13:20 Curragh

Sunday 15 September 2019

All13:2013:5514:2515:0015:3516:1016:5017:2518:00

Irish Stallion Farms EBF 'Bold Lad' Sprint Handicap (Premier Handicap)

Off time: 13:22 | Winning time: 1m 10.68s

(2)

Gordon Lord Byron¹⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 9-12| J: Billy Lee| T: T Hogan| OR: 105| CD

20/1

Three Group One wins in the back catalogue of this hugely popular 16-time winner who has earned almost £2m in prizemoney. Now gone 31 races without winning, though, and asking a lot for him to concede weight all round.

Form: 364365

(13)

Primo Uomo⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 9-8| J: N G McCullagh| T: G O'Leary| OR: 101| C

25/1

Best effort this year when ¾L third in Listed company at Naas in April. Not disgraced when 3L fourth of 12 to Cityman in a 5f handicap at Navan last time. Claims if building on that, but probably best at shorter.

Form: 40-9364

(6)

Buffer Zone³⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons| OR: 99| CD

11/2

Better than the result in Phoenix Sprint Stakes over C&D (heavy) last time, and ran a cracker when ¾L send to Verhoyen over 6½f here prior to that, and won a 16-runner C&D handicap in June. Remains one to be positive about.

Form: 347-125

(4)

Ardhoomey^t¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-4| J: Gary Carroll| T: G M Lyons| OR: 97| C| D

16/1

Smart sprinter who is not quite as consistent as he once was, but has shown flashes of his old self this year, such as when third in a Listed race at Cork in June. Not quite at that level since, and others carry a more potent threat on recent form.

Form: 443078

(18)

Gulliver^p,t¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 97| D

9/1

Tricky but talented performer whose only win in his last 24 starts came off 2lb lower at York in June. Below form since, and markedly so the last twice, so needs to bounce back, but is at least back to a fair mark.

Form: 410600

(14)

Eclipse Storm⁵⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Andrew Slattery⁽⁵⁾| T: J A Stack| OR: 94| D

11/1

Won a maiden at Naas on debut. Ran well in Listed company here in May, but two runs in handicaps in the summer suggests he's a bit too high in the weights.

Form: 3-05208

(15)

Make A Challenge^p³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: J M Sheridan⁽⁷⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 92| CD

11/2

Four wins this season include one off 4lb lower over C&D last time. Now 24lb higher than for first of those victories, and while latest win hasn't worked out, dangerous to dismiss given that rate of progress.

Form: 215111

(25)

Rhydwyn^t²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: Ben Coen⁽⁵⁾| T: T Hogan| OR: 92

16/1

Won a 1m maiden at Limerick in June and has run well in defeat on both starts since, most recently fourth in a Listed race at Cork (7f) with a tongue-tie fitted. Looks on a stiff mark for handicap debut, so must improve for drop to 6f.

Form: 86-2124

(1)

Venturous⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 8-10| J: R P Downey| T: T D Barron| OR: 89| D

14/1

Won sprint handicaps at Wolverhampton and Redcar in the spring, and right back to form when second to Poyle Vinnie in Stewards' Sprint at Goodwood last month. Up 3lb for that, which demands more, but not dismissed by any means.

Form: 188392

(23)

Alfredo Arcano^h,t¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: Gary Halpin| T: D Marnane| OR: 88| C| D

25/1

Better on AW than turf, and 11lb lower than when scoring over 6f at Dundalk in April. Just a respectable fifth returned to turf at Navan in May, and took a backward step when down the field over C&D late last month, leaving him with plenty to prove.

Form: 761450

(5)

Sirjack Thomas⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: Shane Foley| T: A McGuinness| OR: 88| D

12/1

Last two wins have come in conditions races at Sligo, coping with drop to 5½f when landing a minor gamble there last month. Caught the eye in Irish Cambridgeshire here next time, but disappointed at Listowel during the week.

Form: 3-50197

(10)

North Wind^t⁵⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: Chris Hayes| T: D English| OR: 89| D

33/1

Just a maiden win at Naas to his name and well beaten on yard debut at Cork in the spring. Outclassed in Minstrel Stakes after a break here in July when tried in a tongue tie, and appears to face a very tall order.

Form: 8160-79

(12)

Scorching Heat¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-4| J: C P Hoban| T: A McGuinness| OR: 83| D

20/1

Off for a long time before return/stable debut behind Sirjack Thomas at Sligo, and fared much better when 1½L seventh of 23 to Blairmayne over C&D last time. Becoming well treated, and may have more to offer, so interesting.

