October 11 / 15.20 Downpatrick

15.20

Good To Yielding

Pro Solar NI, Sam Downey Memorial Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £5130.43
  • 2m 1f 65y
  • 8 runners
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Pro Solar NI, Sam Downey Memorial Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

6/4 (Won)

  • Win: £3.25
  • Place: £1.80

Form: 9-6511 CD

Last run: 21 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 102

Form & Verdict
Won a 2m6f good ground handicap hurdle here by 17l in August and defied a 9lb rise when running out a comfortable winner over C&D last month; has another 9lb rise to contend with but he's thriving at present.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

3

22nd Jan 2026

Heavy

2m 7f 110y

13:10 Gowran Park

Portnacoo

11st 8lb

J: Adam Leahy

T: John Joseph Hanlon

Four-time hurdles winner; not solid on his form this term, latterly for new yard; unseated rider at Taunton over fences on latest; best form is on better ground than this.

25/1

2

23rd Oct 2025

Yielding

2m 4f 51y

15:52 Clonmel

Portnacoo

11st 9lb

J: Sean Flanagan

T: John Joseph Hanlon

Three wins at Downpatrick and one at Carlisle which was the latest in February; showed nothing in two runs since that win but encouraging signs when fourth at Gowran 20 days ago and he's back on his last winning mark.

5/1

OUR TIP

11/4

  • Place: £2.30

Form: PP3-52

Last run: 146 days

W: 11st 5lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 93

Form & Verdict
Long-standing maiden who has been placed on the Flat and over hurdles plenty of times; poor on the Flat at Navan latest but was beaten only a neck when runner-up on last hurdles start at Wexford (2m1f, soft) in May; should be thereabouts.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

14th

16

1st Jan 2025

Good To Yielding

2m 4f 0y

13:15 Fairyhouse

Breagagh

10st 9lb

J: Paddy Hanlon

T: S Michael Millar

Long standing, dual-purpose maiden; 0-23 over hurdles but has run well on multiple occasions, including here over 2m off this mark; out of his depth in a Grade 3 when falling on latest; this more suitable and while he is hard to win with, he has each-way claims.

12/1

14th

16

1st Jan 2025

Good To Yielding

2m 4f 0y

13:15 Fairyhouse

Breagagh

10st 9lb

J: Paddy Hanlon

T: S Michael Millar

Long standing, dual-purpose maiden; 0-23 over hurdles but has run well on multiple occasions, including here over 2m off this mark; out of his depth in a Grade 3 when falling on latest; this more suitable and while he is hard to win with, he has each-way claims.

12/1

5

1st Nov 2024

Good To Yielding

2m 0f 190y

14:05 Down Royal

Breagagh

10st 11lb

J: Mr N Gault

T: S Michael Millar

raced in last, bad mistake and pecked on landing 1st, hampered by faller 3rd, outpaced when jumped slightly left 3 out

150/1

Form: 9-0080

Last run: 11 days

W: 10st 12lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 87

Form & Verdict
Dual-purpose maiden; has only had five starts over hurdles but he was tailed off in handicaps at Perth and Roscommon lately; hard to fancy at the moment.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

6th Mar 2026

Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 5

15:50 Ayr

Nakassama

11st 11lb

J: Mr O McGill

T: Noel C Kelly

Irish 6yo who justified market support at Hexham (2m4f, good to soft) on last attempt over hurdles, opening his account; interesting back in this sphere, especially if again backed; tongue-tie fitted on return from layoff.

6/1

5

23rd Oct 2025

Good To Yielding

2m 4f 219y

17:25 Clonmel

Nakassama

11st 8lb

J: Conor Stone-Walsh

T: Noel C Kelly

Off the mark over hurdles in a modest contest at Hexham in June; good effort in a 1m4f Flat maiden at the Galway festival; tailed off on his chase debut at Downpatrick; could be a different proposition in a handicap.

7/1

Form: 9U4748

Last run: 11 days

W: 10st 6lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 80

Form & Verdict
Dual-purpose maiden has run well in handicaps of late before disappointing at Roscommon last month where she cut out most of the running; best efforts on good ground so she wouldn't want rain.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

26th Sep 2025

Yielding

2m 6f 0y

15:43 Listowel

Fire Coral

11st 3lb

J: Phillip Enright

T: S Curling

Made light work of a 6lb rise for her 2m6f Downpatrick (good) win when following up at Down Royal (3m, gd-fm); raised another 7lb for that 2.5l success; can go well again, though wouldn't want it too soft.

4/1

1st

11

29th Aug 2025

Good

3m 0f 0y

19:23 Down Royal

Fire Coral

10st 10lb

J: Danny Mullins

T: S Curling

Put in a string of positive runs since switching to current stable which culminated in a a neck win at Downpatrick last time (2m6f, good); she had Georgia Calena and Feast behind her that day but now must deal with a 6lb rise.

