August 28 / 17.25 Downpatrick

17.25

Good

A J C Group Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £5743.36
  • 2m 1f 165y
  • 9 runners
RTV
View Course
A J C Group Handicap Chase

Runners: 9 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

OUR TIP

5/2 (Won)

  • Win: £5.40
  • Place: £1.70

Form: U24F-5

Last run: 17 days

W: 12st 1lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Point winner who won a maiden hurdle on Rules debut in February 2022; promise over fences last season including when narrowly denied in a novice chase at Leopardstown in March; tried in a hood when not beaten far in fifth at Wexford on first run after a break; likely to be sharper now and jockey rode double on Friday on his return from injury.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

7th Mar 2026

Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

15:20 Ayr

Irish Blaze

10st 13lb

J: Callum Bewley

T: Nicky Richards

Winning hurdler/chaser when trained in Ireland; beaten 29l and 34l on both hurdle starts for current yard; best watched.

16/1

8th

2

31st Jan 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 124y

Class 4

15:37 Musselburgh

Irish Blaze

11st 12lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Nicky Richards

Useful at his peak in Ireland but soundly beaten on debut for this stable at Haydock just before Christmas; quickly dropped 6lb but needs a big leap forward.

12/1

5

1st Jan 2025

Soft

2m 0f 180y

12:30 Tramore

Irish Blaze

11st 7lb

J: Jordan Gainford

T: Cian Collins

prominent

16/1

10/1

  • Place: £1.90

Form: -52324

Last run: 17 days

W: 10st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 88

Form & Verdict
Two wins over hurdles; 17-race maiden over fences but has been performing well this summer; finished just in front of Irish Blaze at Wexford last time having been touched off at that venue last month; best form is at a bare 2m and may struggle to get home up the hill here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

6

26th Mar 2025

Good

2m 0f 8y

Class 5

15:32 Hereford

Berliet Express

10st 2lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Jake Thomas Coulson

Dual 2m hurdle winner on yielding ground in Ireland; placed in 6-28 chase starts but recent form suggests that a 7lb drop and the application of cheekpieces won't see him break his duck in this discipline.

33/1

6th

8

20th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 189y

Class 5

14:15 Huntingdon

Berliet Express

10st 2lb

J: Sean Grantham

T: Jake Thomas Coulson

Jumped poorly when beaten 16l here two weeks ago, taking chase record to 0-27; 5lb out of the weights.

33/1

4th

10

6th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 189y

Class 5

13:10 Huntingdon

Berliet Express

10st 3lb

J: Sean Grantham

T: Jake Thomas Coulson

in rear

16/1

33/1

  • Place: £2.60

Form: -04d87 D

Last run: 15 days

W: 10st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 88

Form & Verdict
Modest sort whose sole win came in Sligo handicap hurdle for Willie Mullins two years ago; jumped poorly on chase debut at Roscommon; fair run over hurdles here since and no weight on his back but hard to fancy in this grade; owner rides him.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

7

24th Jul 2024

Good

2m 0f 0y

15:28 Wexford

Attitash

10st 0lb

J: Caragh Monaghan

T: Ian Patrick Donoghue

Record of 1-20 over hurdles but several decent efforts in defeat; his best chase runs have come at Downpatrick, including last twice; poor over hurdles since; 2lb out of the handicap.

16/1

9th

14

8th Jul 2024

Good

2m 4f 125y

17:00 Roscommon

Attitash

10st 8lb

J: Caragh Monaghan

T: Ian Patrick Donoghue

Has some good runs to his name but not last time and he's very opposable at these weights.

50/1

11th

17

16th Jun 2024

Yielding

2m 1f 165y

16:35 Downpatrick

Attitash

11st 7lb

J: Caragh Monaghan

T: Ian Patrick Donoghue

Second reserve; good comeback when second over fences here in April but well held over hurdles at Cartmel; fifth in a chase here on Saturday; new headgear combo.

Form: 0-8691 D

Last run: 18 days

W: 11st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Won first two chase starts last year when going straight into handicaps off his hurdles mark and his Cork second to the very progressive Final Orders was creditable; below par this year, including twice over fences, until bouncing back to form over hurdles at Sligo; likes a decent surface.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

29th Jul 2024

Yielding

2m 0f 130y

17:25 Galway

Golden Sandbanks

11st 13lb

J: Kevin Sexton

T: Paul W Flynn

Versatile dual-purpose sort won on the Flat at this track last September (soft); came back to form when second over hurdles at Sligo last time; 3lb higher but yard is in good form; a shout.

11/1

2nd

6

7th Jul 2024

Good

2m 1f 80y

15:05 Sligo

Golden Sandbanks

11st 3lb

J: Liam McKenna

T: Paul W Flynn

soon prominent behind clear leaders, mistake 4 out, soon reminder, went second before 2 out, challenging after last, no extra towards finish

10/1

13th

4

4th Jul 2024

Good To Yielding

2m 0f 0y

17:40 Tipperary

Golden Sandbanks

11st 10lb

J: Kevin Sexton

T: Paul W Flynn

Versatile good-ground performer has won seven races for yard including two on the Flat and a hurdle last year, and first two chase starts in 2022; well below his best in two handicap hurdle runs in May; most recent outing was over fences.

14/1

Form: 40/5-3

Last run: 27 days

W: 11st 13lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 115

Form & Verdict
Former useful hunter chaser is winless for over two years and not been at his best for some time; was mostly point-to-pointing over the winter and weakened tamely in Perth handicap last time having had a summer break.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

24th May 2024

Good

3m 4f 165y

19:35 Downpatrick

Samurai Cracker

12st 0lb

J: Mr O McGill

T: Mrs Caroline McCaldin

Capable performer but over three years winless and hasn't shown his best in points or under Rules for quite a while; not a bad effort when third to smart type at Toomebridge earlier this month.

