Racecards
15:10 Thurles (IRE)
Devils Bit 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle
- 7 Runners
- Distance: 2m
- Going: Good (Good to Yielding in places)
- Surface: Turf
- €10,000 added
- Winner: €6,150
- 2nd: €1,900
- 3rd: €900
- 4th: €400
Ashjan
54- Form -
- Age 3
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer M M McNiff
- Jockey B T O'Connell
chased leaders and prominent, jumped badly right 1st, slow and bad mistake 2nd, jumped right 3rd, soon lost place and dropped to rear, no impression from 4 out, weakened and completely tailed off
- Form -
- Age 3
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer Mrs J Harrington
- Jockey M J Bolger
disputed and slightly hampered 1st, fell 2nd
- Form -
- Age 3
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer G Elliott
- Jockey J W Kennedy
chased leaders, bumped 1st, hampered and fell 2nd
- Form 97
- Age 3
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer Barry J Murphy
- Jockey Rachael Blackmore
led and disputed, jumped left 1st, left clear leader at 2nd, 5-lengths clear halfway, jumped left, slight mistake and reduced advantage 5th, pressed when slight mistake 2 out, soon ridden, headed run-in and kept on same pace
- Form -
- Age 3
- Weight 10-12
chased leaders, hampered 2nd, 2nd after 3rd, ridden in 3rd 2 out, soon no extra and disputed moderate 3rd, 4th at line
- Form -
- Age 3
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer R O'Sullivan
- Jockey M P Fogarty
held up towards rear, badly hampered 2nd, closer after 3rd, 4th halfway, ridden after 4 out, no extra 2 out, soon disputed moderate 3rd, 3rd at line
- Form 52232
- Age 3
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer J P O'Brien
- Jockey J S McGarvey
held up towards rear early, hampered 2nd, improved to chase leaders after 3rd, 3rd halfway, progress to challenge 2 out, travelled well in 2nd and pressed leader before last, pushed out to lead run-in, comfortably
Verdict
This isn't the toughest of maidens so it would be no surprise to see a big run from Hint Of Frost, a dual winner on the Flat. Jessica Harrington's charge wouldn't want any more rain but could make his mark on this sort of ground. He had Universal Focus around three lengths behind at Tipperary in August but the latter ran easily his best race to date when runner-up at the Curragh last week. MEGA FORTUNE is another newcomer and with his stable in unstoppable form he's taken to make a successful start. A winner over 1m2f on heavy ground at Sligo in May, he's only had one subsequent run and looks just the type to make a nice hurdler. Zig Zag and Mansonbrook Lady have already met three times over timber with the former holding a 2-1 advantage. He's probably been unfortunate to come up against decent opposition and though the latter was nowhere near her best at Punchestown last week Joseph O'Brien's charge should come out best again.
Formwatch
Ashjan 40-1 (9-5) Dwelt, always behind, no impression from 3f out, never a factor, 16th of 17, 29 3/4l behind Open House (9-5) at Navan 1m mdn gd in Aug.
Hint Of Frost (IRE) 12-1 (10-12) Chased leaders on outer, 4th 3f out, soon ridden and weakened, 12th of 20, 24 1/2l behind Theos Well (11-5) at Curragh 1m 4f hcp hvy in Sep.
Mega Fortune (FR) 9-2 (9-0) Tracked leaders, 5th halfway, ridden in 3rd 2f out and no impression over 1f out, kept on inside final furlong, 3rd of 12, 4 1/2l behind Maneen (9-9) at Curragh 1m 2f hcp Yielding - Soft in May.
Moorland (IRE) 50-1 (10-12) Soon settled behind leaders, 8th halfway, progress into 3rd before 2 out where challenged, ridden in 5th after 2 out, no impression in 6th before last, kept on one pace, 7th of 15, 11 1/4l behind Lord Justice (10-12) at Ballinrobe 2m mdn sft in Sep.
Trump Card (IRE) 8-1 (8-4) Tracked leaders, 4th halfway, ridden over 1f out, no impression and kept on one pace inside final furlong, 4th of 14, 2 1/4l behind Arbourfield (9-7) at Dundalk 1m hcp pol in Sep.
Universal Focus (GER) 25-1 (8-8) Tracked leaders, pushed along to challenge straight, kept on without matching winner inside final furlong, 2nd of 26, 3/4l behind New Direction (8-4) at Curragh 1m 4f hcp gd in Oct.
Zig Zag (IRE) 7-4jfav (10-12) Chased leaders, 7th early, closer in 6th from 2nd, slight mistake 3 out, challenged at last where slight mistake, soon led until headed and kept on without matching winner closing stages, 2nd of 14, 1l behind Zanjabeel (10-12) at Punchestown 2m mdn gd in Oct.
Masonbrook Lady (IRE) 7-4jfav (10-5) Led, slight mistake 3rd, headed straight and no extra from before last, 7th of 14, 17l behind Zanjabeel (10-12) at Punchestown 2m mdn gd in Oct.