19:30 Dundalk

Friday 6 October 2017

All17:3018:0018:3019:0019:3020:0020:3021:00

Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap (70-100)

Off time: 19:31 | Winning time: 1m 24.16s

(10)

Elusive Beauty^v²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 10-0| J: S Foley| T: K J Condon| OR: 92| D

16/1

Winner at Carlisle in June over 7f (good to soft), mixed bag of efforts since. Handled this surface well enough only previous run, which was over 5f. Others preferred on terms.

Form: 178070

(1)

Holy Cat²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-12| J: Colin Keane| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 90

3/1

Maiden winner over 6f on debut at Leopardstown in August last year, heavily tried in Group races thereafter but has struggled in both recent runs off a break for previous handler. Stable bow and yard doing, note in betting.

Form: 126-580

(5)

Surrounding⁴⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: C P Hoban| T: M Halford| OR: 87

11/4

Filly going the right way this year, with two wins from five starts. Latest over 1m at the Curragh in July, ran well sole try here in a maiden and last spotted running a massive race in 27-runner Cambridgeshire at the Curragh.

Form: 21142

(3)

Belle Boyd⁹⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-10| J: W J Lee| T: W McCreery| OR: 88

9/1

Oasis Dream filly has improved in each of three starts, sauntering to victory in 1m Naas maiden in July when last spotted. Player on handicap/AW bow.

Form: 321

(8)

Hunaina^t⁴⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-10| J: P J Smullen| T: M Halford| OR: 88| C| D

13/2

Just about sets the standard on Leopardstown in July and has since run solid race in a 1m Curragh handicap. Already won over this C&D and with Smullen up seems likely to go close again.

Form: 1-76215

(11)

Swish^p²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: Gary Halpin⁽³⁾| T: J Feane| OR: 86| CD

12/1

Filly is two for two on the AW, last winning over C&D in March from a 2lb higher mark. Consistent without winning since on turf, she represents a yard in good recent form and is much respected back at this track.

Form: 654935

(4)

Ruby Shoes⁸¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: D O'Brien| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 82| D

25/1

Tipperary maiden winner in June (7½f, good) before being outclassed in Killarney Listed contest the following month over a mile. Handicap debut and could be capable of launching a bid for yard that does well here.

Form: 010

(6)

Little Clarinet^t1⁵⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: O J Orr⁽³⁾| T: D Marnane| OR: 81

20/1

Mostly consistent efforts on turf this year, winning over 6f (good to firm) at Fairyhouse in June from a mark of 78. Tongue strap on first time and perhaps playing for place money.

Form: 331477

(7)

Lyfka¹³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: D E Hogan⁽⁵⁾| T: J Feane| OR: 77| D

10/1

Mare formerly trained in Britain where she had lost her way a bit before leaving Paul Cole. On a feasible mark starting out for new trainer but stablemate Swish makes more appeal here.

Form: 7664-63

(9)

Honor Oak³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Chris Hayes| T: T Hogan| OR: 76| C

7/1

Third of 14, beaten less than 3L in C&D handicap on Tuesday off this mark, may get involved in the finish again if none the worse for those exertions.

Form: 682403

(2)

Annie Fior²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: J A Heffernan| T: T P O'Connor| OR: 77| D

33/1

Slightly disappointing on debut for this yard at Listowel last month over a mile, though perhaps the heavy going was a mitigating factor there. Big task on here seemingly.

Form: 969439

Forecasts

Surrounding (11/4), Holy Cat (3/1), Hunaina (13/2), Honor Oak (7/1), Belle Boyd (9/1), Lyfka (10/1), Swish (12/1), Elusive Beauty (16/1), Little Clarinet (20/1), Ruby Shoes (25/1), Annie Fior (33/1)

A trappy contest by any measure, it might prove wisest to side with SWISH, unbeaten at the track and now rated 3lb lower than when scoring over C&D in March. She's got an outside draw to overcome but does have a useful 3lb claim that could come in very handy. With the yard in form, she's likely to have her say. The front of the market may be be dominated by stablemates Surrounding and Hunaina and they are hard to separate though a bigger danger to all could come from Naas maiden winner Belle Boyd, who scored with any amount in hand there and may prove plenty better than this opening handicap mark in time.