UK Horse Racing Tips: Gowran Park

Those with jumping experience make limited appeal and perhaps LA TULIPE NOIRE can score on her debut over hurdles. The Ciaran Murphy-trained filly won over a mile at Dundalk last winter and has also shown promise with cut in the ground on turf, although stamina is a concern as she has yet to race beyond nine furlongs. St Faz won over 1m5f at Down Royal but didn't jump great on his hurdling debut when a moderate third to Nurburgring at Killarney, with Pigeon House behind in fourth. The latter fared better subsequently when runner-up to An Bradan Feasa at Ballinrobe, with Expelliarmus over two lengths adrift in third. Doctor Nightingale has plenty of experience over hurdles and holds Emotivo on running behind Annie Agnew at Down Royal. Open To Question hails from a yard with a good record in this type of event and he's now blinkered after three maiden outings on the Flat.
Prediction : 1st La Tulipe Noire 2nd St Faz 3rd Pigeon House

ZAIDI handled soft ground when winning a point-to-point for Ellmarie Holden and again when drawing clear from over a furlong out to take a Thurles bumper in good style this spring. The Gordon Elliott-trained gelding was switched to hurdles at the Fairyhouse Easter meeting and beat all bar chief market rival Canal End in a 24-runner maiden over this trip. Mint Boy was up with the pace until dropping away quickly after the penultimate flight in that Fairyhouse maiden, but the point-to-point winner is surely capable of better judged on his placed bumper form. Champagne Admiral has also shown promise in bumpers and is another to consider, with Michael O'Sullivan an interesting booking on the Pat Fahy-trained gelding.
Prediction : 1st Zaidi 2nd Mint Boy 3rd Champagne Admiral

GLENABO BRIDGE has gained all three hurdle wins with plenty of cut in the ground and, while firmly in the veteran stage, holds each-way claims on what should prove suitable conditions. He filled the runner-up spot over this trip at Punchestown back in January and may benefit from his latest outing at Ballinrobe. How Decc comes here off the back of some consistent efforts but the ground could be a worry and that is the same concern with Great Island, who has shown some promise in maidens and now switches to a handicap for the first time. Aegirine is another with scope for improvement having also given encouragement in maidens, while Mrs Watson is lightly raced for a nine-year-old and gained her only win on very testing ground in a similar event at Clonmel.
Prediction : 1st Glenabo Bridge 2nd Great Island 3rd Aegirine

AMBITIOUS FELLOW gained a fifth career win last time when landing the valuable BoyleSports Handicap Hurdle at the Galway Festival. The Peter Fahey-trained gelding ticked a number of boxes in relation to this test as he stayed on well over 2m6f and handled soft ground. There is scope for further improvement and while going up 8lb for that success, connections have now booked a 7lb claimer. Ballyglass Beauty is another to consider at the opposite end of the handicap having scored over this trip at Listowel last Saturday. The Liam Cusack-trained gelding but up a career best when drawing clear on the run-in to score in decisive fashion, but will find this tougher off a 10lb higher mark. Point-to-point winner Quarry Rocco isn't easy for the handicapper to assess as he landed a 2m2f Ballinrobe maiden last time on just his second hurdle start, while Ringdufferin was fitted with cheekpieces when opening his account at Downpatrick earlier this month.
Prediction : 1st Ambitious Fellow 2nd Ballyglass Beauty 3rd Ringdufferin

ENVOI ALLEN can sometimes throw in a poor run, as he did in last season's King George, but he has a flawless record first time out and should be too good for these. He beat Kemboy in a Grade 1 at Down Royal on his reappearance last term and was right back to his best when defeating Shishkin in the Ryanair at Cheltenham. Easy Game excels in these small-field contests and is going for his third win in this race. His only defeats in his last 10 starts have been in successive renewals of the Galway Plate and he will be there to capitalise if the selection is below par. Gentlemansgame looked an exciting novice prospect when beating the subsequent Irish National winner at Leopardstown last Christmas, but didn't run again. This is a stiff task for one with so little experience.
Prediction : 1st Envoi Allen 2nd Easy Game 3rd Gentlemansgame

It may pay to focus on those at the foot of the handicap and POSITIVE THINKER can make it two from two over fences. Consistent over flights last term, he went straight into a handicap off his hurdles mark to make a winning debut over fences at Tipperary in April. After a summer break, he made a pleasing return when second over hurdles at Ballinrobe and has shown an ability to handle testing ground. A Mere Bagatelle has improved a bit over fences this summer, with a win at Kilbeggan and a runner-up finish at Killarney on his latest jumps start. He stuck to his task well on that occasion and is another who won't mind deep ground. Willywampus was runner-up over C&D on heavy ground last season and got off the mark with a wide-margin success at Tramore in August. He likes to get on with things from the front but is likely to prove vulnerable to the closers.
Prediction : 1st Positive Thinker 2nd A Mere Bagatelle 3rd Willywampus

A smart staying novice over hurdles, LETSBECLEARABOUTIT can make a winning chase debut. Gavin Cromwell's charge was classy in bumpers and achieved a healthy rating over hurdles after finishing fourth in the Albert Bartlett and the 2m4f Grade 1 novice at Aintree. He's eight already so there's no more time to delay his switch to fences. Largy Debut ran respectably behind some of the leading Irish novice chasers last term, but was inclined to make mistakes. Although a beaten favourite, he did little wrong when beaten by a subsequent Punchestown Festival winner at Cork in April and might just be a horse best caught fresh. Franciscan Rock's hurdles rating got a big bump upwards when he finished third in a Grade 1 novice hurdle at Punchestown and he ended the season with a mark only 3lb below that of the selection. His trainer has been looking forward to sending him over fences.
Prediction : 1st Letsbeclearaboutit 2nd Franciscan Rock 3rd Largy Debut