14:35 Naas

Sunday 24 March 2019

All13:3014:0014:3515:0515:4016:1016:4517:20

Naas Racecourse Launches The 2019 Irish Flat Season Handicap

Off time: 14:35 | Winning time: 1m 16.34s

(8)

St Brelades Bay^p¹⁷⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 9-13| J: Shane Foley| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 96| CD

14/1

Win and a place from four starts over C&D. Racing 9lb above last winning mark attained at the Curragh in August, the Camacho gelding could have ground concerns here.

Form: 771223-

(15)

Chessman¹⁷⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: O J Orr⁽³⁾| T: R O'Brien| OR: 95

12/1

Losing run now totals 11 last seen pulling up in a Chelmsford 7f contest in September on final start for trainer-Archie Watson. Probably best watched on stable debut unless market forces advise otherwise.

Form: 53500P-

(14)

Guessthebill²⁰⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: D M Simmonson⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 95

14/1

Hit the frame on his sole start over C&D when finishing second of 11 beaten a neck on soft ground in October 2017 off a 7lb lower mark. Lightly raced and looks a little high in the weights here the the amount of racing behind him.

Form: 54124/0-

(9)

Jewel Maker³²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: C P Hoban| T: D K Weld| OR: 87

10/1

Invincible Spirit debutant out of Sapphire, a Group Two winner up to 1m4f from an exceptional Moyglare Stud family. Lightly raced colt with market likely to be the best guide in this contest.

Form: 2/1-

(2)

Stanhope⁷⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: Colin Keane| T: D English| OR: 86| BF| D

8/1

Solid and consistent on the AW at Dundalk in three starts since December but form on soft ground in the past is disconcerting. Plenty more needed in this group.

Form: 47312-3

(4)

Rattling Jewel¹⁶²

Age: 7| Weight: 9-2| J: Gavin Ryan⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Lambe| OR: 85| D

16/1

One from 17 over the trip though has hit the frame on a further 10 occasions. Has won on similar ground in the past and improved effort would not surprise in this contest.

Form: 202104-

(1)

Solar Wave¹⁵²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger| OR: 85| D

16/1

Goes on the surface and is back down to 4lb higher than her last winning mark. Distance winner previously and one of the more likely types.

Form: 4/00670-

(11)

Excelling Spirit¹⁴⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: Billy Lee| T: W McCreery| OR: 84| D

9/1

Invincible Spirit cost 100,000 gns as a yearling and is a half-sister to several winners. Lightly-raced Cork maiden winner over 6½f in June but well held in a couple of starts since. Went well on first start last season and one for the shortlist.

Form: 22197-

(10)

Tresorier¹⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: M A Gallagher| T: J Feane| OR: 84| D

16/1

Career best performance came at the Curragh in the 80k Bold Lad Sprint handicap last September finishing fifth of 26 beaten 1¾L over 6f on good to yielding ground. Distance winner and worth a market check.

Form: 030650-

(5)

Aurora Eclipse²⁰⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Leigh Roche| T: M O'Callaghan| OR: 83| C

16/1

Returned from a couple of months on the sidelines latest when tailed-off last at the Curragh in September. Overall record casts doubt on her ability to get competitive here.

Form: 4/90280-

(7)

Betsey Trotter¹⁴⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: Declan McDonogh| T: D K Weld| OR: 81| D

14/1

Running well last summer but form tailed off somewhat towards the end of the season. Distance winner who won on seasonal debut last season landing a maiden at Navan in May. Entitled to be in the mix.

Form: 122150-

(3)

Arcanears¹⁴²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-10| J: Ben Coen⁽⁵⁾| T: M Halford| OR: 79| D

6/1

Second season handicapper who has dropped 8lb from initial assessment and may need a couple of these to falter to enable the Arcano gelding any chance of success.

Form: 104826-

(12)

T For Tango¹⁵²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: Wayne Lordan| T: R O'Brien| OR: 78| C| D

5/1

Course winner that has also won over this trip. Won an Ayr handicap in October off an 8lb lower mark on soft ground before a 3½L defeat at Newcastle later in the month. 10th of 14 on seasonal debut last term and may need the run here.

Form: 626816-

(13)

Enter The Red^b¹⁴⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 8-4| J: Chris Hayes| T: A A Howard| OR: 73| D

20/1

Finished 14th of 17 beaten 12L when last seen in November here over 5f on yielding. Has hit the frame on one occasion from four starts over C&D but needs to step up on previous runs in this company.

Form: 1/65P10-

(6)

Wajeez¹²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 8-4| J: Rory Cleary| T: D Hogan| OR: 73

20/1

Sole victory in career came in a Nottingham maiden when in the hands of trainer John Gosden. Second of eight on stable debut in October coming off a 820 day break but has shown no ability since being gelded. Others preferred.

Form: 17/2007-

(16)

Hee Haw^p,t1¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-4| J: Andrew Slattery⁽⁷⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 73| BF| D

8/1

Back to best for the reapplication of cheekpieces when scoring over 5f on the AW at Dundalk last month. Four from 25 on turf with last win coming at Haydock last year when in the care of trainer Paul Midgley off a 2lb lower mark.

Form: 456414

Forecasts

T For Tango (5/1), Arcanears (6/1), Stanhope (8/1), Hee Haw (8/1), Excelling Spirit (9/1), Jewel Maker (10/1), Chessman (12/1), St Brelades Bay (14/1), Betsey Trotter (14/1), Guessthebill (14/1), Solar Wave (16/1), Aurora Eclipse (16/1), Tresorier (16/1), Rattling Jewel (16/1), Enter The Red (20/1), Wajeez (20/1)

The Royal Applause gelding RATTLING JEWEL can take advantage of his draw and get a pull in to the race from possible pacesetter Stanhope. The seven-year-old can get back to winning ways here following a couple of hiccups towards the end of the season. The Dermot Weld pair, Betsey Trotter and Jewel Maker could both come with late runs here along with Excelling Spirit who all look capable of hitting the frame.