John McConnell hoping to land valuable handicap hurdle on home track

Fast Shipping Bellewstown Handicap Hurdle | 5yo+ | 2m½f | RTV

Pearl Of The West and Play The Game provide trainer John McConnell with a strong hand in this competitive handicap hurdle at his local track.

Five-time hurdles winner Pearl Of The West is unbeaten in two starts at this course and also has a victory at Cheltenham and a valuable handicap success at the Punchestown festival to her credit, while Play The Game is up 9lb in the weights for his win at Listowel early last month.

McConnell said: "Both horses are well but they are at the top of the weights so it's going to be difficult for them. For that reason we're using two good 5lb claimers – Adam Short on Pearl Of The West and Conor Orr on Play The Game.

"The ground will be fine for both of them. Pearl Of The West loves the track and likes to bowl along whereas Play The Game likes to be held up."

Also two-handed is Gavin Cromwell, who is represented by four-time hurdling winner Ejayteekay, the mount of Paul Townend, and the Jonathan Moore-ridden Ming Dynasty.

Ejayteekay has gone up 8lb in the ratings since winning over the trip at Ballinrobe in May, while Ming Dynasty has been raised by the same amount for his win at Kilbeggan last month.

Cromwell said: "I'm delighted with both of them and the track and the ground will suit them. They're in great nick and I find it hard to separate them. There's good prize-money on offer and we're hoping to get some of it."

The Steve Mahon-trained Stormey, a course-and-distance winner and runner-up in this race a year ago, is reverting from fences, while Gordon Elliott fields a team of four that includes Star Maker, who is looking to back up his victory in a valuable handicap at Killarney in May.

Owner JP McManus was successful with Timiyan in 2017 and Monarch a year ago and his hopes of a hat-trick rest with the Joseph O'Brien-trained Air Supremacy, who is returning from a 223-day absence.

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