18:40 Leopardstown

Thursday 19 July 2018

All17:3018:0518:4019:1519:5020:2520:55

ICON Apprentice Handicap

Off time: 18:42 | Winning time: 1m 30.2s

(7)

Arbourfield^v¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-12| J: K J Leonard| T: Mrs P Dobbs| OR: 72| D

7/1

In good form in the main this season and ran well to finish third over 1m at Bellewstown (good-to-firm) last time out. Drop in trip no inconvenience.

Form: 301043

(2)

Korbous¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 9-12| J: R P Downey| T: R Brabazon| OR: 72| BF| CD

5/1

Finished fourth in a competitive 18 runner handicap over 1m here early last month. Disappointed subsequently but not written off just yet.

Form: 70-9440

(14)

Coreczka¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 9-9| J: O J Orr| T: C Cannon| OR: 69| D

16/1

Placed in a handicap over this distance at Fairyhouse (good) on her penultimate start. Beaten 12L subsequently however and draw could have been kinder.

Form: 98-3429

(11)

Dance Alone¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: D W O'Connor| T: D English| OR: 69| C| D

9/1

Running well in the spring but has been held the last twice most recently when fourth over 1m at Bellewstown earlier this month. Interesting to see if he can return to form.

Form: 212254

(12)

Hitchcock^p²⁵⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Dylan Hogan⁽²⁾| T: Barry J Murphy| OR: 68| D

25/1

Won and placed when trained by Kevin Ryan but absent since finishing fifth on soft ground at Redcar last November. Probably best watched on stable debut.

Form: 870125-

(4)

Liberatio⁵⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: R Coakley| T: M Halford| OR: 67

7/1

12 race maiden came within ½L of breaking his duck in a Dundalk maiden over 1m in March. Held sixth in a C&D handicap here in May and returns from a break.

Form: 80-2446

(9)

Storm Ranger²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: Ben Coen⁽⁴⁾| T: P J Flynn| OR: 65

12/1

Returned to form with a decent third in a 1m handicap at Limerick (good-to-firm) a month ago. Interesting to see how he fares down in trip.

Form: 07-0763

(3)

Diable d'Or^t1⁴⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: D P Linehan⁽²⁾| T: A Mulholland| OR: 64

16/1

Ran well to finish fourth off a 1lb lower mark at Gowran Park (7f, good-to-firm) on his penultimate start. Well held subsequently however and tongue tied for the first time here.

Form: 36-2740

(6)

Tush¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Gary Halpin| T: W T Farrell| OR: 60

4/1

Improved on handicap debut when finishing a close third over 6f at Naas (good-to-firm) last time out. Races off a 1lb higher mark and remains open to improvement stepping up in distance.

Form: 78-903

(5)

Feisty Katerina^p,t¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: G M Ryan⁽⁴⁾| T: B W Duke| OR: 64

14/1

Beaten just 1L when third over C&D on good-to-firm ground last month. Disappointed twice subsequently however and more needed if she's to take this contest.

Form: 809398

(15)

Secret Memories^p,t²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-10| J: K K Hennessy⁽²⁾| T: Miss K Brown| OR: 56| D

16/1

Weakened late on when finishing fifth in an AW contest over 1m at Newcastle last time out. Return to 7f in her favour. Also declared 19:20 Fairyhouse Wednesday.

Form: 608095

(13)

Victorious Secret¹⁰⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: D E Sheehy⁽²⁾| T: A Mulholland| OR: 55| C| D

25/1

Disappointing in recent seasons including in two starts on the AW for this yard in the spring. Others make more appeal on her return to turf.

Form: 6387-09

(1)

Zadorra¹³²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: A J Slattery⁽⁴⁾| T: A Slattery| OR: 60

33/1

Glimpses of ability in four starts for Mark Johnston earlier this year. Finished last of eight on handicap debut over 7f in March and makes her stable and turf debut here.

Form: 6048

(8)

Kodi Koh¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-5| J: Sean Davis⁽²⁾| T: G M Lyons| OR: 58

20/1

Career best effort came when finishing fourth over 7f at Fairyhouse (good-to-firm) last time out. Remains open to improvement and represents a top yard.

Form: 564054

(10)

Ar Saoirse^t⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: Nathan Crosse⁽⁴⁾| T: D Marnane| OR: 57

25/1

Maiden after 11 starts and shaped as if in need of further when finishing mid-division over 5f at Navan (good-to-firm) recently. Interesting to see how he fares on this occasion.

Form: 3-79079

Result Amended

Arbourfield - Original Position 9th. Amended Position 8th.

Hitchcock - Original Position 14th. Amended Position 13th.

Liberatio - Original Position 13th. Amended Position 12th.

Diable d'Or - Original Position 10th. Amended Position 9th.

Tush - Original Position 11th. Amended Position 10th.

Feisty Katerina - Original Position 7th. Amended Position 6th.

Victorious Secret - Original Position 12th. Amended Position 11th.

Zadorra - Original Position 15th. Amended Position 14th.

Kodi Koh - Original Position 8th. Amended Position 7th.

Ar Saoirse - Original Position 6th. Amended Position 15th.

Forecasts

Tush (4/1), Korbous (5/1), Arbourfield (7/1), Liberatio (7/1), Dance Alone (9/1), Storm Ranger (12/1), Feisty Katerina (14/1), Secret Memories (16/1), Coreczka (16/1), Diable d'Or (16/1), Kodi Koh (20/1), Victorious Secret (25/1), Hitchcock (25/1), Ar Saoirse (25/1), Zadorra (33/1)

TUSH remains unexposed having had just two handicap starts and this step up in trip can see her register a first victory in this highly competitive handicap. The selection looks likely to appreciate the extra furlong here and can get the better of top weight Arbourfield who has run well on his last two starts and can do so once more. Kodi Koh is less exposed than most of her rivals and can claim third.