Racecards
13:45 Gowran Park (IRE)
Galmoy Hurdle (Grade 2) (Class 1)
- 6 Runners
- Distance: 3m
- Going: Soft
- Surface: Turf
- €37,500 added
- Winner: €24,375
- 2nd: €7,125
- 3rd: €3,374
- 4th: €1,125
- Form 8-2F261
- Age 6
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 149
- Trainer E J O'Grady
- Jockey Andrew J McNamara
moderate 3rd, took closer order before 3 out, short of room briefly 2 out, no impression from before last, one pace
- Form 65-1540
- Age 9
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 145
- Trainer T Mullins
- Jockey Paul Carberry
held up in 5th, last and ridden 3 out, kept on to go moderate 3rd after last
- Form 1213-41
- Age 6
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 156
- Trainer W P Mullins
- Jockey P Townend
tracked leaders in moderate 4th, took closer order before 3 out, smooth headway to lead after 2 out, soon drew clear, not extended, impressive
- Form 39-1082
- Age 11
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 151
- Trainer E O'Connell
- Jockey B J Geraghty
close 2nd, not fluent 6 out, pushed along from before 3 out, weakened 2 out, soon eased
- Form 12-P392
- Age 11
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 139
- Trainer R Tyner
- Jockey P T Enright
led, strongly pressed from 3 out, headed after 2 out, soon no extra and weakened
- Form 21P-3P6
- Age 8
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 133
in rear, ridden 5 out, progress into 5th approaching 3 out, stayed on to go moderate 2nd from before last
In depth
Verdict
Three miles in testing conditions is ideal for MOURAD, who was always travelling nicely when beating Powerstation in the Grade 2 Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown with Oscar Dan Dan beaten almost 10 lengths. He looks capable of adding this to his tally before a crack at the World Hurdle. Footy Facts probably produced his best effort over this trip in a very tough handicap at Leopardstown last month and gets a few pounds from the principals while Jumbo Rio is closely matched with Oscar Dan Dan on their run at Navan in November. The latter has done his best running over shorter but there's no reason why he shouldn't be as effective over this distance.
Formwatch
Jumbo Rio (IRE) 13-8fav (11-12) Settled in mid-division, 6th halfway, 4th 4 out, good progress to challenge after 2 out, led travelling best early straight, 2 lengths advantage early run-in, ridden to hold on closing stages, won at Punchestown 2m 4f hdl hvy in Dec beating On The Way Out (11-4) by nk, 8 ran.
Oscar Dan Dan (IRE) 10-1 (11-10) Mid-division on outer, no extra from 3 out, weakened, 15th of 19, 30l behind Across The Bay (9-13) at Leopardstown 3m hcp hdl sft.
Mourad (IRE) 7-4fav (11-6) Held up towards rear, close 7th travelling well approaching 2 out, smooth headway early straight, 2nd and poised to challenge before last, led early run-in and pushed out to assert, won at Leopardstown 3m hdl G2 (1) in Dec beating Powerstation (11-8) by 2l, 10 ran.
Powerstation (IRE) 12-1 (11-8) Always prominent, tracked leader in 2nd until led at halfway, ridden and strongly pressed approaching last, headed early run-in, no chance with winner and kept on same pace, 2nd of 10, 2l behind Mourad (11-6) at Leopardstown 3m hdl G2 (1) in Dec.
Footy Facts (IRE) 25-1 (11-7) Soon 2nd, 3rd halfway, 4th 3 out, improved to challenge after 2 out, led early straight, ridden and headed when mistake last, kept on same pace under pressure, 2nd of 24, 5l behind The Shepherd (10-9) at Leopardstown 3m hcp hdl 0-140 hvy in Dec.
Moskova (IRE) 25-1 (10-12) In rear, trailing in 9th 3 out, some headway from next, moderate 7th before last, kept on one pace, 6th of 10, 11l behind Mourad (11-6) at Leopardstown 3m hdl G2 (1) in Dec.