UK Horse Racing Tips: Downpatrick

KING KAL was useful in point-to-points as a four-year-old and has hinted at ability over hurdles. Off for 462 days following his point-to-points, he has shaped like a chaser over hurdles but has nonetheless run well in this sphere and should appreciate stepping up in distance to a weak race, albeit on reappearance. Nonbinding, a half-brother to Ferny Hollow, ran well in bumpers last winter but was well held by an easy winner at Ballinrobe recently. He has race-fitness and hurdles experience on his side, stepping up in distance, but is vulnerable to capable types. Duleek Street is a notable hurdling debutant having shown useful Flat form. Monrocher has been tried in a hood, tongue-tie and, for the second time, cheekpieces and needs to improve.
Prediction : 1st King Kal 2nd Nonbinding 3rd Duleek Street

HAPPAUGUE is a dual Flat winner who ran well when third on handicap debut last week. His best Flat form is on the all-weather but his recent Bellewstown hurdles run is encouraging and a little improvement can be expected having run around a little on the run-in then. Darkest Hour and Alexharwill are closely matched and have obvious claims. I Don't Get It defeated Darkest Hour, when ridden from off the pace, to win in June and having been outclassed in a three-runner race recently, has claims dropping to this grade. Y Fyn Duw A Fydd has bits of useful handicap form, while Jazz Ranger ran well at Tramore. Dual Flat winner Miss Louise ran well at Sligo and has place claims.
Prediction : 1st Happaugue 2nd Darkest Hour 3rd Alexharwill

WHO'S HOUDINI represents an in-form yard. An unlucky last-fence faller for Pat Doyle when clear in an April point-to-point, he caught the eye recently at Tramore, is sure to improve and is ideally suited by trip and good ground. Eco Pete carries a winner's penalty but ran well here in July. His bumper form was useful but was beaten by a hanging winner in last month's race. Four-year-old Wee Willie Nail is useful but his recent course run was a little disappointing and now steps up in distance. Desertmore House is interesting on hurdles debut having being owner-ridden in bumpers. He won a point-to-point on debut last November and should be well suited by today's distance. Three-time Flat winner Blackstone Cliff was well beaten on recent hurdles debut.
Prediction : 1st Whos Houdini 2nd Eco Pete 3rd Wee Willie Nail

SPHAGNUM is in form, proven at this grade and bumped into nicely-handicapped horses recently. His Killarney conqueror won subsequently, while the winner of his recent Sligo race is similarly progressive and Sphagnum is well suited by today's distance and good ground. Getaway Goldie is rated 12lb lower over hurdles than fences and while her April hurdles success was gained by just a short head in Perth, can continue to progress in both codes. Kilbarry Chianti is consistent, ran well in rated hurdles recently and has solid place claims, while Ask Charlie ran OK on handicap debut at Bellewstown and will be better suited by this distance. Rare Conor, an 11-year-old, is a 32-race maiden but has been running well, while Different Strokes ran well in a handicap chase recently. Diamondinthemud was well held at Galway, while lightly-raced Make The Switch reverts to hurdles and should improve from his recent reappearance.
Prediction : 1st Sphagnum 2nd Getaway Goldie 3rd Kilbarry Chianti

UHTRED makes his chase debut but is rated 138 over hurdles and won over a similar distance here earlier this month. A dual bumper winner and beaten just seven lengths in a Grade 1 last November, he showed that level of ability in winning recently and while he lacks chase experience, is well suited by trip and good ground. Chinx Of Light is built and bred for fences and is rated 137 over hurdles. His chase debut was useful and while there was no disgrace in his Galway defeat, is ideally suited by a longer distance. Blackstair Rocco was rated 127 over hurdles and while he ran well at Limerick in mid-July, was pulled up at Galway subsequently. Mr Caplan was rated 119 over hurdles and was well held by the winer on chase debut at Tipperary.
Prediction : 1st Uhtred 2nd Chinx Of Light 3rd Blackstair Rocco

A MERE BAGATELLE won a Cartmel hurdle in June and contests a weak chase. He ran well on chase debut at Tipperary in July, subsequently proved his well-being over hurdles, and is ideally suited by good ground and this type of distance, for a yard in form. Stablemate Sulafaat is a four-time staying Flat winner who makes his chase debut but ran well over hurdles at Ballinrobe, although might prefer further. Shantou Sisu is a dual hurdles winner but was well held at Roscommon, while top-weight Magic Piper was found to have burst a blood vessel at Tramore. Allez George pulled up in May but had previously run well at Tramore in April and debuts over fences.
Prediction : 1st A Mere Bagatelle 2nd Sulafaat 3rd Shantou Sisu

ALL CLASS has burst blood vessels on occasions, including at Down Royal last month, but can win again over fences. Her form is in-and-out but she is suited by good ground and a reproduction of her Limerick form would give her every chance under Jack Kennedy, being rated 6lb lower over fences than hurdles. Dollar Value's troubles start and finish at the beginning of his races, and he is a nine-time winner whose previous chase success came here in August 2020. She Tops The Lot holds stablemate Tisadream on a previous meeting at Tramore in June, while Don Diablo was well held on latest efforts. The Greek is somewhat unexposed over fences but was an early faller at Killarney.
Prediction : 1st All Class 2nd Dollar Value 3rd She Tops The Lot