Form: 321/4-57

(3)

Blairmayne¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 8-4| J: Killian Leonard| T: N Lupini| OR: 82| CD

14/1

Has scored twice over C&D this season, and showed a good attitude when getting up late to beat Ducky Mallon and Miss Jabeam for latest success. Nothing to spare there, but a 3lb rise isn't excessive.

Form: 510671

(21)

Mary Salome⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: D Egan| T: Madeleine Tylicki| OR: 83| D

20/1

Won at Limerick in April, and back to best when fifth to Blairmayne in a C&D handicap on her penultimate start. Well held at Listowel during the week, however, and out of the weights now.

Form: 166250

(20)

Master Matt^p²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: Sean Davis⁽³⁾| T: M J Smith| OR: 83| C| D

16/1

Excuses last time, and just a neck behind Make A Challenge over C&D prior to that. Meets that rival on worse terms as he's 2lb out of the handicap here..

Form: 505126

(19)

Miss Jabeam⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: Nathan Crosse⁽⁵⁾| T: A A Howard| OR: 80| CD

11/1

Handicap wins here (6½f) and at Leopardstown in the summer, and back to her best when beaten a neck behind Blairmayne over C&D two starts back. Not discredited at Navan since, but 5lb out of the handicap here, which complicates her task.

Form: 301135

(24)

Tresorier¹⁰³

Age: 5| Weight: 8-4| J: Gabriele Malune⁽⁵⁾| T: J Feane| OR: 78| D

25/1

Ran well when fifth in this last year, and now 3lb lower. Below form on both starts this year, but drop to 5f against him last time, and type who could go well at a price if back to peak.

Form: 0650-84

(8)

Twenty Minutes^p,t⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-4| J: Leigh Roche| T: D English| OR: 78| D

33/1

Beaten in a photo by Buffer Zone here in June, but slow starts have continued to dog him, albeit back to form at Laytown in the week in an amateur riders' race. Claims if getting away on terms, but risky.

Form: 225692

(17)

Blyton^b¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: James J Doyle| T: L Comer| OR: 79| D

50/1

Bounced back to form when fourth of 14 to Make A Challenge in a C&D handicap last month in first time blinkers, but again below form behind Blairmayne last time, and easy to oppose on balance of form.

Form: 900949

(11)

Maarek¹⁶

Age: 12| Weight: 8-4| J: M A Gallagher| T: Miss E McCutcheon| OR: 77| CD

50/1

Veteran who was top-class in his prime, but on the decline, and was well down the field in race won by Blairmayne over C&D last time. Makes very little appeal.

Form: 675640

(16)

Castletownshend¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-4| J: Mikey Sheehy⁽¹⁰⁾| T: T M Walsh| OR: 72

25/1

Probably no coincidence he's still a maiden, and weakened late when 1½ lengths sixth of 23 to Blairmayne here last time. Meets that rival on significantly worse terms now as he's well out of the weights.

Form: 242366

(22)

Sunset Nova⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: Alan Persse⁽⁷⁾| T: A Slattery| OR: 73| D

50/1

Off the mark for connections at the 11th time of asking when landing a Navan 5½f maiden on good to firm ground in July. Well held the last twice, and no appeal from 12lb higher than his true mark.

Form: 215400

(7)

That's Not Me^p1¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: C G O'Dwyer⁽¹⁰⁾| T: A McCann| OR: 70| D

66/1

Has made the frame in two of her three handicap starts at a lower level, but was well held at Catterick last time, and is 15lb higher than her long-handicap mark. Cheekpieces unlikely to be the answer.

Form: 12-4230

Non-Runners

(9)

Verhoyen⁵⁷

Weight: 8-11| Age: 4

T: M C Grassick J: Rory Cleary

Forecasts

Buffer Zone (11/2), Make A Challenge (11/2), Verhoyen (7/1), Gulliver (9/1), Miss Jabeam (11/1), Eclipse Storm (11/1), Sirjack Thomas (12/1), Blairmayne (14/1), Venturous (14/1), Ardhoomey (16/1), Master Matt (16/1), Rhydwyn (16/1), Gordon Lord Byron (20/1), Mary Salome (20/1), Scorching Heat (20/1), Castletownshend (25/1), Primo Uomo (25/1), Tresorier (25/1), Alfredo Arcano (25/1), Twenty Minutes (33/1), North Wind (33/1), Sunset Nova (50/1), Maarek (50/1), Blyton (50/1), That's Not Me (66/1)

Heavy ground is a valid excuse for BUFFER ZONE last time, not that he was disgraced in Group 3 company, and he looks a major player on his earlier efforts here. Verhoyen beat the selection over the extended 6f here in July, and has presumably been kept fresh for this since. He appeals as a big danger, while Make A Challenge and Scorching Heat also come into the reckoning.