14:50 Curragh

Sunday 26 May 2019

All13:5014:2014:5015:5016:2517:0017:3018:00

Curragh Official Opening Day Handicap

  • 3YO plus  |   5f  |   Good to Firm (Good in Places)  |   7 Runners  |   Turf  |   Weighed In
  • Off time: 14:53  |   Winning time: 58.85s
The word Sky in blue and Bet in white with a red background.
The word Betfair in black.
The words Paddy Power in green.
Cloth number
Odds
Horse A-Z
Show odds
1
(2)
Horse silk
Stanhope15
Age: 5|  Weight: 9-10| J: S M Mooney(7)| T: D English| OR:  85| D
9/1
Hasn't won on turf since 2017 and still well above his last winning handicap mark. Has shown very little in two recent starts and hard to fancy here back down in trip.
2
(1)
Horse silk
Hathiqt31
Age: 5|  Weight: 9-9| J: Rory Cleary| T: D Hogan| OR:  84| D
5/2
Made it two wins from six starts at Tipperary last time out but while he won that fairly impressively, an 11lb rise may halt his progress for now.
3
(3)
Horse silk
Aleeft8
Age: 6|  Weight: 9-7| J: Billy Lee| T: K J Condon| OR:  82
5/2
Got his head back in front at Navan last time out after an excellent second of 22 at Naas the time before. At his best with some cut underfoot though and has a 4lb rise to cope with as well as different conditions here.
4
(5)
Horse silk
Mid Winster42
Age: 3|  Weight: 9-6| J: Ben Coen(5)| T: A Slattery| OR:  89| CD
12/1
Improved from debut to win over C&D next time out but hasn't built on that subsequently and she's been set a stiff ask from this sort of handicap mark from the assessor.
6
(8)
Horse silk
Optionality247
Age: 5|  Weight: 9-4| J: Andrew Slattery(7)| T: D Bunyan & G O'Leary| OR:  79| CD
10/1
Improved from debut to win a maiden over C&D in August. Has gone backwards in two two subsequent starts though and probably best watched on reappearance here.
7
(4)
Horse silk
Evasive Power8
Age: 3|  Weight: 9-2| J: Gary Halpin| T: D Hogan| OR:  85| D
25/1
Has won twice in eight career starts but has shown nothing in two outings for this yard. Handicap mark is coming down and likes fast ground so may bounce back.
8
(6)
Horse silk
Kafu7
Age: 3|  Weight: 8-10| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons| OR:  79| D
10/3
Improved from debut to win at Down Royal in June. Only moderete efforts in defeat since but the drop back to this trip could help.

Non-Runners

5
(7)
Horse silk
Verhoyen2
Weight: 9-6|  Age: 4
T: M C Grassick  J: Robbie Colgan
NR

Forecasts

Hathiq (5/2), Aleef (5/2), Kafu (10/3), Verhoyen (5/1), Stanhope (9/1), Optionality (10/1), Mid Winster (12/1), Evasive Power (25/1)

Verdict

EVASIVE POWER is working his way down to a more suitable handicap mark and he may be able to bounce back now dropped in trip. Hathiq is going the right way but has a sizable rise in the weights to overcome so Aleef is preferred for the runner-up spot given his recent form.
  1. Evasive Power
  2. Aleef
  3. Hathiq

Prize Money

1st: €15,375.002nd: €4,750.003rd: €2,250.004th: €1,000.005th: €375.00

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