The one race you do not want to miss on Tuesday

John Mulhern Handicap Hurdle | 2m5½f | 4yo+ | RTV

Why is it interesting?

As the most valuable contest on Ballinrobe's seven-race card, there are plenty in with chances in this competitive handicap hurdle, which could well offer clues to next week's Galway festival.

Former festival hero Ballyegan Hero, who won the €100,000 Galway Shopping Centre Handicap Hurdle in 2017 for John Joe Walsh, has been somewhat out of sorts recently but will bid to put in a more positive showing at the County Mayo venue.

Gordon Elliott and Steve Mahon, who won the race with Green Thirty Two in 2013, are double-handed in the 14-runner contest worth €22,000, while Gavin Cromwell will aim to continue his red-hot run of form with recent Perth disappointment Jurby.

Dorans River ran below his best the last twice but could have a say on Tuesday if bouncing back to the form of his April course secondCredit: Alain Barr

The likes of Little Haarth (winner of this race in 2016), Bridge Native, Trans Wood and Kilbarry Lilly have been running consistently in defeat of late and will bid for a change in their fortunes.

What do the stats say?

There has only been one winning favourite since 2010, although no horse has won at a double-figure price in the same period.

During that time frame, seven different trainers have won the race and plenty of beaten horses have gone on to run well at the Galway festival.

The Yvonne Latta-trained Blossom Gate was fifth in 2014 before striking in the 3m handicap hurdle on the final day of Ballybrit's week-long bonanza, while in 2012 Muzak finished third here before landing a 2m2f handicap hurdle on Galway's Friday card for the late John Monroe.

What do the trainers say?

Steve Mahon, trainer of Dorans River and Castlehume
Dorans River seems to like the place. He has top weight to deal with but seems in good form and the two miles six now should suit him better than the two and a half he ran over last time. Castlehume is working well at home but hasn't been putting it together on the track. Hopefully he can show some of his old form before potentially heading back to Galway for the race he won last year.

Ciaran Murphy, assistant trainer to Dot Love, trainer of Bridge Native
She's a lovely, consistent mare, who didn't seem to handle Kilbeggan in either of her two runs there but she produced a cracking second to what looked a well-handicapped winner at Roscommon last time. We're very happy with her and the lighter weight should suit her here. We think the trip could be perfect for her, having been caught out a couple of times over three miles, and the ground should be fine.

Gordon Doyle, trainer of Trans Wood
She's terribly consistent and the handicapper just keeps nudging her up the weights. If she's in the same sort of form she's been in, she should run alright. It was her first try at the grade at Bellewstown last time but she took it well. Everyone else tells me a step up in trip will help her, so this distance should hopefully suit her.

The consistent Trans Wood has been experiencing a bout of seconditis, finding one too good on each of her last four startsCredit: Caroline Norris

John Joe Walsh, trainer of Ballyegan Hero
If he could show some of his old form he'd surely run well but he's just been a bit disappointing in his runs this year. He seems in good order and we'll be hoping he runs well, especially with Galway around the corner where he could turn out again.

Des McDonogh, trainer of Little Haarth
He's been trying hard over fences so I said I'd switch him back to hurdles. He's in at a nice weight and ran well over a trip that was on the short side last time. He's won around the course a few years ago so hopefully that'll be a help.

Con O'Keeffe, trainer of Kilbarry Lilly
She's a grand, big filly and we'll give her a few more runs over hurdles before heading chasing with her. It's her first run back since May so we'll see how it goes. It's possible she could go to Galway next week too, potentially for the three-mile handicap hurdle on the Sunday.

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