), Penny Perfect (11/1), Lightning Legs (16/1), Chasing Crowns (16/1), Whispering Willow (20/1), Boldplay (40/1), George's Angel (300/1)

Bumper winner HILLHEAD RUNNER has shown plenty in her three starts since switched to hurdles for the Gavin Cromwell yard, seemingly booked for the runner-up spot when departing at the final flight over 2½m at Wexford. It's likely that plenty of use will be made of her back at this trip and she could prove hard to catch. Galileo Springs is capable of better than she has shown in this sphere so far and Martin Brassil's charge is second choice ahead of Atomic Queen and newcomer Penny Perfect.