15:10 Galway

Thursday 1 August 2019

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5517:3017:59

Rockshore Handicap

Off time: 15:10 | Winning time: 1m 45.48s

(2)

Parabellum^p1¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: A M Glynn⁽¹⁰⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 99

50/1

Not won since 3-y-o days with Andre Fabre, and just a respectable effort over hurdles at Kilbeggan last time. Looks high in the weights back on the Flat, and this trip probably too sharp.

Form: 16554/8-

(4)

Waitingfortheday^p¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: D O'Brien| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 90| D

7/1

Proving a reliable sort this year, and gained reward for her consistency when winning a 1m handicap at the Curragh last time. Had little in hand there, so needs to pull out more to defy a 6lb higher mark.

Form: 3-86521

(15)

Master Speaker¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 9-13| J: Ronan Whelan| T: A McGuinness| OR: 89| D

12/1

Not easy to catch right, but the race panned out well form him when winning at Killarney last month. An 8lb rise for that looks excessive, and now back to his highest-ever winning mark.

Form: 936601

(20)

Yuften¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 9-11| J: J M Sheridan⁽⁷⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 87| D

20/1

Only a claimer that he won at Bellewstown last month, and better form when second to Master Speaker at Killarney, albeit helped by being held-up in a well-run race, and others should have his measure again.

Form: 531612

(3)

Honor Oak²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 9-9| J: W J Lee| T: T Hogan| OR: 85| CD

8/1

Best form in recent times has come at 6f/7f, and while she has claims on her penultimate fourth at Gowran Park, she followed that with a poor effort at Limerick, and needs to bounce back.

Form: 431446

(1)

Brendan Brackan¹⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 9-8| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons| OR: 84| CD

20/1

Has the plum draw, and would go very well on his old form, but he's looked a shadow of his former self this year, and it would take a leap of faith to back him, accepting that he has a senior jockey back on board now.

Form: 60-0506

(19)

Sirjack Thomas¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: O J Orr| T: A McGuinness| OR: 84

16/1

Sligo winner last year, and shaped as if the run would do him good when fifth of 7 to Master Speaker at Killarney last time. Needs to step up markedly on that, but possible he could do so, and market useful.

Form: 27403-5

(10)

Stormy Belle^t⁹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: G M Ryan⁽⁷⁾| T: P A Fahy| OR: 83

20/1

Back to form when winning at Gowran (7f) in April, but inconsistent, and she is hard to fancy having run poorly at Limerick later that month, and hasn't been since.

Form: 1406-10

(5)

Wentwood^p¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Ben Coen⁽⁵⁾| T: D K Weld| OR: 83| BF| D

8/1

Took in a Grade 3 in the US after winning at Cork in April. Better that the bare result when fourth to Master Speaker at Killarney, doing too much close to the pace, and no surprise to see a bold bid here.

Form: 7-17834

(11)

Stringybark Creek³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: S M Crosse⁽⁵⁾| T: D Loughnane| OR: 82| BF| D

20/1

Winner at Beverley on penultimate start, but ran poorly at Leicester last time, and new mark looks stiff on the balance of his form. Others stronger again.

Form: 0-28219

(21)

Spiorad Saoirse^b1¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: K J Leonard| T: A Slattery| OR: 81| C| D

16/1

Below form since finishing a close fifth at Cork in April, albeit not disgraced at Killarney last time. Blinkers tried now, but no easy task from widest stall of all.

Form: 050673

(13)

Tintoretto²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Robbie Colgan| T: J J Murphy| OR: 80| BF| D

10/1

Won over 1m at Limerick in June, and ran creditably when sixth of 16 to Make A Challenge in a 7f handicap here on Tuesday. return to further should suit, and not dismissed.

Form: 051556

(7)

Ciao^v1¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Chris Hayes| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 78

7/1

Running well with and without blinkers over further in recent weeks, and kept on stoutly when second at Killarney (1m3f) last time. Visor worth a try, but drop to 1m gives her something to find.

Form: 928532

(12)

Have A Nice Day^v²

Age: 9| Weight: 9-2| J: N G McCullagh| T: T G McCourt| OR: 78| D

33/1

Just 1lb higher than when winning at Limerick in April, but has shown little spark since, and well down the field over 7f on Tuesday.

Form: 010000

(6)

Koybig¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 9-0| J: D W O'Connor⁽³⁾| T: D Marnane| OR: 76| D

5/1

Back to form after a break on last two starts, and proved very game when winning a 1m handicap at Killarney last month. Stiffer task here having gone up 5lb, but did win off higher still last summer, so not taken lightly.

Form: 440731

(14)

Shifted Strategy^p²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: L F Roche| T: J A Stack| OR: 75| D

33/1

Ran well when third to Have A Nice Day at Limerick in April, but like that one, he has gone backwards since, and not easy to make a compelling case for him on recent evidence.

Form: 818-300

(16)

Star Quality²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 8-13| J: T P Madden⁽³⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 75

16/1

Shaped with plenty of encouragement when third on seasonal/stable debut at Naas in May. Not built on that since, however, and tongue tie she wore when flopping at that track last time is now dispensed with.

Form: 540-386

(8)

Emphatic^t²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-4| J: Rory Cleary| T: J Larkin| OR: 66

7/1

Reserve 3

Form: 52-6022

Non-Runners

(17)

Tony The Gent¹³

Weight: 9-11| Age: 6

T: G M Lyons J: S P Bird

(18)

Pretty Boy Floyd⁶⁰

Weight: 8-13| Age: 4

T: A J Martin J: Reserve 1

(9)

Divine Approach¹⁷

Weight: 8-10| Age: 4

T: M O'Callaghan J: Reserve 2

Forecasts

Koybig (5/1), Waitingfortheday (7/1), Emphatic (7/1), Ciao (7/1), Tony The Gent (7/1), Honor Oak (8/1), Wentwood (8/1), Tintoretto (10/1), Master Speaker (12/1), Star Quality (16/1), Spiorad Saoirse (16/1), Sirjack Thomas (16/1), Yuften (20/1), Stormy Belle (20/1), Stringybark Creek (20/1), Brendan Brackan (20/1), Divine Approach (20/1), Pretty Boy Floyd (20/1), Have A Nice Day (33/1), Shifted Strategy (33/1), Parabellum (50/1)

WENTWOOD was much better than the bare result behind a couple of these at Killarney, and is taken to enhance the excellent Galway record of his trainer. Koybig beat a next-time-out winner in game style at the same venue last time, and remains below the mark he won off there last summer. Sirjack Thomas was behind the selection last time, but may have needed that run on his belated return, and is one to note in the betting.