17:15 Curragh

Saturday 27 May 2017

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:15

Fbd Hotels & Resorts Faithlegg House Hotel Handicap

Off time: 17:17 | Winning time: 2m 44.29s

(8)

Stronger Than Me⁵²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Declan McDonogh| T: W T Farrell| OR: 98| C

25/1

Successful seven times from 38 starts including at Dundalk over an extended 1m2f in November. Well held twice this year and looks to have a bit to do here.

Form: 7671-48

(2)

Glamorous Approach⁴²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-13| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger| OR: 97

7/2

Finished third on her seasonal debut at Cork (good-to-yielding) in a 1m4f Listed event last month. Finished third of eight here off a 6lb higher mark on her previous handicap start over 2m on good ground last July.

Form: 53457-3

(10)

Jaqen H'ghar^p,t¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-13| J: D O'Brien| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 97| C| D

6/1

Hampered at Cork on his penultimate outing last month but shaped better over C&D a fortnight ago when finishing a ½L runner-up on good ground. Interesting runner for a yard with a 20% strike-rate recently (9/44).

Form: 1541-02

(6)

Aydoun¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: P J Smullen| T: D K Weld| OR: 94| BF| D

7/1

Successful on heavy ground debut at Listowel (heavy) over 1m4f but beaten the last twice including over 2m1f at Killarney (yielding) on his seasonal debut earlier this month. Interesting runner on handicap debut.

Form: 17-2

(7)

Felix Mendelssohn^t¹⁵²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-9| J: Anastasia O'Brien⁽³⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 93

9/1

Hasn't won since scoring on debut as a three-year-old over 1m2f on yielding ground at Navan. Well held on debut for this stable over hurdles in December and makes his first start since in this.

Form: 45/7034-

(13)

Song Of Namibia^b³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons| OR: 89

6/1

Came 3½L of his rivals when making his handicap debut over an extended 1m3f at Limerick (good) in first time blinkers (retained) last month. Races off a 9lb higher mark and likely to play a leading role if blinkers work for a second time.

Form: 3923-61

(12)

My Direction^t¹⁹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 9-3| J: Gary Halpin⁽³⁾| T: Miss Ellmarie Holden| OR: 87| BF| D

11/1

Victorious three times for this stable last year including off a 5lb lower mark on the AW at Dundalk in November. Well held off this mark at that track subsequently and making his seasonal debut today.

Form: 133219-

(4)

Spruce Meadows^p¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: D M Simmonson⁽⁷⁾| T: J Feane| OR: 87

7/1

Successful off this mark over an extended 1m2f at Dundalk in September but well held in three starts on turf this year over shorter including over 1m2f here last time. Steps up in trip here.

Form: 017-606

(11)

Asangy¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 8-12| J: W J Lee| T: A Fleming| OR: 82| D

11/1

Multiple winner in France and Italy prior for previous stable. Finished third behing Song Of Namibia on his second start for this yard at Limerick (good) last month but disappointed over hurdles subsequently. Interesting to see how he fares in this.

Form: 34111/3

(3)

Hudson's Bay³⁰⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 8-12| J: K J Leonard⁽⁵⁾| T: T J O'Mara| OR: 82| D

16/1

Winner on good ground over hurdles at Limerick last July.. Unraced since disappointing at the Galway Festival later that month and worth a check in the market off a mark 1lb lower than when last successful on the Flat.

Form: 25100/0-

(14)

Here For The Craic¹⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 8-11| J: Ronan Whelan| T: D Budds| OR: 81

20/1

Successful four times so far including over 1m5f on soft ground at Navan last September. Well beaten over hurdles last time he's probably best watched today.

Form: 526107-

(9)

To Choose¹⁹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 8-11| J: J A Heffernan| T: T Gibney| OR: 81| BF| C| D

20/1

Victorious twice at Dundalk over this trip last October and beaten 2L over 2m at that track the following month. Returns to turf on his first run for over six months and is an interesting runner in this contest.

Form: 285113-

Non-Runners

(5)

Moonmeister²¹⁰

Weight: 9-2| Age: 6

T: A J Martin J: O J Orr

(1)

Derulo²⁸

Weight: 8-8| Age: 6

T: Miss E Doyle J: Chris Hayes

Forecasts

Glamorous Approach (7/2), Song Of Namibia (6/1), Jaqen H'ghar (6/1), Spruce Meadows (7/1), Aydoun (7/1), Felix Mendelssohn (9/1), My Direction (11/1), Asangy (11/1), Moonmeister (14/1), Hudson's Bay (16/1), Derulo (16/1), To Choose (20/1), Here For The Craic (20/1), Stronger Than Me (25/1)

Impressive Limerick winner SONG OF NAMIBIA can follow up that victory off this 9lb higher mark by taking the concluding race on the card. The selection was wearing blinkers for his handicap debut on that occasion and can get the better of last autumn's dual Dundalk winner To Choose in this contest. Aydoun is another of interest dropping in trip having finished runner-up at Killarney last time out.