Quirke uPVC Windows (Clonmel) Tipperary Perpetual Cup Handicap

Off time: 19:15 | Winning time: 3m 47.8s

Rashaan⁶¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-11| J: N G McCullagh| T: C Kidd| OR: 91| BF| C| D

11/4

Winner of this race for the last two years off 10lb and 2lb lower marks. Well held when finishing down the field in a couple of starts in February, but this race will have been the target for the last 12 months.

Form: 05015-4

Chess Grand Master^b²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 9-6| J: D O'Brien| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 86| BF| D

5/2

Two wins over 1m4f and 2m on the AW at Dundalk on the board this year but the Galileo gelding has been well held since over hurdles and on the Flat since. Weight advantage from Rashaan looks a major positive.

Form: 6/1128

Waterville Dancer²²³

Age: 5| Weight: 8-13| J: Ben Coen⁽⁵⁾| T: C Byrnes| OR: 79

6/1

Won on his final appearance last season, landing the Ulster Cesarewitch handicap over 2m2f beating Neverushacon a head in September. Has a lay-off to overcome but is likely to be readied for the task.

Form: 254/371-

Prospectus^p³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 8-9| J: Rory Cleary| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 75| D

2/1

Finished 11th of 12 beaten 26L on first start for 11 months at Navan last month. The Sakhee gelding won one of his two starts on the Flat last season and looks a big danger for the Champion hurdle winning yard.

Form: 18/42-12

World Stage^p1¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: M A Gallagher| T: J Feane| OR: 73

14/1

Six-race maiden on the Flat and well held on seasonal debut at Limerick over a similar trip last month. First time cheekpieces unlikely to bring about the required amount of progression needed to land a blow here.

Form: 52252/9-

Forecasts

Prospectus (2/1), Chess Grand Master (5/2), Rashaan (11/4), Waterville Dancer (6/1), World Stage (14/1)

RASHAAN can land the spoils in this contest for the third year in a row. The seven-year-old can be expected to be primed for his hat-trick bid following a couple of below-par run outs in February and can get the better of previous Dundalk conqueror, Chess Grand Master and the Gavin Cromwell-trained Prospectus. The Charles Byrnes-trained Waterville Dancer deserves plenty of respect, but has a 223 day lay-off to overcome.