18:00 Gowran Park

Wednesday 16 August 2017

All16:5517:3018:0018:3019:0019:3020:00

McEnery Cup Handicap

Off time: 18:00 | Winning time: 2m 41.79s

(7)

Massayan^b1⁴⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: P J Smullen| T: D K Weld| OR: 92| C| D

10/1

Promising sort last year, flopped on reappearance in June at Tipperary (1m1f, good) but yard was under something of a cloud then and now going well. First-time blinkers added here and one to take note of.

Form: 611-5

(2)

Percy²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons| OR: 97

11/2

Running fair races in four starts this term without threatening to add to sole success, drops another 1lb but others in the field appear to have stronger credentials.

Form: 44-5354

(5)

Fiesole²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: D P Linehan⁽⁵⁾| T: E Doyle| OR: 87

8/1

Winner over hurdles at Down Royal (2m, good) in May and followed up returning to the Flat at Limerick (good-to-firm) over an extended 1m3f the following month. Ran well when runner-up at Fairyhouse (good) last time and one to note here.

Form: 331/0-12

(8)

My Direction¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-6| J: O J Orr⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Ellmarie Holden| OR: 86| CD

6/1

Did a bit better when a one-paced sixth at Galway latest and on a very fair mark if you're willing to go back far enough. Drop in trip here may help and can't be totally ruled out if the rain holds off. Won this race a year ago.

Form: 19-0270

(4)

San Remo^h²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: D O'Brien| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 91| BF

9/2

Sole success in seven starts came on AW at Dundalk in April on reappearance. Ran well over this trip at Fairyhouse last month off this rating in five-runner event, beaten under 2L and represents top trainer.

Form: 45-1273

(9)

Theos Well⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 9-2| J: K J Leonard⁽⁵⁾| T: M Winters| OR: 82| D

25/1

Well beaten off over hurdles last week at Cork (2m) on return from 242 days off. Has a good deal to find with some of these based on previous Flat form.

Form: 459210-

(3)

You Can't Catch Me^t⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 9-2| J: K J Manning| T: K Purcell| OR: 82

28/1

Average hurdler, won sole start on the Flat, a 2m1f maiden at Clonmel in May. Has to answer questions over the trip but hasn't been dealt an impossible task by the handicapper.

Form: 1

(1)

Here For The Craic^p¹²

Age: 10| Weight: 9-0| J: J A Heffernan| T: D Budds| OR: 80| C

10/1

Tailed off over 1m6f at Galway this month on testing ground, had previously been running well enough in handicaps.

Form: 7-69327

(10)

Magna Cartor¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 8-13| J: Rory Cleary| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 79

7/1

Landed big-field Galway handicap over 2m this month, making decisive race-winning move some way from home. Doesn't tend to win often and drop in trip here is uncertain to aid case.

Form: 9-22351

(6)

Bold Knight^b,t⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: Sean Davis⁽⁷⁾| T: M O'Callaghan| OR: 75

9/2

Twice gone close in handicaps over this trip at Fairyhouse and Cork lately but faces a stiff task off these ratings to get the win now.

Form: 95622

Forecasts

San Remo (9/2), Bold Knight (9/2), Percy (11/2), My Direction (6/1), Magna Cartor (7/1), Fiesole (8/1), Here For The Craic (10/1), Massayan (10/1), Theos Well (25/1), You Can't Catch Me (28/1)

Last year's winner My Direction appears to have plenty to find on the formbook if hoping for a repeat success while recent Galway winner Magna Cartor is in good heart but does tend to find winning a challenge. Bold Knight is another in form contender but won't find it easy on these terms. Massayan meanwhile is forgiven a poor effort on seasonal bow given his yard was out of form and is now doing much better. You Can't Catch Me had 3l in hand on Magna Carto when landing a Clonmel maiden in May over a longer trip, assuming this doesn't prove too sharp from him, he could prove up to a winning handicap debut on the Flat and is marginally preferred ahead of Fiesole and San Remo, each of which comes here in promising form.