UK Horse Racing Tips: Listowel

CARRIGMOORNA QUEEN is Paul Townend's choice of three bumper winners from Willie Mullins' yard. Runner-up on her debut last term, she won well when odds-on at the Galway festival and can make a winning start over hurdles. Walk On The Moone, a winner at Kilbeggan in the spring, has been runner-up in two of her three starts over hurdles and just failed to get up over a furlong further at Tramore last time. She's been odds-on every time she's run. The third Mullins runner, Moonrise Beauty, won an ordinary bumper at Downpatrick last month. Gaoth Chuil, runner-up in three bumpers before hacking up at Tipperary, ran a nice race against previous winners on her hurdling bow at Galway and looks sure to go close.
Prediction : 1st Carrigmoorna Queen 2nd Gaoth Chuil 3rd Walk On The Moone

Bumper winner JOHN CANNON has been expensive to follow over hurdles but this is a good chance for him to make the breakthrough in this sphere. He has loads of experience and looks worthy of his mark of 118. After a four month break, he ran well in a decent maiden at Galway earlier this month and the second boosted the form on Saturday. Tinder Dan had shown ability in point-to-points and bumpers but was justifiably a rank outsider for a useful conditions event at Galway on the same day that the selection last ran. He ran a cracker to be beaten a dozen lengths by Darver Star and if that run can be believed, he's the one to beat. The drop back in trip from 2m5f may be against him, though. Nephin Beg was fourth over a longer trip on debut at Ballinrobe last month and the placed horses have both won since. The drop back to 2m may not be a big negative as he raced keenly on that occasion.
Prediction : 1st John Cannon 2nd Tinder Dan 3rd Nephin Beg

Brazil sets a fair standard having bolted up in a rated novice at Naas before landing the highly competitive Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. He was placed subsequently in a Grade 1 at Aintree and it will be interesting to see how strong the top-weight is in the market. However, the concession of 10lb to PRAIRIE DANCER could prove too much. The Joseph O'Brien-trained gelding twice beat Douglas Dc earlier this summer and the front-runner again made a bold bid last time when third to Tudor City in the valuable Guinness Galway Hurdle. That handicap experience could prove vital. Man O Work, Global Export and Evergreen And Red have closely knit form lines from earlier this year and all merit respect, while the latter's trainer Noel Meade is also represented by in-form dual purpose filly Sheishybrid.
Prediction : 1st Prairie Dancer 2nd Brazil 3rd Sheishybrid

BUTTONS AND BOWS looked a horse with a bright future when landing a 24-runner maiden hurdle on debut at Cork nearly four years ago. He certainly hasn't overachieved subsequently with wins in a handicap hurdle and chase, but has performed well on both previous outings at this track and comes here off the back of a decent run on the Flat at Clonmel. Sequoiaspirit is an obvious threat. He completed a hat-trick on the Flat last summer and on his last hurdle start had Toms Courage close behind when the pair were placed in the 19-runner handicap won by Just Jacob at Cork in July. Veneziano Springs and Tom Courage are also closely matched on running behind Big Island at Galway earlier this month.
Prediction : 1st Buttons And Bows 2nd Sequoiaspirit 3rd Toms Courage

HGRANCA DE THAIX has been very lightly raced since finishing second in this race last year and perhaps this has been the plan for some time. The Barry Connell-trained gelding was closing the gap all the way to the line behind Socially Distant 12 months ago and shaped well on both outings since on more testing ground. Michael O'Sullivan claims a valuable 7lb. Wojood has won four times in just over a year including his last hurdle start at Ballinrobe and has been in good form since on the Flat, with another victory at Tramore last month. The joint top-weights Drumcliff and Rock On Seamie are both on the shortlist, while it would be interesting to see some support for the lightly-raced Cregane Ned.
Prediction : 1st Hgranca De Thaix 2nd Drumcliff 3rd Wojood

GRAND ROI is a smart recruit to fences. The Gordon Elliott-trained gelding is a Grade 2 winner over hurdles and while without a win last term, kept good company picking up prizemoney, including behind Darasso on a couple of occasions over 2m4f. Adamantly Chosen is also a very useful sort over hurdles, making all for a facile win in a Thurles maiden and also finishing fourth to Camprond in a valuable 2m3f handicap at the Punchestown Festival meeting. The selection is currently rated 8lb higher over hurdles on 145 but ability to jump fences will be the crucial factor. Point-to-point winner Watch House Cross won a maiden hurdle at Leopardstown last Christmas and had excuses (burst blood vessel and pulled a shoe) when disappointing over fences last time.
Prediction : 1st Grand Roi 2nd Adamantly Chosen 3rd Watch House Cross

ABBEYDALE is a well-bred newcomer from one of the leading yards and, if the market speaks in his favour, could be hard to beat. The Martaline gelding cost 140,000 as a two-year-old in Arqana and is a half-brother to four winners including the smart Irish Saint. Bukhill had Fiveonefive, who was second on debut at Roscommon, about a length behind when fifth at the Galway Festival. The Willie Mullins-trained gelding was sent off favourite on that occasion and could well progress from the experience. My Gaffer has filled the runner-up spot on both outings, while Sean Og and Volantis are others with placed form to consider.
Prediction : 1st Abbeydale 2nd Bukhill 3rd Fiveonefive