St Lawrence Gap bids for repeat victory on return to hurdles

6.50 Tramore
Richard Power Private Client Handicap Hurdle | 2m, 4yo+ | ATR

St Lawrence Gap, winner of this event a year ago, has been in good form on the Flat in recent months and will be reverting to hurdles for the first time since October.

The Eoin Doyle-trained five-year-old has won Flat handicaps at Leopardstown and Limerick this summer and Doyle, who trains near Mooncoin in County Kilkenny, said: "St Lawrence Gap is in good order. He's done well for us on the Flat this year and although he was only ninth in the big amateur handicap at Galway he ran quite well without having much luck in running.

"He's owned by a syndicate from around our local area and we're looking forward to sending him back over hurdles. He appears to be on a good mark and, with a bit of luck, should go well."

Brian O'Connell's mount faces nine rivals including three other course-and-distance winners – Zanjabeel, Coolfighter, a ten-time winner on the Flat, and Sharjah.

Zanjabeel, who heads the weights, won a handicap at the track in June and has been placed in handicaps on his two starts since winning a Flat maiden at Bellewstown early last month.

His trainer Gordon Elliott said: "Zanjabeel is a four-year-old so it will be tough giving weight away, but he's in good form and we know he handles the track. Hopefully he'll get some prize-money."

Andy Slattery, trainer of Sharjah, said: "He's in great form but good ground is probably as slow as he wants it so we don't want any more rain."

Tramore is Henry de Bromhead's home track and he is represented by Killiney Court, who reverts to hurdles for the first time in almost a year having failed to complete on his last two starts over fences.