14:25 Fairyhouse

Sunday 8 July 2018

All13:5014:2514:5515:3016:0016:3017:05

Fairyhouse Family Funday Handicap (45-65)

Off time: 14:26 | Winning time: 1m 14.43s

(5)

Forza Libranno¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Rory Cleary| T: N Lawlor| OR: 65| D

33/1

Distance winner whose losing run dates back to August 2016 when trained in France. Well held in two starts for current connections and may struggle here.

Form: 8400-08

(6)

Caesar's Comet^b1¹⁰²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: K J Manning| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 62| BF

6/1

Modest 63-rated Flat handicapper for trainer Paul Midgley. Carries the hopes of new connections and best watched today in first-time blinkers on stable debut.

Form: 07348-5

(17)

January Morn⁴⁰⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: W T Byrne⁽¹⁰⁾| T: A Mullins| OR: 62

25/1

Showed promise on his seasonal debut but three subsequent starts have been modest. Now has a bit to prove.

Form: 59/4600-

(10)

Clare Island²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: R P Downey| T: E Lynam| OR: 61| D

10/1

Distance winner on the AW at Dundalk in November. Looks to carry better form on that surface and others hold stronger profiles.

Form: 4132-05

(4)

A Likely Story^v¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: D E Sheehy⁽⁷⁾| T: T G McCourt| OR: 56

7/1

Solid and consistent in three starts since May including a ½L defeat in a Naas handicap last month. Improvement needed but not discounted.

Form: 109353

(2)

Zeeyalater⁸⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Gary Carroll| T: S Lavery| OR: 55| D

7/1

Does most of his running now on the AW at Dundalk. Won his penultimate start on turf in a Leopardstown handicap over this trip off a 9lb higher mark. Possibilities if reclaiming form on grass.

Form: 380635

(1)

Pillar^b²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: Colin Keane| T: A McGuinness| OR: 54

12/1

Placed five times on the bounce earlier in the year, but has been below his best on last four starts. Worth a market check.

Form: 420790

(7)

Clonville¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: Ronan Whelan| T: J P Fahey| OR: 52

8/1

Winner of a Gowran Park handicap over 7f in May off a 6lb lower mark. Beaten since but acts on the ground and is entitled to make the shortlist here.

Form: 0-60155

(16)

Clebourne^b1²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Declan McDonogh| T: D Bunyan & G O'Leary| OR: 56| D

16/1

Game AW performer but well beaten on first two career starts on turf. First time blinkers unlikely to bring about the required amount of improvement needed to play a role here.

Form: 081860

(13)

Althib²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: J A Heffernan| T: D Hogan| OR: 46

8/1

Well beaten over 1m last time out in a Cork handicap last month. Acts on the ground and the return to this trip could but but hard to fancy on recent starts.

Form: 003299

(9)

Guiding Star^p,t²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-8| J: Chris Hayes| T: P J McKenna| OR: 45| CD

9/1

C&D winner here in June last year off a 10lb higher mark before finishing 11th of 18 in this contest 12 months ago. Signs of a return to form recently and worth a market check.

Form: 439692

(15)

Lavinuela⁹³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-8| J: Ben Coen⁽⁷⁾| T: R O'Sullivan| OR: 45

18/1

Possibly needed the run on the AW at Dundalk in April on her return to the track following a promising 2017 campaign. 12th of 18 in this contest 12-months ago but has each way claims on return to turf.

Form: 00303-8

(12)

Nightflight^b,t²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-8| J: Sean Davis⁽⁷⁾| T: Joseph Murray| OR: 45

8/1

Four gallant displays in June not beaten further than 5L deserves a change of luck. Looks a progressive type and shortlisted here.

Form: 807548

Non-Runners

(11)

Focus Of Attention³⁶

Weight: 10-0| Age: 4

T: J P O'Brien J: D O'Brien

(8)

Ancient Astronaut²

Weight: 9-8| Age: 5

T: K Thornton J: Robbie Colgan

(3)

Mr Shelby¹

Weight: 9-8| Age: 4

T: S Donohoe J: Dylan Hogan

(14)

Very Smart²⁰

Weight: 8-11| Age: 3

T: P Martin J: K J Leonard

Forecasts

Mr Shelby (4/1), Focus Of Attention (9/2), Caesar's Comet (6/1), A Likely Story (7/1), Zeeyalater (7/1), Althib (8/1), Nightflight (8/1), Clonville (8/1), Guiding Star (9/1), Clare Island (10/1), Ancient Astronaut (10/1), Pillar (12/1), Clebourne (16/1), Very Smart (16/1), Lavinuela (18/1), January Morn (25/1), Forza Libranno (33/1)

FOCUS OF ATTENTION caught the eye last month in a Navan handicap on her first start for the Joseph O'Brien yard going down by 1¾L over 5f and this extra 1f looks sure to suit the daughter of Intense Focus here. A Likely Story who appears to be improving with every run can battle for the minor honours with Caesar's Comet in first-time blinkers and Pillar who could out-run his odds.