12/1

7

24th May 2024

Good

3m 4f 165y

19:35 Downpatrick

Samurai Cracker

12st 0lb

J: Mr O McGill

T: Mrs Caroline McCaldin

Capable performer but over three years winless and hasn't shown his best in points or under Rules for quite a while; not a bad effort when third to smart type at Toomebridge earlier this month.

12/1

5th

4

28th Aug 2023

Good

2m 1f 165y

17:25 Downpatrick

Samurai Cracker

11st 13lb

J: Mr O McGill

T: Mrs Caroline McCaldin

Former useful hunter chaser is winless for over two years and not been at his best for some time; was mostly point-to-pointing over the winter and weakened tamely in Perth handicap last time having had a summer break.

12/1

Form: 280-49

Last run: 17 days

W: 12st 1lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Decent on the Flat at up to 1m and won a Listed novice hurdle at Galway last year; starts off in handicap chases from a mark 6lb lower than his hurdles rating although the bare form of his two spins over fences earlier this month would suggest the handicapper could have been kinder.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

8

11th Jun 2024

Good

2m 2f 91y

16:45 Sligo

Flaming Moon

11st 0lb

J: Peter Smithers

T: Peter John Flood

Flat/hurdle winner but hard to trust after pulling up in his last two points.

25/1

6th

2

28th Aug 2023

Good

2m 1f 165y

17:25 Downpatrick

Flaming Moon

12st 1lb

J: James Smith

T: Matthew J Smith

Decent on the Flat at up to 1m and won a Listed novice hurdle at Galway last year; starts off in handicap chases from a mark 6lb lower than his hurdles rating although the bare form of his two spins over fences earlier this month would suggest the handicapper could have been kinder.

11/2

Form: 7286-6 D

Last run: 15 days

W: 12st 2lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 118

Form & Verdict
Three-time winner over hurdles although best days are behind him in that discipline; last success came on chase debut at Listowel in 2020 but ran only once more over fences; fitter for hurdles return here earlier in the month having been off since last autumn.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

15th

8

(2)

31st Oct 2023

Heavy

1m 6f 0y

16:07 Curragh

Play The Game

9st 9lb

J: Donagh O’Connor

T: John C McConnell

towards rear

66/1

7th

1

28th Aug 2023

Good

2m 1f 165y

17:25 Downpatrick

Play The Game

12st 2lb

J: Ben Harvey

T: John C McConnell

Three-time winner over hurdles although best days are behind him in that discipline; last success came on chase debut at Listowel in 2020 but ran only once more over fences; fitter for hurdles return here earlier in the month having been off since last autumn.

7/1

Form: 334P-0 C

Last run: 28 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Twice a winner over hurdles but better chaser; won beginners' chase here last autumn and narrowly beaten in Naas handicap next time; didn't go on from that but fitter for recent spin over hurdles at Galway; not the biggest so the fences around here suit him well.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

25th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 136y

19:05 Ballinrobe

Clonbury Bridge

10st 13lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: J P Dempsey

Won a couple of Fairyhouse chases last year (2m5f/3m) and handles goodish ground; last month's hurdling fourth probably a prep for this; can race close to the pace.

10/1

4th

4

18th Apr 2026

Yielding

3m 0f 5y

17:00 Bellewstown

Clonbury Bridge

12st 0lb

J: Mr Finian Maguire

T: J P Dempsey

Three wins apiece over hurdles and fences; was a 7l runner-up at Navan in a 2m4f handicap hurdle in November but pulled-up at Leopardstown next time; a squeak if back to form.

14/1

5

1st Nov 2025

Good

3m 0f 0y

14:10 Down Royal

Clonbury Bridge

11st 7lb

J: Eoin Staples

T: J P Dempsey

Gained his third chase win in a Fairyhouse handicap (24.5f, yielding) three weeks ago; raised 5lb for that 1.5l victory so he'll need a career best to follow up off his new mark.

11/2

Form: 7-1257 BF

Last run: 17 days

W: 11st 9lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
Off the mark on ninth start over fences when wide margin winner over 2m5f at Tramore in June and second in 2m handicap at Clonmel a week later; too keen at Wexford last time where the ground may have gone for him (likes it good).
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

15th

11

31st Aug 2024

Good

1m 4f 0y

17:45 Curragh

Top Line Tommy

12st 3lb

J: Shane Harris

T: E J O’Grady

Flat winner at Dundalk in 2021 but well beaten in two starts over hurdles this year.

28/1

11th

5

8th Jul 2024

Good

1m 7f 204y

19:10 Roscommon

Top Line Tommy

11st 11lb

J: Mark McDonagh

T: E J O’Grady

All his best form is on good ground but still finished tailed off under suitable conditions last time; others preferred.

33/1

14th

4

1st Jun 2024

Good

2m 4f 80y

16:10 Listowel

Top Line Tommy

11st 13lb

J: Mark McDonagh

T: E J O’Grady

All his best form is on good ground; latest win came over fences in June 2023; failed to complete last two starts over fences and 0-17 over timber; low hurdle mark helps but has been off 267 days.

14/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €51.50
Straight Forecast €46.12
Tricast €354.99
Trifecta €328.50

Selections

RP RATINGS (IRE):

Irish Blaze

SPOTLIGHT:

Clonbury Bridge

The Irish Sun:

Flaming Moon

TOPSPEED:

Top Line Tommy

POSTDATA:

Irish Blaze