UK Horse Racing Tips: Limerick

A PENNY A HUNDRED made a winning start in a Sligo bumper in August and the runner-up franked the form at Sedgefield earlier in the month. Her half-brother won on hurdling debut and she can emulate him although her ability to handle heavy ground has to be taken on trust. Liberated Light won a maiden over 1m6f at Killarney and has run respectably in a couple of handicaps. A half-brother to crack bumper horse A Dream To Share, he is one to note on hurdling debut. Cut The Rope has been off since January when he made all to win the first four-year-old bumper of the year. He handled testing ground then and is another hurdling debutant to consider.
Prediction : 1st A Penny A Hundred 2nd Liberated Light 3rd Cut The Rope

HARD RAIN won a similar contest by nine lengths on yielding to soft ground here in July and the form got a timely boost when the runner-up scored at Thurles on Thursday. The selection ran poorly over hurdles on his next start but comes here on the back of two placed efforts over fences and should give a good account of himself. Young Fitzy has won twice on testing ground and comes into this in reasonable form. His sixth at Galway after a summer break was encouraging and, although well beaten back there since, he's capable of contending on the pick of his form. Miss Pronunciation had a good run in a Punchestown maiden last year but has been lightly raced since. She didn't land a blow on handicap debut when last seen on Thyestes day at Gowran but is very unexposed and the market will be a useful guide to her chance.
Prediction : 1st Hard Rain 2nd Young Fitzy 3rd Miss Pronunciation

RIVIERE D'ETEL was a high-class novice over fences the season before last and has a good record first time out. A Grade 2 winner over the larger obstacles and twice runner-up in Grade 1 company, she hasn't run over hurdles for well over two years and this trip might stretch her stamina but if anywhere near her best she could outclass these rivals. Space Tourist was long odds-on when caught on the line by Popova at Listowel. The former is 3lb better off and can reverse the form but deep ground is a concern for both mares and Space Tourist's tendency to jump left is also a worry on her return to a right-handed track. The handicapper took the view that Lady Of The Vale was flattered by her third in a Listed contest at Gowran but it was a creditable effort and she has place claims if seeing out this trip.
Prediction : 1st Riviere Detel 2nd Space Tourist 3rd Lady Of The Vale

Charles Byrnes holds SUMMER MELODY in high regard and it's interesting that he sends his charge into a Listed race on his third hurdles outing rather than starting off the season in maiden company. A bumper winner at Navan last term where he beat a useful type, he was last seen when not beaten far in fourth behind more experienced rivals at this venue last Christmas and gets a handy 4lb from the trio of dual hurdle winners. High Class Hero, unbeaten in three starts under rules, seemed more suited by left-handed Listowel last time than right-handed Galway where he won his maiden hurdle despite jumping left. He still merits obvious respect. The Big Doyen had three Mullins-trained rivals in arrears when winning over 2m4f at the Galway festival. He has plenty of jumping experience to draw upon and, although this ground may not be ideal, is another that has to enter calculations.
Prediction : 1st Summer Melody 2nd High Class Hero 3rd The Big Doyen

Gavin Cromwell has a good record in these restricted maidens and looks to have found a nice opportunity for hurdling debutant ASK ANYTHING. Keith Donoghue's mount won a point-to- point last November and ran well in bumpers, notably when fifth to Cheltenham runner-up Fact To File at Leopardstown last Christmas. Despite failing to beat a rival, he was far from disgraced in a decent winners' contest at the Punchestown festival when last seen. Jullou Du Grissay had shown little prior to finishing fourth in a maiden run on testing ground at Gowran last month. The winner of that contest is trained by Cromwell so he should be in a good position to know what's required to take this. Larkfield Lusive was a fair fifth off a mark of 90 in a Gowran handicap over 2m4f last time and has place claims in a maiden lacking depth.
Prediction : 1st Ask Anything 2nd Jullou De Grissay 3rd Larkfield Lusive

HE FITZ IN won over a similar trip at Navan on his most recent start over hurdles and can defy a 4lb higher mark. He looked unlucky over fences at Sligo when a last-fence faller and again performed with credit when second at Punchestown. He's had a fairly busy time of things but finished well on his most recent outing and the fitting of a visor seems to have sharpened him. Church Lane ran her best race so far when third at Galway where a first-time tongue-tie seemed to have a positive effect and any improvement on that form will see her go close. Ishan won a 3m handicap on soft ground last winter and had a good run on heavy when second over fences at Wexford. He's had a couple of spins over an inadequate 2m since returning from a summer break and is one to note stepping back up to a more suitable distance.
Prediction : 1st He Fitz In 2nd Church Lane 3rd Ishan

MA BELLE ETOILE shaped with plenty of potential when runner-up on soft ground at Tipperary three weeks ago and can go one better. Green when asked for her effort on that occasion, she went down by three lengths to a mare that had useful form in the book and her stable sent out a promising bumper winner under this rider last weekend. Only By Night was third in a good ground bumper at Warwick in February on her sole start for Jonjo O'Neill. That form hasn't really worked out but the point-to-point winner still merits respect having switched to Gavin Cromwell's yard. Penelope's Charm has only been beaten three lengths on both starts and the form of those races looks solid. She has been off over five months, though, and will have to prove her ability to handle testing conditions.
Prediction : 1st Ma Belle Etoile 2nd Only By Night 3rd Penelopes Charm