20:00 Bellewstown

Wednesday 4 July 2018

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

Gabriel Howard Memorial Handicap (45-65)

Off time: 20:01 | Winning time: 1m 40.11s

(7)

Alfirak⁸⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: Rory Cleary| T: D English| OR: 63| D

5/1

Progressive 4yo that came good at Dundalk last time, only narrowly and 3lb rise for that is fair. Needs to now transfer that form to turf, which isn't a given, but every chance of the follow-up if he can.

Form: 587381

(15)

Beau Satchel^t¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 9-11| J: T M Sherry⁽⁷⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 62| D

10/1

Infrequent winner but tries his best when he gets his conditions and will like this quick ground. Trip ideal and a good effort at Cork last time (third, gone up 2lb for it) but drawn out wide, which won't help his cause.

Form: 470943

(14)

Lion Hearted⁵⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Ronan Whelan| T: T Collins| OR: 58

9/1

Lightly raced and is at least open to some improvement, not disgraced at Leopardstown last October (a run that hinted at better) and came back off a break to run a bit of an eyecatcher at the Curragh last time. One of the more interesting ones.

Form: 577-0

(16)

Chunkyfunkymonkey²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: L F Roche| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 57

11/2

Twice a winner for John Ryan over trips further than today's, looks on a very tempting mark on the best of his form and dropped a bit of a hint he may be on the way back at Roscommon last time. Extra yardage here will help, but poorly drawn.

Form: 37-0005

(5)

Jackmel^t²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Colin Keane| T: M J Smith| OR: 57

16/1

No win in nine starts and recent combinations of headgear and tongue tie that have been tried don't seem to have had much effect. Good jockey booking and decent draw are the positives, but hard to fancy otherwise.

Form: 6-60707

(2)

No Way Jack^p,t³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-6| J: K J Leonard⁽³⁾| T: P Martin| OR: 57| D

7/1

Only beaten a length over this trip at Listowel last time out and was a winner at Leopardstown in April, but those efforts came on slower ground than he'll get today and he's a very infrequent winner anyway (just 2-54).

Form: 361583

(12)

Double Czech^v¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 9-4| J: Ben Coen⁽⁷⁾| T: T G McCourt| OR: 55| D

25/1

Fallen a long way in the handicap after some moderate efforts but better at Sligo last time and it suggests all is not totally lost. Trip fine, but may prefer slower ground and isn't particularly well drawn either. Others preferred.

Form: 000/084

(3)

Northern Surprise^b¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 9-3| J: W J Lee| T: T Doyle| OR: 54| CD

7/1

Have to go back to 2016 to find the last time he visited the winners enclosure but on the plus side, he is a C&D winner here in the past. Attractive looking mark but does need to pull out more, and is at least well drawn to do so.

Form: 978-996

(13)

Bouquet Garni^p²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: J A Heffernan| T: E J O'Grady| OR: 53

20/1

Winner from a 5lb higher mark at Dundalk last October, so no qualms on that score, but efforts lately suggest he's gone off the boil a bit, and this trip asks a new question of him as well. Not hard to look elsewhere.

Form: 14-0064

(11)

Cosmic Symbol^p¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-1| J: Dylan Hogan⁽⁷⁾| T: G Webb| OR: 52| D

33/1

Third at Roscommon in June a standout effort from a sea of otherwise below par runs lately and all four wins have come on soft/heavy ground to date. Plenty to prove here.

Form: 000030

(10)

Weardiditallgorong^b¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: S M Crosse⁽⁷⁾| T: D Donovan| OR: 51| D

33/1

On a decent enough mark and caught the eye at Naas last time, staying on from the back late in the day without ever getting into it. Yard can land a gamble so watch the market for a clue.

Form: 03-0709

(9)

Empress Lyla^b1⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Gary Carroll| T: G Donnelly| OR: 50| D

20/1

Mark falling through the floor after some very moderate efforts and now headgear is reached for to try and stem the tide. Looks more in hope than anything and not hard to look elsewhere for the winner.

Form: 0-00097

(6)

Stamp Of Authority^t¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 8-13| J: Karen Kenny⁽⁷⁾| T: T G McCourt| OR: 50

16/1

Had looked to be going nowhere until taking advantage of a rock-bottom mark at Sligo and only went down a neck (7f). However, is just the one win in 33 starts and given overall profile, is no good thing to follow that good effort up with another.

Form: 8689-02

(4)

Forevertwentyone^b1¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 8-8| J: Chris Hayes| T: P W Flynn| OR: 45

20/1

No wins or places in 11 starts to date and although she's been running respectably in similar grade lately, unless the first time headgear has an effect then others look to hold stronger claims.

Form: 000-855

(1)

Mzuri¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 8-8| J: S Foley| T: A McGuinness| OR: 45

9/2

Ran well on her seasonal reappearance at Naas a fortnight ago, not beaten far although never threatened to win it either. No win in 33 starts is enough to make you look elsewhere, despite a good draw and that decent effort.

Form: 05300-4

(8)

Toffee Tart¹³³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 8-8| J: D E Sheehy⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs A Mooney| OR: 45

50/1

Not seen out since 2014 and was in no form then. Hard to make any sort of a case for.

Form: 000000/

Non-Runners

Hanrai¹¹⁴

Weight: 9-2| Age: 4

T: W J Martin J: Reserve 1

Uno Momento⁴⁷

Weight: 9-11| Age: 4

T: T Mullins J: Reserve 2

Nisior Donn³⁰

Weight: 9-2| Age: 4

T: G P Cromwell J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Mzuri (9/2), Alfirak (5/1), Chunkyfunkymonkey (11/2), No Way Jack (7/1), Northern Surprise (7/1), Lion Hearted (9/1), Beau Satchel (10/1), Stamp Of Authority (16/1), Jackmel (16/1), Bouquet Garni (20/1), Empress Lyla (20/1), Forevertwentyone (20/1), Nisior Donn (20/1), Double Czech (25/1), Weardiditallgorong (33/1), Cosmic Symbol (33/1), Hanrai (33/1), Uno Momento (33/1), Toffee Tart (50/1)

For a big field handicap, there's really not that much pace on here and it could get messy. Nisior Donn would be interesting if he manages to get a run, as he would look a pace angle to the race, but assuming he doesn't then ALFIRAK could be good enough to follow up his recent Dundalk win. Drawn well enough in stall 7 he ought to be near what pace there is, and can come out on top. Lion Hearted would have been a stronger fancy but for a poor draw, but may still get involved for the places along with Stamp Of Authority and Mzuri.