17:10 Leopardstown

Sunday 12 May 2019

All13:4514:1514:2514:5015:2516:0016:3517:10

Captain Dara Fitzpatrick Memorial Maiden

Off time: 17:12 | Winning time: 2m 39.94s

(9)

Building Bridges³⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: T P Madden⁽³⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington

10/1

Colt by New Approach out of a Monsun gelding was slowly into stride on debut last October but left that well behind when fourth over 1m2f here on his return. Kept on as though this trip would bring further progress and looks a leading hope.

Form: 0-4

(8)

Grandmaster Flash^b1²²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: S M Crosse⁽⁵⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 86| BF

9/2

Made it three seconds in a row when reappearing over 1m2f here, running to a consistent level of form that would be close to the best on offer here. Very disappointing though at Cork and needs blinkers to help revitalise him.

Form: 22-27

(1)

Harpo Marx^p1³⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Seamie Heffernan| T: A P O'Brien

20/1

Galileo colt out of a Group 1 winning Australian sprinter. Green on debut last July and again looked in need of the experience on reappearance here. More needed. Trainer has won the last five renewals of this and also runs Il Paradiso and Macquarie.

Form: 8-0

(5)

Il Paradiso²⁰⁹

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

5/6

Galileo colt, cost $300,000 as a yearling. Brother to a 1m5f winner. Placed in all three last year and although odds-on favourite on the last of them, those runs set the standard and the heavy ground looked against him. Up in trip on reappearance.

Form: 322-

(11)

Lightsider¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Robbie Colgan| T: S Lavery| OR: 74

33/1

€18,000 yearling by St Leger and Gold Cup winner Leading Light out of a 6f winner at two. Promise on sole start at the Curragh last year but has failed to build on that in two this campaign. More needed in this company.

Form: 5-96

(4)

Macquarie²⁰⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Wayne Lordan| T: A P O'Brien

25/1

Colt by Australia out of a Holy Roman Emperor mare. Only moderate late gains on debut over a mile here last year and big improvement needed up in trip on his reappearance. Market best guide as one of a trio of runners for leading yard.

Form: 0-

(10)

No Say Ever

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Killian Leonard⁽³⁾| T: Miss A Mooney

100/1

Son of No Nay Never gelded ahead of this debut and cost €15,000 as a yearling; a fourth foal and half-brother to winners in Germany and Slovakia. Best watched as stable's first Flat runner this season.

Form:

(6)

Nostra Casa¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Chris Hayes| T: D K Weld

33/1

Colt by Dubawi out of a Danehill mare and a half-brother to Forgotten Rules and Listed winner Vintage Nouveau. Failed to build on debut when well beaten in both starts this year and remains best watched.

Form: 00

(3)

Trossachs^t¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger

12/1

Full-brother to smart 7f/1m winner Cascadian out of UAE Oaks winner Falls of Lora. Not disgraced in first two starts last month without improving. Likely to find a couple too good again but place possibilities with progress.

Form: 94

(2)

Yenillik¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Billy Lee| T: W McCreery

33/1

Half-brother to connections' dual Group 3 winner Dunboyne Express, out of a half-sister to Oaks winner Love Divine. Some moderate late headway on last month's Tipperary debut and this looks a tough ask again. Others look stronger at this stage.

Form: 9

(7)

Yonkers^b1³⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons| OR: 85| BF

9/1

March colt cost $350,000 as a yearling related to Group 1 Breeders Cup Turf winner Talismatic. Twice second to smart sorts in three runs last year and therefore a bit disappointing on his return over 1m2f here. First-time blinkers quickly added.

Form: 622-6

(12)

Heavenly Snow¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Shane Foley| T: S Lavery

12/1

Australia filly bred to stay well. Improved from last year's debut when fifth over 1m2f here on her return and ran to a similar standard when third at Tipperary. Improvement needed again but a place chance.

Form: 9-53

Forecasts

Il Paradiso (5/6), Grandmaster Flash (9/2), Yonkers (9/1), Building Bridges (10/1), Trossachs (12/1), Heavenly Snow (12/1), Harpo Marx (20/1), Macquarie (25/1), Yenillik (33/1), Nostra Casa (33/1), Lightsider (33/1), No Say Ever (100/1)

Aidan O'Brien is going for six in a row in this contest and IL PARADISO looks the clear pick of his trio with the colt setting a good level of form from his last two runs last year and this Derby entrant is bred to come into his own over a trip this year. Building Bridges also hit the line on his reappearance as though he's only going to improve up in distance and rates the danger. It's hard to know what went wrong with Grandmaster Flash last time but he's a chance if the headgear works.