Kilbeggan Races Today: Can Pets Georgina Complete the Hat-Trick?

The Kilbeggan races today serve up a lovely evening of National Hunt action in the Westmeath countryside, with seven races on good ground from 5.18pm through to an 8.18pm bumper finale.

Ireland’s only all-jumps track is at its midsummer best, and the €25,000 KEPAK Handicap Chase at 7.48pm is the pick of the card. There is plenty elsewhere for punters too, and if you are building a busy Saturday portfolio, our Ascot Shergar Cup preview and Ayr tips cover the afternoon fare before the Midlands takes over.

Meeting Context

The going is officially Good after a dry week in the Midlands, with a cloudy but largely rain-free evening forecast and temperatures nudging 23C. Kilbeggan’s sharp, undulating right-handed circuit puts a premium on course experience and fluent jumping.

The meeting is not on ITV — terrestrial coverage today is at Ascot, Newmarket and Haydock, as detailed in our ITV racing schedule — but Racing TV has every race live. Irish jumps fans can double up with our Wexford preview from earlier in the week’s Irish action.

17:18 — Well Of Moate Maiden Hurdle (2m)

No	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Form	Odds
1	Earthwatch	Daniel King	Denis Gerard Hogan	4c04	8/1
3	Captain Hanley	Brian Hayes	Eamonn O’Connell	u264	9/2
4	Digby Bridge	Sean Flanagan	Barry Connell	–	6/1
5	Facile Ocean	Eoghan Finegan	Ciaran Murphy	7232	15/8
6	First Ascent	Jack Kennedy	Gordon Elliott	p-54	4/1
8	Whoyougonnacall	Liam Quinlan	John Patrick Ryan	-f43	4/1
9	Not In A Hurry	Simon Torrens	Aidan Anthony Howard	hd1	33/1
2	Calamint	Joshua Halford	Adrian Murray	-283	33/1

Plus three others.

The Favourites: Facile Ocean sets the standard at 15/8 after chasing home Mysilverriverfeale over further at this track only a fortnight ago. First Ascent and Whoyougonnacall are next in at 4/1.

The Value: First Ascent is interesting for Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy — that yard rarely sends one to Kilbeggan for the scenery.

The Verdict: FACILE OCEAN knows his way around here and the drop back to two miles on good ground should suit.

17:48 — Kieran Kelly Memorial Handicap Hurdle (0-100) (2m)

No	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Form	Odds
3	Syosset	Michael Kenneally	John C McConnell	hd4	9/4
14	Surviving Murmansk	Conor Stone-Walsh	James M Barcoe	–	3/1
5	Walk Win	Eoin Walsh	John M Burke	cp4	6/1
1	Liceo	P J O’Hanlon	D A McLoughlin	ts5cp5	8/1
7	Convincing	Eoghan Finegan	Ciaran Murphy	cp2	12/1
6	Folk Warrior	Daniel King	J A Nash	–	12/1
11	Bravemans Bounce	Mike O’Connor	Cian Collins	–	14/1
2	Blue Reed	Jack Kennedy	Cian Collins	–	14/1

Plus six others.

The Favourites: Syosset heads a wide-open 14-runner handicap at 9/4, with the lightly weighted Surviving Murmansk a well-backed 3/1 from bottom of the ratings.

The Value: Convincing at 12/1 appeals for the in-form Ciaran Murphy yard, which also houses the favourite in the opener.

The Verdict: SYOSSET has run three fair races over hurdles and, if his jumping holds together better than it did at Cork, he can open his account in a race named for the much-missed Kieran Kelly.

18:18 — Bernard Kenny Maiden Hurdle (2m 3f)

No	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Form	Odds
8	Mont Star	Mike O’Connor	Henry de Bromhead	8-2	13/8
2	Tyson Fury	Daniel King	Denis Gerard Hogan	6203	2/1
6	Cooladdi	Kieren Buckley	Conor David Maxwell	6-7f	4/1
3	Master Sydney	Josh Williamson	Paul W Flynn	6084	14/1
9	Howaya Codge	Conor Stone-Walsh	Cian Hughes	–	16/1
1	Forlio	Keith Donoghue	Paul W Flynn	3410	20/1
5	Charles The Bold	Mr E M Nugent	Brian M McMahon	-216	25/1
7	Blue Johnl	J J Slevin	John Patrick Ryan	pr49	25/1

Plus five others.

The Favourites: Mont Star, second to the useful Hygge at Cork, is 13/8 for Henry de Bromhead, with the well-exposed but consistent Tyson Fury at 2/1 after a Galway third last week.

The Value: Cooladdi was travelling like a player when falling two out last time and is not a forlorn hope at 4/1.

The Verdict: MONT STAR — the Cork form reads strongest, and this step up to 2m3f should draw more improvement from the four-year-old.

