18:40 Gowran Park

Wednesday 5 September 2018

All16:0516:4017:1017:4018:1018:4019:1019:40

Thomastown Maiden

Off time: 18:41 | Winning time: 2m 0.2s

(2)

Alfred Elmore^h1²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: Rory Cleary| T: L Comer

100/1

Ninth of 16 at 100/1 in a C&D maiden beaten 12L on recent return from a 15-month absence. Only other run was poor and very hard to fancy with first-time hood added.

Form: 6-9

(7)

Kris Black

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: Dylan Hogan⁽⁷⁾| T: K P Cotter

100/1

Le Cadre Noir gelding makes his belated debut for a yard without a winner this season and just three in the last five. Easy to pass over.

Form:

(9)

Reaper Man^t1²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: W J Lee| T: E Kent

100/1

€8,000 vendor yearling by Lilbourne Lad is half-brother to seven winners including two at Listed level. Yard more known for jumpers and winnerless last five seasons.

Form:

(11)

Shadow Seven⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: J A Heffernan| T: J P O'Brien

20/1

Never a factor when 25th of 28 on debut at the Curragh just over a week ago (7f). Sure to appreciate this step up in trip but leap of faith required despite top connections.

Form: 0

(4)

Long Wood⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-6| J: Ronan Whelan| T: J Feane

22/1

Never nearer 5L 11th of 28 on return at the Curragh last week offered promise for this step up in trip. This race weaker if anything on paper so has to have each-way potential now.

Form: 60

(6)

Small Wonder¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: C P Hoban| T: H De Bromhead

11/1

Redoute's Choice filly was noted making some late headway on debut over 1m3f at Killarney last month. Should come on for the run and can't be ruled out here.

Form: 6

(12)

Black Noah

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Chris Hayes| T: G Elliott

10/1

Big Bad Bob newcomers cost connections €30,000 as a two-year-old and is out of unraced dam related to two decent sprinters. Mixed messages trip wise but top jumps trainer's flat strike rate less persuasive.

Form:

(1)

Prepare For Battle^t⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: D O'Brien| T: A P O'Brien| BF

4/9

Third over C&D on debut and filled the same slot behind a potentially classy newcomer of Jim Bolger's at the Curragh since in a 28 runner maiden. Expecting him to start repaying his $400,000 purchase price here.

Form: 33

(10)

Velsen^b1⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: C O'Donoghue| T: J M Oxx

20/1

Beaten 17L and 15L in maidens at Galway and the Curragh but both looked to have more strength in depth than this so hopes he can do a bit better in first-time blinkers.

Form: 06

(8)

Allez Secrete²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: R Coakley⁽³⁾| T: J Barcoe

100/1

Little to recommend her in remote efforts here and at the Curragh last month and huge amount to find with re-opposing rivals today.

Form: 00

(3)

Flamma Clarus²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger

28/1

Teofilo filly finished 11th of 16 here on debut last month. Should improve for the experience but was more than 10L behind Prepare For Battle who was also debuting so scale of the task great.

Form: 0

(13)

Rayda³⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Declan McDonogh| T: D K Weld

7/2

Plenty of promise in this daughter of Mastercraftsman's C&D fourth last month and was doing her best work late on. Will know the job better today and has to be seriously considered with big improvement possible.

Form: 4

Non-Runners

(5)

Lady Savanah

Weight: 9-6| Age: 4

T: T G McCourt J: Colin Keane

Forecasts

Prepare For Battle (4/9), Rayda (7/2), Black Noah (10/1), Small Wonder (11/1), Velsen (20/1), Shadow Seven (20/1), Long Wood (22/1), Flamma Clarus (28/1), Lady Savanah (33/1), Reaper Man (100/1), Alfred Elmore (100/1), Allez Secrete (100/1), Kris Black (100/1)

This looks a good opportunity for PREPARE FOR BATTLE to get off the mark at the third time of asking after running well in a huge field at the Curragh latest. Rayda ran a nice race on debut and is certainly capable of improvement so she enters calculations as does Long Wood who should appreciate the step up in trip.