16:45 Curragh
Saturday 10 June 2017
All14:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:2017:50
Brady Burns Insurance Brokers Supporting Junefest Handicap
- 4YO plus | 2m | Yielding to Soft (Straight Soft, Heavy in places) | 14 Runners | Turf | Weighed In
- Off time: 16:45 | Winning time: 3m 40.2s
Cloth number
Odds
Horse A-Z
Show odds
Not won over this trip since July 2015 (Galway) but goes well with plenty of give in the ground as he showed when winning over 1m6f at Bellewstown in June 2016. Raced over shorter trips since switched back to the Flat, but eased a few pounds.
Useful enough over hurdles where he has proved he stays this sort of trip, but yet to win over 2m on the Flat, with his most recent success coming over 1m4f at Listowel in September 2016. Should benefit for last month's comeback but on a high enough mark.
15L maiden winner for William Haggas in May 2015, and after a summer off went onto taste Heritage Handicap success at Ascot in September 2015 (1m4f). Unraced in 2016 and moved on for 85,000 gns and makes an overdue return to action with the suspicion that hurdling might have been the initial plan last autumn.
Veteran, and bang out of form for the past twelve months under both codes, and well beaten at Cork in April (1m2f).
Won three times over hurdles for Aidan O'Brien during 2015 before going onto compete in valuable handicap hurdles without success at the likes of Bellewstown and Galway for this trainer in the summer of 2016. Returns to the Flat for the first time for this yard after a recent spin over timber and open to considerable improvement being lightly raced on the level. Rated 83.
A four time winner between June and August 2014 but unable to win since and the merit of a couple of those Flat victories is debatable. Unseated rider over hurdles at Tipperary last month and others hold much stronger claims.
Course winner (1m4f) in September 2015 for Willie Mullins, and had just the one Flat outing since then, yet competes here from an 11lb higher mark. Did okay initially switched back to hurdles but struggled in competitive handicaps more latterly and moved onto a new yard since running in January. Riders claim helpful.
Twice a course winner, but those victories have come over shorter trips and yet to prove his effectiveness over 2m on the Flat. However, did win over hurdles at Wexford early last month so clearly is a hardy sort.
A dual winner in England for Ralph Beckett and Brendan Powell, but not beyond 1m6f (Salisbury, May 2016). His form tailed off later that year, and he was a disappointment on stable debut at Dundalk in March so has a few questions to answer despite being reasonably treated.
Not raced on the Flat for 12 months, and has been restricted to eight starts over fences since then, including a never nearer third at the Punchestown Festival in April. A worry that he'll find things unravelling all too quickly here despite the soft ground.
17 race hurdles maiden, but much more effective on the Flat having won four times from 23 starts. However, yet to win beyond 1m6f, with the last of those two victories in the summer of 2015 coming on fast ground at Leopardstown. Closely matched with Micras.
In fine fettle on the Flat since switched back from chasing, winning by a nose at Clonmel early last month (2m1f), and going down to emphatic winner Whiteout over C&D a fortnight ago. Finished in front of a couple of these rivals, including Hurricane Sky and should do so again despite a further slight rise.
Twice a runner up over 1m2f in Engand for Andrew Balding last back-end, and sold for 33,000 gns in October 2016. The switch to hurdles didn't yield any fruits, and was a rear division finisher back on the Flat at Navan last weekend. Stamina worries.
1 from 20 is hardly an attractive profile, and remains a maiden on the Flat, but wasn't beaten too far returned to the level last month when third to Mademoiselle Penny at Cork (1m4f good to firm). This looks a deeper race.
Non-Runners
9
Bayan609
Weight: 8-7| Age: 8
T: G Elliott J: Sean Davis
NR
Forecasts
Tigris River (4/1), Neverushacon (4/1), Micras (11/2), Alton Bay (6/1), Hurricane Sky (8/1), Shadagann (17/2), Bayan (10/1), Zafayan (14/1), Noble Inn (14/1), Wonder Laish (14/1), Benkei (14/1), Jazz Ranger (20/1), Zoffanys Pride (25/1), Sir Ector (33/1), Rideonastar (33/1)
An interesting handicap for the stayers which forms part of an ever competitive Curragh Saturday card. Micras is a mare in form, but she proved no match for the decisive scorer Whiteout over C&D just under a fortnight ago. Bayan is a classy dual purpose performer and it's pleasing to see him belatedly back in action for Gordon Elliott, but he's likely to need this race whilst similar comments apply to the Charles Byrne debutant Wonder Laish. Therefore, the horse which ticks all of the boxes is TIGRIS RIVER. He thrived over hurdles in 2015 and has kept good company in competitive handicap hurdles since. He'll be sharper for a recent outing over timber and is very lightly raced on the Flat, and there's every likelihood that Joseph O'Brien can exploit an incredibly fair looking mark of 83.
- Tigris River
- Shadagann
- Micras
Prize Money
1st: €10,472.002nd: €3,247.003rd: €1,547.004th: €697.005th: €271.00
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