18:48 — Joe Cooney Memorial Hurdle (3m 1f)

No	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Form	Odds
5	Pets Georgina	J J Slevin	John Patrick Ryan	u211	4/5
3	Rocky’s Diamond	Michael Kenneally	Declan Queally	-60p	2/1
1	Drumgill	Daniel King	John Patrick Ryan	5p48	5/1
4	Rememberwhat	Cian Cullinan	P G Fahey	46	16/1
2	Olympic Man	Alan O’Sullivan	John C McConnell	-5f8	25/1

The Favourites: Pets Georgina brings back-to-back wins into this, most recently taking a 15-runner maiden hurdle at Killarney by four and a half lengths, and is odds-on to complete the hat-trick.

The Value: Rocky’s Diamond is rated 148 and is a former Grade 2 winner over hurdles — if Declan Queally’s charge bounces back from a Galway pull-up, he is the clear class angle at 2/1.

The Verdict: PETS GEORGINA is a mare going places for John Patrick Ryan and the step up to 3m1f holds no fears.

19:18 — Smiddys Pub Mullingar Handicap Chase (3m 1f 50y)

No	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Form	Odds
2	Anodandawink	Peter Smithers (7)	Ciaran Murphy	3921	6/4
4	Zolpharine	Daniel King	John Patrick Ryan	0511	9/4
3	Mistyburn	Simon Torrens	P J Rothwell	1663	3/1
5	The Little Yank	Michael Kenneally (5)	John Patrick Ryan	ppp3	12/1
1	Kings Jet	Ricky Doyle	C W J Farrell	2pu0	14/1

The Favourites: Anodandawink has taken well to fences and won nicely at Wexford last time, while Zolpharine bids for a third win from four starts after back-to-back victories at Limerick and Tramore.

The Value: Mistyburn has already won round Kilbeggan and 3/1 is fair in a five-runner heat.

The Verdict: ANODANDAWINK — the profile of a young staying chaser on the up, and claimer Peter Smithers takes off a valuable 7lb.

19:48 — KEPAK Handicap Chase (2m 4f 40y)

The feature of the evening, worth €25,000, and the most competitive betting heat on the card.

No	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Form	Odds
7	Ceanndana	Sean Flanagan	Ross O’Sullivan	532	5/2
8	Grange Walk	Daniel King	John Patrick Ryan	bd63	9/2
6	Rexem	Josh Williamson	John C McConnell	524	6/1
1	Jasko Des Dames	Mike O’Connor	Henry de Bromhead	545	6/1
5	Mickie Angel	J J Slevin	Denis Gerard Hogan	326	6/1
2	Ma Jacks Hill	Jack Kennedy	Gordon Elliott	813	8/1
3	A Law Of Her Own	Donagh Meyler	Emmet Mullins	u19	8/1
4	Intense Approach	Alex Harvey	John C McConnell	1356	16/1

The Favourites: Ceanndana, placed on his last two starts, heads the market at 5/2 for Ross O’Sullivan, with the veteran Grange Walk next at 9/2 off a feather weight.

The Value: Ma Jacks Hill at 8/1 cannot be ignored with Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy teaming up, while Emmet Mullins is famously dangerous in these staying handicaps with A Law Of Her Own.

The Verdict: REXEM each-way at 6/1. The John C McConnell runner was only narrowly caught at this track previously, ran with credit in the Galway Blazers last week, and this trip on good ground is ideal.

20:18 — Connellan & Noone Solicitors LLP Longford Flat Race (2m)

No	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Form	Odds
4	Inishtearaght	Mr B T Stone	Emmet Mullins	5	2/1
6	Appy Ways	Mr J L Gleeson	Peter Fahey	Debut	3/1
5	Mr Enigma	Mr D McGill	Conor David Maxwell	3	4/1
3	Hot Rock Harry	Mr B M Coonan	Gavin Patrick Cromwell	57	9/2
1	Confidence Within	Miss P Elvin	P J Rothwell	3	8/1
2	Srah	Mr O McGill	John Patrick Ryan	7	16/1

The Favourites: Inishtearaght only weakened late on his Killarney debut, and that form got a timely boost when Caislean Gear won at Galway. He is 2/1 for Emmet Mullins.

The Value: Any market move for Peter Fahey’s debutante Appy Ways should be respected — the yard’s bumper horses are always primed.

The Verdict: INISHTEARAGHT to round off the card for the Mullins family’s shrewdest operator.

Accumulator

Our four-leg acca for the Kilbeggan races today: Facile Ocean (17:18, 15/8), Syosset (17:48, 9/4), Pets Georgina (18:48, 4/5) and Anodandawink (19:18, 6/4) — combined odds of around 40/1. Odds correct at time of writing.

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