19:40 Curragh

Friday 23 August 2019

All17:1017:4018:1018:4019:1019:4020:10

Irish EBF Supporting Irish Champions Weekend Fillies Handicap

Off time: 19:41 | Winning time: 2m 37.46s

(4)

Morga⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Declan McDonogh| T: D McDonogh| OR: 89| CD

25/1

Exposed nine-year-old with 2-33 record on the Flat. Struggling over jumps through the winter and held in this sphere at Galway and Gowran Park this month already.

Form: 0/233-57

(5)

Rovetta¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: S Foley| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 87| CD

9/1

Won this contest 12 months ago (rated 76) and is 2-8 on the Flat. Came here last year after hurdles/Flat wins at Galway Festival, well beaten in both codes at Ballybrit this time around however.

Form: 40/110-0

(11)

Too Precious^t³⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: S M Crosse⁽⁵⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 86| D

25/1

Holy Roman Emperor filly progressed on the AW through the winter, winning four on the trot over 1m2f-1m4f. May have needed the recent comeback effort at the Curragh. Could offer a bit more this time.

Form: 1115-57

(6)

Altair^p⁶⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: D O'Brien| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 93

12/1

Made it 2-3 with Gowran Park success in May over 1m1½f and unsurprisingly found the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot too warm next time. Given a break since and this is a more realistic mission.

Form: 1510

(3)

Aera²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: Ronan Whelan| T: A Mullins| OR: 78| BF

5/1

Winner of three of her last four starts in Germany including over 1m1f at Baden-Baden (good) in October. Not beaten far on debut for this yard at Gowran Park (third) and could have more to offer now if taking to this longer trip.

Form: 31311-3

(7)

Ciao^b²²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: Chris Hayes| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 78

5/1

She has gone close over a variety of trips since winning on the AW at Dundalk in March over 1m2½f. Continues to give her running and cannot be factored out back up in trip.

Form: 285325

(9)

Kastasa¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: A J Slattery⁽⁵⁾| T: D K Weld| OR: 84| D

5/2

Clonmel maiden winner, made promising handicap bow at Leopardstown in May and built on that when scoring at Sligo (1m4½f, good) 16 days ago. Should be further progress to come from her.

Form: 4-131

(2)

Hayyel¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: J A Heffernan| T: R Brabazon| OR: 72

7/1

Won a Sligo maiden over 1m2½f in June when stepped up in distance and close second of seven back there over 1m4f this month behind Kastasa. Can mount a challenge with more to come.

Form: 063172

(8)

Monty's Miracle¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: N G McCullagh| T: J M Oxx| OR: 80

25/1

Ready winner of a Killarney maiden (1m6f, good) last month but has twice since struggled in handicaps at Galway and Leopardstown. Remains early days but has something to work on for now.

Form: 043199

(10)

Cuban Surfer⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger| OR: 78

6/1

Improving at middle distance trips, backing up decisive Naas win in apprentice contest with close second at Leopardstown despite 9lb rise (both 1m2f). Worth a crack over this longer distance.

Form: 062412

(1)

Effernock Fizz¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-4| J: M A Gallagher| T: Miss K Brown| OR: 50

33/1

Made all at Redcar over 1m1f last month to score from lowly rating, easily held under penalty at Wolverhampton however. Questions over stamina were again to the fore at Tipperary (1m4½f) 12 days ago, others preferred.

Form: 0-09105

Forecasts

Kastasa (5/2), Ciao (5/1), Aera (5/1), Cuban Surfer (6/1), Hayyel (7/1), Rovetta (9/1), Altair (12/1), Morga (25/1), Too Precious (25/1), Monty's Miracle (25/1), Effernock Fizz (33/1)

Sligo winner Kastasa along with runner-up Hayyel and Cuban Surfer are all arriving here in good form and have decent prospects, while Aera ran a pleasing race on debut for these connections at Gowran Park and the German import should be fitter now meeting a longer trip. Preference though is for ALTAIR, 2-3 prior to be outclassed at Royal Ascot in June and a danger to all now switching attention to a handicap after a short break.