14:25 Curragh

Saturday 26 May 2018

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:2017:55

FBD Hotels And Resorts Handicap

Off time: 14:26 | Winning time: 1m 13.07s

(14)

Zorion¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger| OR: 98

4/1

Impressive winner at Leopardstown last time gaining a first win since debut. Seemingly not crying out for this drop back in trip though and more needed after a 7lb rise from the handicapper.

Form: 1/3-371

(13)

Sors^b1⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-1| J: Ben Coen⁽⁷⁾| T: A Slattery| OR: 85| CD

20/1

C&D winner and three-time course winner back below his last winning mark. The rain that's forecast is a bonus for him and not discounted in first-time blinkers here.

Form: 6-61679

(8)

St Brelades Bay^p⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: C O'Donoghue| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 84| CD

5/1

C&D winner who produced a career best when winning at Dundalk in November. May have needed the run on return at Navan and won't mind any rain that comes. Interesting runner.

Form: 81071-4

(5)

Dali^t⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: R L Moore| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 91

7/1

A winner at Naas on second start but has failed to make his presence felt at pattern level since. Should appreciate the drop in class here and gets Moore back on board; not ruled out.

Form: 21744-7

(10)

Togoville^b⁷¹

Age: 8| Weight: 8-12| J: Colin Keane| T: A McCann| OR: 82| D

20/1

11-time winner but he's a bit of a Dundalk specialist and only won once on turf at Roscommon in 2014. Reduced turf mark is a positive but others preferred.

Form: 619-221

(9)

Mokhalad³³

Age: 5| Weight: 8-10| J: Rory Cleary| T: D English| OR: 80| D

12/1

Appreciated the drop back in trip at Navan last time when producing a career best effort. 5lb rise for that looks fair and extra ½f is no issue. Leading player.

Form: 592471

(3)

Arcanears¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: C P Hoban| T: M Halford| OR: 87| CD

14/1

Improved from debut to win a C&D maiden last time. Handicapper taken no chances with his opening mark but more progress likely.

Form: 81

(11)

Honor Oak¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 8-8| J: Chris Hayes| T: T Hogan| OR: 78

11/1

Four wins from 39 starts with three of those coming on AW. Just one win from 25 starts on turf but ran well at Leopardstown last time out and she has each-way claims off the same mark.

Form: 2265-13

(2)

Blairmayne¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-6| J: Shane Foley| T: N Lupini| OR: 76| D

13/2

Produced a career best effort on his return at Naas last time getting the better of reoppposing Rattling Jewel. 4lb rise for that fair and step up in trip shouldn't be an issue.

Form: 40833-1

(6)

Comhghairdeas²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-6| J: Andrew Slattery⁽⁷⁾| T: A Slattery| OR: 76| BF| CD

14/1

Won his maiden over C&D and gained his second success at Tipperary in August. Held his form well since but others possibly better handicapped and he will want the rain to stay away.

Form: 1619-24

(4)

Patuano⁴³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-6| J: Leigh Roche| T: W McCreery| OR: 76

14/1

A winner on handicap debut but she's been inconsistent since and not managed to get her head back in front. Needs to leave the form of her reappearance run behind at Naas in April.

Form: 54528-6

(12)

Silk Cravat¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 8-5| J: Sean Davis⁽⁷⁾| T: J Geoghegan| OR: 75| D

16/1

Won his maiden on the beach at Laytown and won twice on AW this winter but yet to show much form on turf and others preferred.

Form: 1-45198

(1)

Fit For Function²¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 8-4| J: N G McCullagh| T: J G Murphy| OR: 74| D

20/1

Not won on turf for nearly two years and while he's back on a workable mark, he ended last year with several below par performances and others arrive in better form.

Form: 005000-

Non-Runners

(7)

Rattling Jewel¹⁹

Weight: 8-6| Age: 6

T: J P O'Brien J: Alan Persse

Forecasts

Zorion (4/1), St Brelades Bay (5/1), Rattling Jewel (11/2), Blairmayne (13/2), Dali (7/1), Honor Oak (11/1), Mokhalad (12/1), Patuano (14/1), Comhghairdeas (14/1), Arcanears (14/1), Silk Cravat (16/1), Sors (20/1), Fit For Function (20/1), Togoville (20/1)

Last year's winner, RATTLING JEWEL, returned to form with a good second last time out and he's still on a workable mark judged on the best of his form from this time last year. Sors could benefit from first-time headgear but Mokhalad may be the main danger having improved for the drop to sprint trips.