15:40 Gowran Park

Saturday 9 March 2019

All13:2513:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:25

Holden Plant Rentals Shamrock Handicap Chase (Grade B)

Off time: 15:43 | Winning time: 4m 32.90s

Doctor Phoenix^p,t¹³

Age: 11| Weight: 11-13| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 148

4/1

Produced a big effort last time at Naas when looking a danger coming to the last only for the high class winner to pull out more when challenged. Conditions were faster than ideal that day so the performance can be upgraded.

Form: 526672

Goulane Chosen⁷²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: D J McInerney⁽³⁾| T: S Spillane| OR: 137| CD

12/1

Won this 12 months ago off 7lb lower having had a better preparation than the weather has allowed this time. Respected but others preferred.

Form: 16F-7U4

Avenir D'Une Vie¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 136

14/1

Well behind Doctor Phoenix at Naas when his jumping was a probem once again. Capable at his best but hard to trust on current evidence.

Form: F1U2-94

Ex Patriot³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Mr D O'Connor| T: Miss Ellmarie Holden| OR: 136

9/4

Grade 3 winning hurdler opened his account over fences at Thurles where his talent got him out of trouble. The runner-up has advertised the form since and he is most attractively weighted, however he will need to jump a lot better.

Form: 275-541

Dolciano Dici³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 135

10/1

Blundered his way around Thurles last time when 31L behind Ex Patriot. Only 1lb better off here so evidently has plenty to do.

Form: 1/4-47P5

Nearly Nama'd⁷²

Age: 11| Weight: 10-11| J: L P Dempsey| T: A Leahy| OR: 132

33/1

One win from seven handicap chase starts. Well held on a number of dismal efforts since September but showed a lot more last time. Will need to jump better in order to compete at this level.

Form: 10-P076

R'evelyn Pleasure³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Donagh Meyler| T: S O O'Brien| OR: 128

6/1

Looked a shade fortunate when scoring at Fairyhouse but he is an improving young chaser with a good attitude. Hard to rule out with those qualities.

Form: 9F1214

Sunsetstorise^p,t¹³³

Age: 11| Weight: 10-3| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 124| BF

16/1

His last two victories have come at this time off year. However, both were gained over shorter distances off considerably lower marks than this.

Form: P1/125-0

Gurteen²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Phillip Enright| T: R Tyner| OR: 121

12/1

Point, bumper and hurdle winner. Looked potentially very useful over fences judged on his 2017 debut effort, but well beaten on both runs back from a layoff.

Form: 360/3-09

Reach Up^t²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Danny Mullins| T: J P Ryan| OR: 121| C| D

10/1

Comfortably accounted for the supposed handicap blot last time and a 7lb rise seems reasonable. Faces a tough test for one so inexperienced over fences, but he has fewer questions to answer than most in terms of wellbeing.

Form: 3583F1

Call A Cab⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-13| J: N P Madden| T: P A Fahy| OR: 120

10/1

First three races over fences have been blighted by mistakes and he was tailed off last time. Difficult not to improve on what he's done but hard to fancy in this company.

Form: 153-660

Forecasts

Ex Patriot (9/4), Doctor Phoenix (4/1), R'evelyn Pleasure (6/1), Reach Up (10/1), Call A Cab (10/1), Dolciano Dici (10/1), Goulane Chosen (12/1), Gurteen (12/1), Avenir D'Une Vie (14/1), Sunsetstorise (16/1), Nearly Nama'd (33/1)

Doctor Phoenix looks the one to beat following a gallant effort last time when conditions were quicker than ideal. He has more experience over fences than his principal rivals and presumably comes here instead of a trip to Cheltenham. However, the concession of weight to EX PATRIOT could be his undoing as the top-class hurdler has earned a chase mark which is 9lb lower than that allotted to him for hurdling. His jumping does need to improve but that is possible on this slower ground and he holds Dolciano Dici on his last run. R'evelyn Plesure and Reach Up are progressive sorts who look in better shape than the rest.