18:40 Killarney

Friday 25 August 2017

All17:0517:4018:1018:4019:1019:4020:10

Plaza Hotel Handicap

Off time: 18:43 | Winning time: 3m 14.87s

(4)

Tara Dylan^h²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Gary Carroll| T: T Mullins| OR: 79| D

8/1

Distance winner that won in a field of this size when winning at the Galway festival last year in an 18-runner contest. Has disappointed last two starts and is still 2lb higher than last win.

Form: 006-365

(5)

Cassells Rock^t¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 9-10| J: O J Orr⁽⁵⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 75

13/2

Has been raised for 1¾L win in Leopardstown handicap over 1m7f on seasonal debut, winning going away. The gelding is two from seven on yielding ground.

Form: 000/87-1

(15)

Long Call^t¹³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: E J McNamara| T: A J Martin| OR: 75| BF

20/1

Stablemate of Cassells Rock, has not been seen on the Flat since 2015 and is 0/6 on the turf, difficult to make a case for.

Form: 7644/23-

(1)

Inis Meain¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 9-9| J: A M Glynn⁽¹⁰⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 74| C

33/1

Winner on yielding ground, at the track and on two occasions in big fields and is spectacularly 36lbs below his last winning mark.

Form: 40-0406

(3)

Hudson's Bay²³

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: Wayne Lordan| T: T J O'Mara| OR: 72| CD

28/1

CD winner over 1m6f in July 2016 off a mark of 77. Has been well beaten since over a variety of distances and is difficult to consider now 11lbs than last winning mark.

Form: 0-80060

(8)

Nonetheless^b1²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Gary Halpin⁽³⁾| T: J M Oxx| OR: 72

9/1

Won on third career start at the 2016 Galway festival over 1m4f, but has struggled since, including well beaten the last twice and first-time blinkers called for here.

Form: 56-5550

(2)

Mr Fiftyone³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 9-5| J: J A Heffernan| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 70

9/1

Two previous Flat runs had been in 1m7f maidens at Leopardstown, beaten 16L in latest of those, before well beaten in Bellewstown Q.R. race. One to note in the betting.

Form: 2-64

(14)

Emperor Waltz^t⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: S Foley| T: J J Murphy| OR: 69

12/1

Lightly-raced gelding was unconvincing in maidens last year and had been away from the track from more than 300 days, when seventh of 17 in Gowran Park maiden on soft. Hard to make a case on handicap debut.

Form: 47-7

(7)

Bottleofsmoke¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: Declan McDonogh| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 68

7/1

Lots of miles on the clock recently, but is still turning in solid performances. 10 lb higher than last win and does tend to place in big fields.

Form: 637463

(12)

Lucca²²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Ronan Whelan| T: J P Fahey| OR: 65| C

7/2

Two wins in June and July saw the gelding raised 6lb and possibly found that burden too much when beaten 6L last time out.

Form: 870114

(11)

Touch Of Gold^h⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: P J Smullen| T: M Kennedy| OR: 65| C

7/1

10th of 17 at the Galway festival earlier this month, before winning at the Tramore festival in 12-runner handicap hurdle. Belated return to the Flat, where she is 0/5 on.

Form: 5/2560-

(13)

Nelson Road⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Colin Keane| T: J J Murphy| OR: 64

22/1

Average handicapper who was given an initial rating of 73 and following a series of defeats over distances between 1m2f and 1m5f, the gelding now runs off a mark of 64.

Form: 5243-68

(6)

Caridadi¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 8-8| J: A J Breslin⁽⁷⁾| T: J Morrison| OR: 59

11/1

More recently been hurdling, but was second of 14, beaten 10L on the Flat in June in a Gowran Park handicap. Has placed on five occasions in big fields.

Form: 34010-2

(9)

Nightly Wailing^b1⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: Rory Cleary| T: J S Bolger| OR: 54

33/1

Beaten 10L on handicap bow at Cork over 1m4f on soft ground earlier this month. Cheekpieces added brought about no improvement and now first-time blinkers are called for.

Form: 003850

Non-Runners

(10)

Prospectus¹⁶³

Weight: 9-4| Age: 4

T: G P Cromwell J: K J Manning

Forecasts

Lucca (7/2), Cassells Rock (13/2), Touch Of Gold (7/1), Bottleofsmoke (7/1), Tara Dylan (8/1), Mr Fiftyone (9/1), Nonetheless (9/1), Caridadi (11/1), Emperor Waltz (12/1), Prospectus (14/1), Long Call (20/1), Nelson Road (22/1), Hudson's Bay (28/1), Nightly Wailing (33/1), Inis Meain (33/1)

Some big price runners could set the early pace here with Lucca, Mr Fiftyone and possibly Nonetheless, vying for the lead. Bottleofsmoke, 10 lb higher than last win and does tend to place in big fields and Touch Of Gold can place, but preference is for CASSELLS ROCK, won going away last time out and the gelding is two from seven on yielding ground.