11/2

11

10th Aug 2025

Good

2m 5f 180y

16:52 Downpatrick

Fire Coral

10st 6lb

J: Phillip Enright

T: S Curling

Well backed when 8l third here over 2m2f last month (good) on stable debut; stayed on to take fourth at Wexford last time (3m, good); enough progress in those runs to suggest that she is a big danger in a race of this nature back at this track.

11/2

Form: /4-565

Last run: 7 days

W: 11st 5lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 93

Form & Verdict
Three-time Flat winner is 0-7 over hurdles; strong in the betting when a beaten favourite over C&D in August and September; respectable fifth of 14 over 2m at Gowran last week; enters the discussion in a winnable race.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

14th

10

20th Mar 2025

Good

2m 0f 150y

14:27 Cork

Sandyman

11st 6lb

J: Alex Harvey

T: William Harvey

Three-time Flat winner; never in the first three over hurdles, though has shown some ability in handicaps at Downpatrick; needs to improve from stable debut at Fairyhouse in November.

22/1

14th

9

3rd Feb 2025

Soft To Heavy

2m 0f 44y

16:40 Punchestown

Sandyman

12st 0lb

J: Evie Pierce

T: William Harvey

Three-time Flat winner has been regressive in the last while and has lots to find.

100/1

Form: -60747

Last run: 4 days

W: 10st 6lb

7 yo Mare

OR: 80

Form & Verdict
One of three in the race for Noel Kelly; encouraging run over 2m when fourth at Perth last month but failed to back that up at Fairyhouse on Monday; cheekpieces replace blinkers.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

12

7th Aug 2025

Good

2m 1f 193y

18:35 Sligo

Chancer Dancer

11st 1lb

J: Alex Harvey

T: Noel C Kelly

Bolted up when losing her maiden tag at the 18th attempt in a handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan last month; 11lb higher but that was a first start in 273 days so there's a chance she'll come on for the run; one to consider.

5/1

1st

16

11th Jul 2025

Good

2m 2f 160y

18:00 Kilbeggan

Chancer Dancer

10st 4lb

J: Conor Stone-Walsh

T: Noel C Kelly

Long-standing maiden; extended hurdles record to 0-17 when last seen at Downpatrick last October; well-handicapped on some of her old form but a revival is needed.

8/1

6th

7

11th Oct 2024

Good To Yielding

2m 1f 65y

15:20 Downpatrick

Chancer Dancer

10st 6lb

J: Mr M E McCrory

T: Noel C Kelly

One of three in the race for Noel Kelly; encouraging run over 2m when fourth at Perth last month but failed to back that up at Fairyhouse on Monday; cheekpieces replace blinkers.

14/1

Form: 347/P-

Last run: 401 days

W: 11st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 90

Form & Verdict
Trainer's first ever jumps runners in Ireland; in great heart on the Flat lately, winning a pair of 1m2f Newcastle handicaps; 0-5 over hurdles and all three career wins have been on the AW.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

1

(4)

12th Dec 2024

Standard

1m 4f 98y

Class 6

11:47 Newcastle (AW)

Three Platoon

10st 0lb

J: Clifford Lee

T: Rebecca Menzies

took keen hold

20/1

8th

1

(4)

12th Dec 2024

Standard

1m 4f 98y

Class 6

11:47 Newcastle (AW)

Three Platoon

10st 0lb

J: Clifford Lee

T: Rebecca Menzies

took keen hold, never better than midfield

20/1

11th

1

(12)

23rd Nov 2024

Standard

1m 2f 42y

Class 6

15:33 Newcastle (AW)

Three Platoon

9st 12lb

J: Alistair Rawlinson

T: Rebecca Menzies

Won twice over C&D not all that long ago but can lose his form, as has happened since on the Flat and over hurdles; bit risky.

20/1

Form: 0008

Last run: 21 days

W: 10st 13lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 87

Form & Verdict
Four-time winner on the Flat but has been beaten out of sight in four starts over hurdles, including over C&D last month; makes handicap debut in this sphere so a market watch is advised.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

10th Oct 2025

Yielding To Soft

2m 1f 65y

15:23 Downpatrick

Bringsty

11st 2lb

J: Simon Torrens

T: Noel C Kelly

One of three for yard; Flat winner (two on soft-heavy) is 0-8 over timber but he ran better on yielding ground at Killarney last time when a warm order but relegated to third place late on (no chance with winner); can build on that effort.

4/1

6th

7

11th Aug 2025

Good

2m 0f 169y

18:55 Ballinrobe

Bringsty

11st 1lb

J: Alex Harvey

T: Noel C Kelly

Five Flat wins, most recently at Gowran in April; struggled in maiden hurdles last year; ordinary handicap debut run at Perth and very disappointing when joint favourite at Kilbeggan a month ago; reported to have suffered minor skin scrapes.

6/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €12.30
Straight Forecast €13.19
Tricast €382.65
Trifecta €143.10

Selections

RP RATINGS (IRE):

Chancer Dancer

SPOTLIGHT:

Portnacoo

The Irish Sun:

Breagagh

POSTDATA:

Sandyman

TOPSPEED:

Chancer Dancer