20:25 Leopardstown

Thursday 8 August 2019

All17:1517:5018:2018:5519:2519:5520:25

Manguard Plus Handicap

Off time: 20:25 | Winning time: 3m 23.01s

(2)

Venezia^t¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 9-12| J: Colin Keane| T: E J O'Grady| OR: 79

25/1

Pulled-up over fences when last seen, and he suffered a heavy defeat at Bellewstown (2m1f; good) the time before that so does have a bit to prove off top-weight. More exposed than the main dangers in this field too.

Form: 124524

(5)

Kangaroo Valley^p²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-11| J: D O'Brien| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 90

4/1

Unable to follow up successful handicap debut when third at this track over 1m5f. Couple of length behind Moktamel then, so work to do reverse that form. Only had the five starts though so that task is by no means impossible.

Form: 0-3513

(6)

Halimi¹⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-10| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger| OR: 89

7/2

Chasing a hat-trick after a pair of wins at the Curragh (1m4f; good to firm) and Galway (1m4f; good). 7lb higher again now, but step up in trip could unlock more improvement and he is greatly feared.

Form: 522411

(1)

Moktamel²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: Chris Hayes| T: K Prendergast| OR: 77

7/2

Progressed from seasonal return when bumping into one to finish second at this track over slightly shorter last time. Still unexposed and competes off the same mark now so has to be given plenty of respect.

Form: 3231-42

(3)

Cray⁵⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Gary Carroll| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 73

12/1

Makes return to this code for the first time since October. Fit from a spell over hurdles though, and stable have done well at getting improvement out of a similar type this season. Market check advised.

Form: 622145-

(8)

Galeola¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Robbie Colgan| T: S Lavery| OR: 73| CD

3/1

Hat-trick bid foiled in dramatic fashion when she was third behind Moonmeister in a three-way photo at the Curragh (1m4f; good). Expected to reverse the form with her being vastly less exposed than that rival and with a C&D victory to her name.

Form: 8-85113

(9)

Moonmeister^t¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 9-4| J: W J Lee| T: A J Martin| OR: 71

10/1

Belied odds of 50-1 when winning at the Curragh (1m4f; good) last month by a neck. Hard to see him winning again off 3lb higher in another competitive affair, but he is not without place claims.

Form: 48-4891

(7)

Hurricane Sky^b¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 9-3| J: N G McCullagh| T: C O'Brien| OR: 70| CD

18/1

Took advantage of a reduced mark when springing a surprise to turn over red-hot 4-7f over C&D last time out. No fluke about that victory, and he should remain competitive off a 4lb higher mark.

Form: 87-9081

(4)

Monty's Miracle¹⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: R Coakley| T: J M Oxx| OR: 81

25/1

10lb rise in the weights may explain why she was tailed off at Galway (1m4f; good) after she broke her maiden impressively at Killarney (1m6f; good to yielding) the time before that. Hard to know what to expect off an unchanged mark.

Form: 004319

Forecasts

Galeola (3/1), Halimi (7/2), Moktamel (7/2), Kangaroo Valley (4/1), Moonmeister (10/1), Cray (12/1), Hurricane Sky (18/1), Venezia (25/1), Monty's Miracle (25/1)

A finale full of recent winners to round proceedings off. Halimi is attempting to win for the third time in a row after wins at the Curragh and Galway. He has only had the seven starts and is likely to make bold bid to extend his winning run. Galeola is also on the radar with her holding a similarl profile. She failed in her bid to make it three wins from six career stars last time but should reverse the form with her Curragh conqueror Moonmeister though, as she returns to where she has scored over C&D in the past. That said the selection is MOKTAMEL, who bumped into an in-form sort here last time and is open to plenty of progress on this first run beyond 1m5f.