17:20 Curragh

Sunday 27 May 2018

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

Curragh 'Where Champions Are Made' Handicap

Off time: 17:21 | Winning time: 3m 38.4s

Clongowes^p1¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger| OR: 96| C

7/1

Course winner in June 2017 when beating Apparition ½L off a 6lb lower mark. Acts on the going and looks a progressive type who will be of interest in first time cheekpieces.

Form: 1243-33

Song Of Namibia³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 9-11| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons| OR: 92

9/1

Yard running in to form and likely to come on for seasonal debut at Limerick last month and now just 3lb higher than his last winning mark at Bellewstown over 1m6f in July 2017.

Form: 17216-5

Golden Spear^t³³

Age: 7| Weight: 9-9| J: O J Orr⁽⁵⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 90| D

16/1

Failed to build on a promising run over timber at Leopardstown in March when never a factor in a Punchestown handicap hurdle last month. Well beaten when last seen on the Flat last year and could struggle here.

Form: 01551/0-

Laid Back Luke^p²⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 9-5| J: Robbie Colgan| T: S Lavery| OR: 86| D

16/1

123-rated handicap hurdler and not disgraced in recent runs on the Flat. Popular veteran and could find some younger legs quicker here.

Form: 40/318-2

Aydoun^p²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: Declan McDonogh| T: D K Weld| OR: 82

12/1

No impression on the winner on seasonal debut in a Clonmel handicap over this trip. Sole win on the level came on debut in 2015 and easily opposed here.

Form: 17/200-4

Western Boy^p1³³

Age: 9| Weight: 9-1| J: Fran Berry| T: P A Fahy| OR: 82| CD

4/1

C&D winner and not disgraced in two of his last three starts on the Flat including a ½L at Naas over 1m6f in November. Each way claims back on a handy mark.

Form: 240/503-

St Stephens Green⁵¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-0| J: Ronan Whelan| T: E Mullins| OR: 81| D

13/2

Distance winner who is 2lb higher than his last winning mark at Tramore in August beating Jan Van Eyck a neck. Can't be completely ruled out on current mark.

Form: 13100-4

Great Trango^b¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 8-8| J: Wayne Lordan| T: D H Kelly| OR: 75| D

10/1

Popular in the betting on both starts this season in two maiden starts including a promising third of 11 beaten 2½L at Clonmel last month. Entitled to make the shortlist.

Form: 2242-32

Mountain Rock²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 8-6| J: D E Sheehy⁽⁷⁾| T: A Keatley| OR: 73| D

16/1

Lightly-raced maiden on Flat, will have to improve significantly on Clonmel effort over this trip on heavy ground to get involved in the shake-up.

Form: 4420-45

Neverushacon^p,t¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 8-6| J: T P Madden⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 73| D

9/2

Justified favouritism in good style when landing a 14-runner handicap hurdle over 2m1f at Killarney earlier in the month. Sole success on the Flat from 11 starts came on debut in a Limerick maiden in April 2015. Could go well on a handy mark.

Form: 9/53356-

Thomas O'Malley^t⁴¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-6| J: C P Hoban| T: J R Finn| OR: 74| BF

14/1

Recently seen on the AW at Dundalk shaping well in two starts since February. Reduced mark is a positive but others preferred.

Form: 8161-32

Grand Canyon⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 8-4| J: Sean Davis⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss A Mooney| OR: 71

16/1

Raised 8lb for a comfortable victory in a Leopardstown handicap over 1m1f on heavy ground last month. Expected to struggle in the conditions here.

Form: 0/0479-1

Nightly Wailing^v¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-4| J: Rory Cleary| T: T Cleary| OR: 72| D

50/1

Distance winner on the AW at Dundalk last month before tailed off a Roscommon earlier this month. Appears to be on a tough mark.

Form: 0804-10

Non-Runners

Emperor Waltz¹²

Weight: 8-11| Age: 5

T: J J Murphy J: K J Leonard

Forecasts

Western Boy (4/1), Neverushacon (9/2), St Stephens Green (13/2), Clongowes (7/1), Song Of Namibia (9/1), Great Trango (10/1), Emperor Waltz (10/1), Aydoun (12/1), Thomas O'Malley (14/1), Golden Spear (16/1), Grand Canyon (16/1), Mountain Rock (16/1), Laid Back Luke (16/1), Nightly Wailing (50/1)

CLONGOWES ticks the course and class boxes as well as winning two contests on good ground at Down Royal and the Curragh in June last year. Trainer-Jim Bolger is running in to a little form of late and this colt by New Approach can go close here. The Ger Lyons-trained Song Of Namibia is likely to improve for seasonal debut at Limerick last month and is now just 3lb higher than his last winning mark, the seven-year-old can announce himself as the biggest danger to the selection. St Stephens Green who is just 2lb higher than last winning mark can hit the frame.