15:00 Naas

Sunday 5 November 2017

All12:2012:5013:2513:5514:2515:0015:3016:00

Naas November Handicap

Off time: 15:00 | Winning time: 3m 26.15s

(3)

Song Of Namibia^p⁵⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-12| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons| OR: 95| D

12/1

Ran better than the form figure suggests when sixth in a valuable handicap at Leopardstown (1m5f, good to yielding) last time, following a win at Bellewstown in July over this trip. Has had a short break and could figure.

Form: 617216

(16)

Wonder Laish⁸^{(ex 7)}

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: C O'Donoghue| T: C Byrnes| OR: 78

5/2

Smart performer for William Haggas, appeared to have lost way having moved to this yard off a layoff of more than 600 days but bounced back in spectacular fashion as winner of valuable 1m4f Leopardstown handicap eight days ago. Penalty to shoulder.

Form: 18/0061

(4)

Swamp Fox^b²²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Gary Carroll| T: J G Murphy| OR: 90

8/1

Ran credible race in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket last time, without threatening, down in trip now and efforts at the Galway Festival previously (hurdles and Flat) would place him in the melting pot for this.

Form: 1130-26

(17)

The Graduate^p1⁴³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Gary Halpin⁽³⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 89| D

25/1

Had a great year for Andrew Balding last year, winning four times up to 1m6f. He's in shrewd hands (trainer won this last year) and any market support would be interesting as he drops back in trip having contested the Cesarewitch last time.

Form: 16119-9

(7)

Landsman^t⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: D W O'Connor⁽⁵⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 88

14/1

Best effort came when landing Fairyhouse handicap (1m4f, good) in July off a mark of 82. Two of three runs since have been poor, but stays this far and could get involved on a going day.

Form: 561087

(1)

Lord Erskine²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: P J Smullen| T: H Rogers| OR: 87

7/1

Rapid progress to win three most recent starts. Was held off a mark of 52 in a Tramore handicap over 2m in August, but last month won Irish Cesarewitch of 25lb higher to complete hat-trick. Up another 10lb for this as the assessor tries to catch up.

Form: 803111

(12)

Grand Partner¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 9-3| J: W J Lee| T: T Mullins| OR: 86

12/1

Lightly-raced sort, career-best to win 1m4f soft-ground handicap at Leopardstown recently. Still leaves him with work to do if hoping to turn around previous form with Lord Erskine.

Form: 828371

(9)

Tudor City^t⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: K J Manning| T: A J Martin| OR: 86

14/1

Capable performer, with three wins from 11 Flat starts, no match for Wonder Laish last time out at Leopardstown over 1m4f but has interesting jockey booking. Note in betting.

Form: 2/61-315

(14)

Western Boy²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 9-2| J: Fran Berry| T: P A Fahy| OR: 85| D

20/1

Best form lately has been over hurdles, though even that has tailed off and hard to imagine he'll land this prize.

Form: 124/0-50

(6)

Brazos⁵²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: S Foley| T: J J Murphy| OR: 90

14/1

Impressive maiden winner over 1m4f on heavy ground at Listowel in September on just second start, finds himself going into very choppy waters for handicap bow.

Form: 41

(15)

Share The Honour²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: O J Orr⁽³⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 84

12/1

Third runner for Tony Martin in this line-up and carries the would-be champion apprentice Oisin Orr. Just a Dundalk maiden win to show so far from four runs but could be an improver.

Form: 14

(13)

Automated^p⁷²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: Chris Hayes| T: G Elliott| OR: 83

16/1

Won well at Leopardstown in June (1m5f, yielding to soft), but not at his best in two starts since. None of that form seems likely to be good enough to put him in the picture here.

Form: 6320-10

(5)

Dalton Highway^v⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: L F Roche| T: D K Weld| OR: 81

20/1

Has generally struggled since winning a Killarney handicap over 1m3f in August, looks opposable again on balance of probability.

Form: 919054

(10)

Deor⁹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 8-12| J: K J Leonard⁽⁵⁾| T: J E Kiely| OR: 81

25/1

Maiden winner at Wexford over this sort of trip in May 2016, grabbed a maiden hurdle at Cork in July on return from 418-day absence. Returns to the Flat now and faces stiff task.

Form: 03/4132-

(8)

She's A Star^h⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 8-12| J: D E Sheehy⁽⁵⁾| T: N Meade| OR: 81

33/1

Smart hurdler but limitations on the Flat have been exposed this autumn and plenty improvement needed to reverse form with a few of these rivals.

Form: 1-90

(18)

Gustavus Vassa²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: Declan McDonogh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 86| BF

12/1

Smart form in three Flat runs this summer, including winning debut at Down Royal (1m2½f) and it was intriguing that Willie Mullins aimed for the Irish Cesarewitch first time out. That plan didn't work out but could leave that run behind now.

Form: 1230

(2)

Emperor Waltz^b1,t⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-10| J: N G McCullagh| T: J J Murphy| OR: 79| D

33/1

Winner of a Killarney handicap over this trip in August off a mark of 69, limitations exposed since behind Wonder Laish at Leopardstown and bypassed here for betting purposes.

Form: 47-7170

(11)

Highland Fling²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: Rory Cleary| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 78| D

20/1

Dual purpose performer has recent wins in both codes including over this trip on the Flat at Listowel in September in testing ground, the ratings however suggest he's got a big task ahead in this field.

Form: 75-2513

Forecasts

Wonder Laish (5/2), Lord Erskine (7/1), Swamp Fox (8/1), Grand Partner (12/1), Gustavus Vassa (12/1), Share The Honour (12/1), Song Of Namibia (12/1), Tudor City (14/1), Brazos (14/1), Landsman (14/1), Automated (16/1), Highland Fling (20/1), Western Boy (20/1), Dalton Highway (20/1), Deor (25/1), The Graduate (25/1), She's A Star (33/1), Emperor Waltz (33/1)

The intriguing runner is Wonder Laish, who rekindled his love for the game in spectacular fashion just eight days ago at Leopardstown and will be a threat to all despite his penalty if in the same mood now. His place in the market must be noted, but this is very competitive and it is hard to weigh in with him based on that one effort. Song Of Namibia ran a stormer on Irish Champions Weekend and is only 2lb higher here, though he has the burden of top weight just the same. Gustavus Vassa pitched in at the deep end by Willie Mullins on his first start for the yard and supported, he can be given another chance to reward that faith while this is a daring handicap bow for twice-raced Brazos on the back of his Listowel win. Irish Cesarewitch winner LORD ERSKINE has improved out of recognition this autumn and might be able to defy the assessor one more time to grab a valuable four-timer.