20:25 Leopardstown

Friday 25 May 2018

All17:2017:5518:2518:5519:2519:5520:2520:55

Paddy's Rewards Club Handicap

Off time: 20:26 | Winning time: 2m 37.54s

(5)

Machiavelli^v1¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-10| J: D P Linehan⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 75| BF

11/2

Run well on both starts so far this year including at Roscommon (1m2f, heavy) on handicap debut last time. Wears a visor for the first time stepping up in distance.

Form: 564-34

(8)

Dream Point^h⁴⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: D O'Brien| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 70

10/1

Fair third over 1m2f at Chelmsford on handicap debut last time out. Races off the same mark here but this looks more competitive.

Form: 7-343

(3)

For Pleasure¹⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Rory Cleary| T: J M Barrett| OR: 70| BF

5/1

Placed twice from three starts since winning over 1m2f at Navan (heavy) last month. Slightly disappointing dropped to 1m last time out and this step up in trip should suit.

Form: 0-41324

(2)

Cacique Royale³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: S Foley| T: A Oliver| OR: 67

12/1

Unplaced on all four starts so far and beaten 36L into fifth on handicap debut over an extended 1m2f at Sligo (yielding) earlier this week. More needed.

Form: 609-5

(10)

Remmy D^p¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: J A Heffernan| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 67

14/1

Career best effort in finishing runner-up over an extended 1m3f at Limerick (soft-to-heavy) in first time cheekpieces. Cheekpieces return here having been replaced with blinkers when well held at Roscommon last time.

Form: 97-0327

(9)

Rince Deireanach⁴⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger| OR: 65

6/1

Impressive 5L winner at Fairyhouse (6f, heavy) in first time cheekpieces and tongue tie (both absent since) last October. Decent efforts on both starts this year and steps up in distance for this.

Form: 8951-24

(4)

Flindt³^{(ex 6)}

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: C P Hoban| T: Mrs D A Love| OR: 55

15/8

Victorious over an extended 1m2f at Sligo (yielding) earlier this week. Carries a penalty for that success and is one for the shortlist on this occasion.

Form: 678-661

(1)

Volatile Lady¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: Ronan Whelan| T: B W Duke| OR: 61

28/1

Struggled in three starts in maiden company this spring and stepping up in distance on this occasion. Interesting to see how she fares on handicap debut.

Form: 860

(7)

Raven's Hat^p⁴⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: C O'Donoghue| T: J M Oxx| OR: 58

16/1

Beaten 3L into fourth over an extended 1m2f at Dundalk on handicap debut last month. Represents a leading yard here and remains open to improvement.

Form: 058-4

(6)

Sir Popple¹⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-6| J: K J Leonard⁽⁵⁾| T: T Doyle| OR: 57

33/1

Fair effort when 11L third in a 1m3f maiden at Killarney (soft) last week. Probably best watched on handicap debut.

Form: 0-55

Forecasts

Flindt (15/8), For Pleasure (5/1), Machiavelli (11/2), Rince Deireanach (6/1), Dream Point (10/1), Cacique Royale (12/1), Remmy D (14/1), Raven's Hat (16/1), Volatile Lady (28/1), Sir Popple (33/1)

MACHIAVELLI shapes as if this step up in trip will suit and he is taken to defy top weight to get off the mark in this competitive looking three-year-old handicap. Flindt was a winner recently and a repeat of that effort should see him play a hand in the finish while Raven's Hat remains open to improvement on just her second start in handicap company and her first over this trip.