20:30 Leopardstown

Thursday 6 June 2019

All17:4518:2018:5019:2519:5520:3021:00

Awards & Gifts Apprentice Handicap

Off time: 20:31 | Winning time: 2m 50.17s

(7)

Aztec Eagle^p1²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: O J Orr| T: D K Weld| OR: 79

12/1

Cork maiden winner last May, and improved on his return when 1¾L fifth of 10 to Red Striker in a 1¼m handicap there last time. Lightly raced for his age, and will almost certainly improve for this stiffer test. Cheekpieces on for first time now.

Form: 16-5

(14)

Agent Zigzag^p1²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-13| J: Ross Coakley| T: J M Oxx| OR: 78

9/2

Run best ignored last time, and had previously run well to be fourth in handicaps at 1m/1¼m. Should bounce back, although pedigree suggests he's far from certain to stay this longer trip. Cheekpieces tried now.

Form: 600-446

(2)

Rips Dream²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-13| J: Ben Coen| T: P J Flynn| OR: 78

8/1

Now 13lb higher than when gaining most recent handicap win at Dundalk in November. Ran well when neck second to Red Striker at Cork last time, but up 3lb for that, and not sure to confirm form with Aztec Eagle on revised terms.

Form: 121-652

(3)

Tara Dylan²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 9-10| J: J M Sheridan⁽⁷⁾| T: T Mullins| OR: 75| C

16/1

Better over hurdles than she is in this sphere, and presumably here on a confidence restoring mission after taking an unfortunate fall at Cork last month.

Form: 9500/0-0

(11)

Hurricane Sky¹¹

Age: 10| Weight: 9-5| J: T P Madden| T: C O'Brien| OR: 70| CD

14/1

Won this race off a 3lb lower mark last year, and not disgraced despite failing to win again subsequently. Needed the run on recent Curragh return, and likely to have been primed for a repeat bid here, so not one to take lightly.

Form: 55287-9

(8)

Grey Waters^b²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: S M Crosse| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 69| BF

14/1

Runner-up on her sole Flat start in 2018, and fairly treated, but she has lost confidence since switched to fences of late, and not easy to assess at present. Market may guide.

Form: 35341/2-

(13)

Monaco Rose^t⁶^{(ex 6)}

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: Andrew Slattery⁽²⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 59| D

6/1

Ex-Richard Fahey. Penalised for winning fillies' handicap at Down Royal (1½m) last week, but effectively only 2lb higher, so potentially well treated, but suspicion she may be flattered by that victory having made most of the running. Risky.

Form: 5464-91

(5)

All Body And Soul²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 8-13| J: D W O'Connor| T: T Collins| OR: 64

10/1

Inconsistent sort who bounced back to form when fifth of 21 to Time For Mabel in a 1½m handicap here last time. Every chance on the bare form, but he's not sure to repeat that effort given his profile.

Form: 078-905

(6)

Wrap Star^p,t²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 8-13| J: S M Mooney⁽⁴⁾| T: A McCann| OR: 64

50/1

Still a maiden, and while he's well treated on the pick of his form, he's been running badly on the Flat and over hurdles of late, and has plenty to prove as a result.

Form: 02600-0

(9)

Time For Mabel^p²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 8-9| J: Gavin Ryan⁽⁴⁾| T: E J O'Grady| OR: 60| C

7/1

Got back to winning ways over timber in November, and belatedly took advantage of lowly Flat mark when winning a 21-runner 1½m handicap here three weeks ago. Suited by the way that race panned out, but remains feasibly treated, and longer trip fine.

Form: 7367-51

(1)

Walking On Glass^p1⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: C G O'Dwyer⁽⁷⁾| T: P Roche| OR: 58| D

4/1

Much improved when making a winning handicap debut at Navan last month, and better still when second of 13 to Shakespear'sgalley in 1m4½f handicap at Down Royal last time. Still improving, and sure to go well with cheekpieces now added.

Form: 000-12

(10)

Sbraase^p²³

Age: 8| Weight: 8-4| J: D E Sheehy| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 55

12/1

Winner at Wolverhampton in November, but just marking time in handicaps this season, and best watched until showing more positive signs.

Form: 212-786

(4)

King Of Aran³⁸⁴

Age: 12| Weight: 8-4| J: Killian Leonard| T: M C Grassick| OR: 55

33/1

Successful over hurdles when last seen, but that was over a year ago at Downpatrick (goes well there), and asking a lot for this veteran to be cherry-ripe on return from such an absence.

Form: 6605/25-

Non-Runners

(12)

The Last Indian³⁵

Weight: 9-9| Age: 6

T: A A Howard J: Nathan Crosse

Forecasts

Walking On Glass (4/1), Agent Zigzag (9/2), Monaco Rose (6/1), Time For Mabel (7/1), Rips Dream (8/1), All Body And Soul (10/1), Sbraase (12/1), Aztec Eagle (12/1), Grey Waters (14/1), Hurricane Sky (14/1), The Last Indian (14/1), Tara Dylan (16/1), King Of Aran (33/1), Wrap Star (50/1)

Potentially trappy, but there are a couple of unexposed sorts who stand out, with the progressive WALKING ON GLASS appearing ahead of his mark after another improved display at Down Royal, and he's preferred to Aztec Eagle, who has only had two handicap starts despite being a five-year-old, and he promised to be suited by a well-run race at this trip. Last year's winner Hurricane Sky looks to have been laid out for another crack, and could also have a part to play from just 3lb higher.