UK Horse Racing Tips: Listowel

SMOOTH TOM is an interesting recruit to hurdles. The Andy Slattery-trained gelding is a useful sort on the Flat winning twice and was particularly impressive on testing ground at Leopardstown back in May. He put in another creditable performance when runner-up to Goodie Two Shoes at Gowran last time. Good Heavens has a slightly higher rating on the Flat (career high mark of 101) and has shown promise over hurdles including in a Grade 3 at Naas earlier this year. Ninth Loch won a Kilbeggan bumper this summer and the form of his second to The Wallpark on hurdle debut at Killarney received a timely boost here on Wednesday.
Prediction : 1st Smooth Tom 2nd Good Heavens 3rd Ninth Loch

Willie Mullins holds a strong hand here and riding arrangements suggest HIGH CLASS HERO is preferred of his trio. The point-to-point winner has scored on both starts for the champion trainer this year, a bumper at this venue before making all when odds-on in a maiden hurdle at the Galway Festival and the booking of Paul Townend looks significant. What Path landed a bumper at the Galway Festival last year and has progressed well over hurdles this season winning over three miles at both Tipperary and Kilbeggan before not enjoying a clear run after the last when beaten a length by The Big Doyen over 2m5f at Galway. Pink In The Park was also seeking a hat-trick over hurdles in that race when a further six lengths back in third. Reverend Hubert won very easily at Downpatrick while Baltic Bird won in good style at Cork and receives weight all-round.
Prediction : 1st High Class Hero 2nd What Path 3rd Reverend Hubert

BUGS MORAN won a valuable three-mile novice handicap at the Fairyhouse Easter meeting last year and was reappearing after a break of over 15 months when beating all bar Ambitious Fellow in another valuable 2m6f handicap at the Galway Festival. He remains on a competitive mark and Jack Kennedy again takes the ride. Buddy One was placed in competitive handicaps over this trip at Cheltenham and Aintree this spring and may have found two miles just a bit sharp when again running with plenty of credit last time at the Galway Festival. Sequoiaspirit has gained all five career wins on the Flat but has been placed on all three hurdle runs this year, while the locally trained Marelly and Sams Profile are others to consider. The latter has been lightly raced since winning the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle in 2021.
Prediction : 1st Bugs Moran 2nd Buddy One 3rd Sequoiaspirit

INDIE BELLE won over this trip at Punchestown last year and has scored three times since over fences including at the Punchestown Festival this spring. The Robert Widger-trained mare has had a summer break and reverts to hurdles off a 20lb lower mark compared to her chase rating. Kellie's Dream appreciated soft ground when successful at Kilbeggan in July while others to consider include Kalanisi Dubh, a winner on soft ground at Down Royal last Christmas, and Everystep Oftheway. The latter has solid claims on his third to Miss Tempo over a similar trip at Naas. Gekkota showed some promise when keeping on nicely into third behind Listentillitellyea at Galway last week with Kitsilano, let down by his jumping, about four lengths behind.
Prediction : 1st Indie Belle 2nd Kellies Dream 3rd Everystep Oftheway

ATIMETODREAM gets the vote to defy topweight in what appears the stronger of the two divisions. The Henry de Bromhead-trained mare was third to hot-pot Irish Point in a 23-runner Cork maiden on soft ground and made a bright start in handicaps when beating all bar I Don't Get It over 2m3f at Limerick in May. She missed a couple of engagements since including when in season here last Sunday. Mac's Xpress ran a cracker over two miles here on Monday when third to The King Of Prs and it will be interesting to see how he copes with this extra half-mile. Hard Target won on testing ground at Clonmel and has been a model of consistency recently over this trip, while Vintage Gold and Blenheim Belle both come here off the back of a win last month.
Prediction : 1st Atimetodream 2nd Macs Xpress 3rd Hard Target

MICA MALPIC won over three miles here 12 months ago and returned to form with a vengeance at Kilbeggan this summer when quickening clear in the closing stages over 2m3f. He was subsequently beaten less than four lengths behind Desertmore House at the same venue (Gateau De Miel well held in sixth) and that form received a big boost in the Kerry National here on Wednesday. Brideswell Lad has won three times this year including at the Punchestown Festival and successfully reverted to hurdles off a lowly mark at Wexford last time. Real Steel has been lightly raced since winning the valuable Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown last Christmas and just missed the cut for the Kerry National, while Mars Harper gained a deserved win over fences at Galway last time.
Prediction : 1st Mica Malpic 2nd Brideswell Lad 3rd Mars Harper

GALON DE VAUZELLE has scored twice over hurdles and the point-to-point winner has been generally very consistent over fences for the past 12 months. The Philip Rothwell-trained gelding was third behind the progressive Seddon at the Leopardstown Christmas meeting and beat all bar Better Times Ahead in a valuable novice handicap over a similar trip at Navan this spring. King Ferdinand has given his enthusiastic syndicate plenty to shout about over both hurdles and fences in the past year while Goodnightngodbless is also a consistent sort and gained a deserved win over 3m1f at Wexford in May. Lake Chad is another for the shortlist along with Holiday In Kerry.
Prediction : 1st Galon De Vauzelle 2nd King Ferdinand 3rd Goodnightngodbless

Willie and Patrick Mullins continue to dominate in bumpers and it is difficult to oppose I WILL BE BAIE. A point-to-point winner for Colin Bowe, he only lost out in the stewards room on his debut under Rules at Punchestown before landing the odds at the Galway Festival. Intense Approach has a similar profile having also scored between the flags and having gone close at Ballinrobe, made no mistake last time when long odds-on at Bellewstown. Fast Felix has progressed with each run and had stablemate Watergrangedreamer about nine lengths behind when third to the Mullins-trained Glowing Account here last Sunday.
Prediction : 1st I Will Be Baie 2nd Intense Approach 3rd Fast Felix