The Grimes Hurdle provides a summer treat for Jumps fans on Thursday and this year’s renewal of the Grade 3 has attracted a competitive field. Check out our runner-by-runner guide to the contest below, alongside Sky Bet’s latest offer where new customers can claim £30 In Free Bets by simply placing any bet.
Kevin McManus Bookmaker Grimes Hurdle (2m, Grade 3, 6:10 pm Thursday)
1. DARASSO (Joseph O’Brien, Denis O’Regan) 13/2
Runner-up to Sole Pretender in this race 12 months ago and he has gone on to land three of nine subsequent starts, his most recent victory coming in a 2m4f Fairyhouse Grade 2 back in April. Absent since a more than respectable 7l third to Honeysuckle in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle at the end of that month. He will more than likely run his race once again here but conceding weight all around won’t be easy and jockey bookings suggest that he’s not the stable’s main hope.
2. SOLE PRETENDER (Norman Lee, Simon Torrens) 11/2
Popular sort who justified 5/4 favouritism to land this race 12 months ago; Darasso 2l behind. Winner over fences the last twice and that’s brought his career record to a very respectable 9-16. Reverting to hurdles certainly won’t inconvenience and he’s 2lb better off with Darasso than last year. Even so, however, this looks like a more competitive renewal and the concession of upwards of 7lb to the remaining rivals makes life tough.
3. A WAVE OF THE SEA (Joseph O’Brien, Rachael Blackmore) 40/1
Probably best known for being a three-time Dublin Racing Festival winner, landing the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle in 2020 before back-to-back victories in the meeting’s 2m1f Grade B handicap chase. Only seen the once since his latest victory, finishing a 32l ninth in the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival. Beaten 31l into fifth when sent off a 33/1 outsider for this contest 12 months ago, and he was 30l behind the 2020 winner Aramon when a better-fancied 12/1 shot. Rachael Blackmore booked but this is expected to be a pipe-opener for Galway.
4. EARLY DOORS (Joseph O’Brien, J J Slevin) 33/1
Stayed on well to land a strong renewal of the Galway Plate back in 2020; now 165-rated Royal Rendezvous back in second. Only seen the four times since that win, finishing no better than fifth, albeit his latest effort came in the Irish Grand National where he was beaten less than 8l. Takes a marked drop in trip here and he bombed out behind Aramon in this race two years ago. This is likely to set him up for a trip to Galway.
5. FELIX DESJY (Gordon Elliott, Jack Kennedy) 8/1
Enigmatic sort who was a Grade 1 novice hurdle winner in his youth. Has often operated as a tearaway front-runner since, mixing it over hurdles and fences last season. Switch to hold-up tactics worked the oracle in a competitive handicap hurdle at the Punchestown Festival last time, where he came through with a late run to score. Stable could hardly be in better form and there should be a good pace on for him to aim at, but he’s hardly the most reliable.
6. FRANCOIS (Mary Ellen Doyle, Donagh Meyler) 33/1
Winner on the Flat and over Jumps when trained in France and he deservedly got his head in front at the sixth attempt for these connections when landing a 2m4f hurdle at Punchestown in May. Had gone close in three of his four starts prior, so that victory wasn’t unwarranted, but this is a whole new ballgame and an official mark of 126 leaves him with masses to find with the market principles.
7. LUNAR DISPLAY (Joseph O’Brien, Donal McInerney) 20/1
Had the classy Blazing Khal behind in a Leopardstown bumper early in her career, but she’s won only three of 21 subsequent starts, albeit one of those victories came at this track and another came at Listed level. Bounced back from a couple of below-par efforts when fourth at Killarney last time (when attempting to concede weight all around) but that came at Listed level against her own sex and more is required here taking on the boys back up in grade; tongue-tie goes on.
8. SAINT ROI (Willie Mullins, Mark Walsh) 5/2
Considered a future Champion Hurdle candidate after blitzing his rivals in the 2020 County Hurdle, and he supplemented that in a course and distance Grade 3 next time out. Without a win from his seven subsequent runs, but he’s been campaigned at Grade 1 level since then, finishing fourth in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle when last seen in April. Weighted to reverse form with third-placed Darasso on these 9lb better terms and this significant drop-in class is an obvious plus. Seemingly Mark Walsh’s pick of the McManus runners, and there’s a fair chance that he’s been targeted at this contest.
9. SANTA ROSSA (Dermot McLoughlin, Darragh O’Keeffe) 9/1
Seemingly hasn’t been the easiest to train, managing just two runs between May 2019 and March 2022. Very classy when on a going day, however, as she showed when bolting up at Limerick earlier this year. Beaten favourite in both subsequent runs, first behind Darasso at Fairyhouse (meets on the same terms) before a fifth back against her own sex at Killarney. That last run was particularly disappointing (11/10F), but she’s still very unexposed compared with the majority of these opponents and her classy bumper form suggests that she’s got wins in her at this level.
10. CELESTIAL HORIZON (Joseph O’Brien, Luke Dempsey) 7/1
Went up a huge 26lb after winning a pair of handicaps on the level last year, yet far from disgraced off his revised mark when sixth in the Irish Cesarewitch back in October. Subsequently snapped up by J P McManus and although initially slow to come to hand over hurdles he has been much improved of late, making light work of a handicap mark of 127 in a Grade B handicap hurdle at Killarney last month. Further improvement can be expected but he’ll need to brush up on his jumping to compete at this level.
11. SHEWEARSITWELL (Willie Mullins, Paul Townend) 3/1
Winner of her first three starts in 2020, culminating in an 8l Grade 3 success over this course and distance. Off the track for over 450-days afterwards, and a reappearance fall at Leopardstown was followed by a fifth in the Grade 1 Mares Champion Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival. Back to winning ways (at odds of 2/7F) at Killarney last time, which will have done her confidence the world of good. Paul Townend retains the partnership here and she receives weight all around. Likely to have the pace for a well-run 2m and there’s a suspicion that she’s a cut above this level.
Grimes Hurdle Verdict
Willie Mullins has taken five of the last eight renewals of this contest, and the master trainer once again holds the aces here with Saint Roi and SHEWEARSITWELL. The former was a one-time Champion Hurdle hopeful and is regularly seen competing at a higher level than this, but he’s without a win for coming on two years now and might just have to give best to his stablemate. Running in the Closutton Racing Club silks, Shewearsitwell looked a smart prospect when bolting up in a Grade 3 over this course and distance back in October 2020 and gained her first win since when justifying very skinny odds at Killarney last month. She was value for significantly greater than the bare margin of victory suggests that day, and the win will have done her confidence the world of good, so with Paul Townend retaining familiarities, she can be backed to follow up. Santa Rossa has the backform to be a player here and if bouncing back from a poor recent run can run into a place.
- SHEWEARSITWELL
- Saint Roi
- Santa Rossa
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