18:00 Dundalk

Friday 19 January 2018

All17:0017:3018:0018:3019:0019:3020:0020:30

Matthews.ie Trip To Cheltenham 2018 Handicap (45-65) (Div 2)

Off time: 18:02 | Winning time: 2m 36.44s

(2)

Pillard²²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: E J McNamara| T: P Hennessy| OR: 65

9/1

Finished a fair eighth on recent AW debut last month behind Rock On Dandy over C&D and capable of another bold show.

Form: 0763/38-

(3)

Temasek Star^p¹⁷⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: C J McGovern⁽⁵⁾| T: A McCann| OR: 65| CD

7/2

C&D winner and last seen here in July when finishing second of 13 beaten 2¼L. Not one to totally leave out of calculations.

Form: 341521-

(13)

Miss Mirabeau^v¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: R P Downey⁽³⁾| T: K H Clarke| OR: 64

12/1

Without a win or a place in two starts here but showed promise last time out earlier this month when 4½L behind the winner. One for the shortlist.

Form: 5521U-6

(9)

Whatever It Takes^b,e/s1³⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 9-8| J: T P Madden⁽⁵⁾| T: N Madden| OR: 59| CD

14/1

C&D winner in 2013 and beaten just a neck over C&D in February 2016.Will push for the lead early on but just hasn't got the constant speed of younger rivals lately.

Form: 070/605-

(14)

Carvelas¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 9-7| J: Ben Coen⁽⁷⁾| T: P J F Murphy| OR: 58| CD

5/1

Possibly needed the run following a break when finishing 12th of 13 here over 1m2f behind Adieux before finishing second of 14 beaten a head here earlier this month. Not easy to discount.

Form: 34300-2

(4)

Empresario^p,t³⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 9-5| J: C P Hoban| T: M J Smith| OR: 56| CD

16/1

C&D winner but has completely lost his form in the last six months including two unsatisfactory efforts here last month. Vast improvement needed to figure.

Form: 5397/90-

(6)

Fairy Flute¹⁷⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: J R Wildman⁽¹⁰⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 56| BF

16/1

Beaten favourite last time out in a Down Royal handicap when last seen in July well beaten 11th of 13. Will possibly need the run on return to the track.

Form: 300/230-

(8)

Steelyeyed^p¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: P B Beggy| T: P Martin| OR: 56

7/2

Genuine and tough sort producing two fine efforts here last month. Yard in good nick and capable of making her presence felt.

Form: 12556-3

(10)

Spinning Pearl¹⁸⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-13| J: S Corby⁽³⁾| T: A McCann| OR: 50| D

33/1

Distance winner well beaten and no impression on sole start here finishing 31L behind the winner Trump Card in May. Could possibly need the run here.

Form: 410/800-

(12)

Jestival^b1¹¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: D E Sheehy⁽⁵⁾| T: A McNamara| OR: 48

33/1

Placed once in six outings on the Flat and has shown nothing in two hurdle starts since. Looks easy to rule out on return to the track.

Form: 58020/0-

(11)

Rock On Bach^b³⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 8-9| J: Nathan Crosse⁽⁷⁾| T: T Cummins| OR: 46

16/1

Modest 86-rated hurdler last seen on the Flat 18 months ago. Hard to fancy and looks opposable on return to the level.

Form: 805709/

(1)

Rive Normande^b⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 8-8| J: Andrew Slattery⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 45

20/1

Well beaten and no impression in the last two months of the year and plenty of work to do based on what she has shown so far.

Form: 009800-

(7)

Lamh Ar Lamh⁴⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-5| J: Rory Cleary| T: J S Bolger| OR: 45

7/1

Not disgraced in a number of efforts over C&D at the end of the year but looks up against it here on current mark.

Form: 877840-

Non-Runners

(5)

Asian Wing¹⁴

Weight: 9-7| Age: 9

T: J Feane J: Gary Halpin

Timmone¹⁴

Weight: 9-5| Age: 7

T: A Slattery J: Reserve 1

Forecasts

Temasek Star (7/2), Steelyeyed (7/2), Carvelas (5/1), Lamh Ar Lamh (7/1), Pillard (9/1), Asian Wing (10/1), Miss Mirabeau (12/1), Whatever It Takes (14/1), Empresario (16/1), Fairy Flute (16/1), Rock On Bach (16/1), Rive Normande (20/1), Timmone (25/1), Spinning Pearl (33/1), Jestival (33/1)

Whatever It Takes, Steelyeyed and Rock On Bach could battle for the lead in the early stages of this 1m4f contest with possibly Empresario just off the pace. MISS MIRABEAU formerly with Sir Mark Prescott could surprise here on her third start for the yard appreciating the step up in trip. Carvelas and last time out beaten favourite Fairy Flute could hit the frame.