19:40 Leopardstown

Thursday 13 June 2019

All17:3518:1018:4019:1019:4020:1020:40

Plusvital Ballycorus Stakes (Group 3)

Off time: 19:41 | Winning time: 1m 31.43s

(2)

Flight Risk⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 9-9| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger| OR: 110| CD

10/11

C&D winner got off the mark for the season when taking the Glencairn Stakes with the minimum of fuss at this track. Back down to 7f now and should go very well once more returned to group company.

Form: 5/324-21

(5)

Gordon Lord Byron¹⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 9-9| J: W J Lee| T: T Hogan| OR: 104| C| D

13/2

Admirable campaigner who is showing no signs of going off the boil at the age of 11. Posted best run of his 2019 campaign so far when third in the G2 Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh. Major contender returned to slightly less exalting company.

Form: 479-043

(3)

Iiex Excelsa^p¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: J A Heffernan| T: J A Stack| OR: 92| D

33/1

Had been running well prior to turning in a poor effort at Listowel (6f; yielding). May not have enjoyed giving lumps of weight away that day. Had placed in Listed company before that effort so not one to totally write off.

Form: 40-4539

(1)

Rionach²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: L F Roche| T: M O'Callaghan| OR: 101| BF| D

13/2

Has been up and down in good company recently. Proved disappointing when seventh of eight in a Listed contest at Naas (7f; good to firm) last time but would hold genuine claims if able to recapture the form of her third in G3 company two starts ago.

Form: 329-937

(4)

Inverleigh²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons| OR: 104| C

4/1

Lightly raced sort compared to a few of these. Got three-year-old campaign off to the perfect start when winning a Listed contest, but failed to back that up when eighth in the G3 Lacken Stakes at Naas (6f; good to firm). Could get back on track.

Form: 123-18

(6)

Fire Fly²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: Wayne Lordan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 94| BF| D

10/1

One of two in this race for trainer. Has more of a realistic chance than her stable companion, but even then she still has to improve a fair bit to get involved. Unexposed though and has claims receiving weight from all her rivals.

Form: 521-057

(7)

I Remember You²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: M C Hussey| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 80| CD

33/1

Improved for the switch to nurseries last season as a two-year-old but has been nowhere near good enough since returning to the track this year. Subsequently dropped a couple of lbs in the handicap recently and has it all to do at this level.

Form: 591-094

Forecasts

Flight Risk (10/11), Inverleigh (4/1), Gordon Lord Byron (13/2), Rionach (13/2), Fire Fly (10/1), I Remember You (33/1), Iiex Excelsa (33/1)

The feature race of the evening in which most of the field all hold some sort of chance. Flight Risk tasted success for the first time in two years when an easy winner of a Listed contest at this course last week, and he is highly respected off joint top-weight. Inverleigh produced a rare poor effort recently, but that should be forgiven as he previously held a rather progressive profile. He would go extremely close if back to the level of form he showed when winning on his seasonal return but the safest option is to stick with Mr. Consistent, GORDON LORD BYRON who showed he retains all his old enthusiasm for the game when third in a Group 2 at the Curragh last time out.