UK Horse Racing Tips: Downpatrick

GENERAL MAXIMUS ran well on hurdles debut at Navan in March and should be suited by stepping up in distance. The stablemate winner of that Navan race won twice subsequently and while his lack of a recent run is a small concern, he appears to stay well and should improve. Duleek Street is race-fit and ran well on hurdles debut in an incident-packed race here in August. He comfortably holds Rodney Bay on a previous flat run at Bellewstown in July and should give the selection a race. Rodney Bay has useful hurdles form but is a 23-race maiden while six year old Beasley Street needs to improve on jumps debut to win. Another 23-race maiden Will You Win has some place claims.
Prediction : 1st General Maximus 2nd Duleek Street 3rd Rodney Bay

NONBINDING seemed improve a little when winning well at Navan 20 days ago. His form had been reasonable prior to that win and while he gives away plenty weight, could continue to progress and is suited by a sound surface. Black Hawk Eagle is a mid-60 rated flat handicapper who won on hurdles debut at Roscommon but was helped by a late faller in the race and faces a tougher task. No Trouble was well held at Down Royal recently and while he had previously been in good form this year, is a seven-race maiden over hurdles. Betty Dutton is open to more improvement being a four year old but steps up in grade from her Roscommon win.
Prediction : 1st Nonbinding 2nd Black Hawk Eagle 3rd No Trouble

DAISY DUFRESNE is consistent and drops to this 80-102 handicapping level for the first time. Suited by a sound surface, she was well enough held at Navan but nonetheless ran a sound race, is dependable and drops to a winneable race. Ballinlough Gale has top weight and is an 11-race maiden but is also reliable, is suited by good ground and is proven at this distance. Trishknowsbest and Darkest Hour are closely matched on two previous runs at today's venue while bumper winner Single Edition, a four year old, is tried in a first-time hood on handicap debut. Willyouwalkwithme and Ask The Leader are closely matched on a course run in May. Willyouwalkwithme has been well held in two recent runs but won at Sligo in August and is a dual course and distance winner while Ask The Leader is a three-time course winner and is 6lb higher than her August win.
Prediction : 1st Daisy Dufresne 2nd Ballinlough Gale 3rd Trishknowsbest

SAM'S CHOICE is useful and has plenty hurdling experience. His form was good last season, stays well and while pulled up at the Punchestown festival in April, his yard was out of sorts at the time and today's race is manageable, and he seems ground-versatile. Inclusion was beaten by a subsequent Listed winner at Ballinrobe last month but is better judged by the third-placed horse who was beaten at Listowel subsequently. She is nonetheless reasonably capable and is helped by her rider's 7lb claim. Stablemate Grivei ran well on debut but disappointed when racing too keen twice subsequent and has plenty to prove over this distance on jumps debut. Hot As Pepper was reported to have 'blood at the nostrils' following her Bellewstown disappointment but has been freshened up, was previously capable in bumpers and also won a point-to-point on debut last November. Kilbree Warrior has minor place claims under a light weight.
Prediction : 1st Sams Choice 2nd Inclusion 3rd Grivei

MONEY HEIST beat a well handicapped horse to win by a nose at Galway on Tuesday and his 7lb fixed penalty is mostly offset by today's rider's 5lb claim. He remains unexposed and today's race is quite the step down in standard. Appian Way got off the mark at the 29th attempt at Clonmel eight days ago and while rated just 4lb higher, should struggle to beat the selection. Western Dreaming won in August but disappointed at Gowran recently while L'or Des Roses has maiden hurdle form but failed to win in five point-to-points and has a tough task on handicap debut. Reddys Island, a winner on points debut, disappointed when a beaten favourite at Perth in August.
Prediction : 1st Money Heist 2nd Appian Way 3rd Western Dreaming

CLONBURY BRIDGE was a Galway festival winner last year and is suited by race conditions, being rated 109 over hurdles. A faller, when challenging, on chase debut last January, he returned to form with second at Sligo last month and is suited by a sound surface and this distance. Four-timer winner Son Of Hypnos is also suited by race conditions and is in form but makes his chase debut. Aprils Joy, rated 105 over hurdles and receiving a mares' allowance, is consistent but it is concerning she hasn't run over fences since pulling up (when reported to have 'never travelled') at Listowel two years ago. Room To Roam was a flat winner last month but had previously won just once from 33 hurdle runs while Fierami was well held on chase debut in August and needs to recapture his form.
Prediction : 1st Clonbury Bridge 2nd Son Of Hypnos 3rd Aprils Joy

Scottish raider GLEN AVA is a noteworthy runner in a race which is effectively a Class 5 race in the UK. A three-time hurdles winner at Perth this summer, improving her UK rating to 109 in that sphere, she reverts to fences rated just 84 and has plenty previous point-to-point and chase experience. Sanibel Island benefitted from a final fence fall from the leader to win at Killarney five days ago and with improved form in recent times, should again compete. Diego Way finished ahead of Sanibel Island at Sligo in September and has claims while Walking The Walk debuts for new connections, having been bought for 9,500 pounds on September 7. Magic Piper has won just once from 22 runs but ran well in a similar race at Sligo while veterans Shantou Sisou and Garrai Phaidin are useful at this level.
Prediction : 1st Glen Ava 2nd Sanibel Island 3rd Diegos Way