17:45 Dundalk

Friday 18 October 2019

All17:1517:4518:1518:4519:1519:4520:1520:45

Crowne Plaza Race & Stay Handicap

Off time: 17:45 | Winning time: 2m 32.60s

(4)

Perfect Tapatino³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle⁽¹⁰⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 91| D

14/1

Best effort at this venue came last November over a similar trip finishing forth of 13 beaten 3¾L off a 5lb lower mark. Needs a few to falter.

Form: 819215

(13)

Presto⁴⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Andrew Slattery⁽⁵⁾| T: O McKiernan| OR: 91

10/1

Cacique gelding who cost 12,000 guineas as a three-year-old. Brother to Canticum who won up to 1m5f. Winner on Flat debut in a Gowran Park 1m6f maiden on yielding ground last month. Interesting on AW debut.

Form: 1

(10)

Eminence⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-13| J: D O'Brien| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 96| BF

7/2

Return of one win from 11 starts on the Flat doesn't spark a lot of encouragement for one of the yards lesser lights. Not beaten far on a couple of runs here since September but handicapper fails to relent again.

Form: 238865

(3)

Sam Missile⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-6| J: S M Crosse⁽⁵⁾| T: P J McKenna| OR: 83| D

50/1

Winner of two of his 13 starts on the AW for trainer Jamie Osbourne but yet to show any hints of enthusiasm for current connections since stable debut in April. Well held on first run on this surface earlier this month and opposable again.

Form: 8-80500

(9)

Persian Lion²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: Shane Foley| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 82

8/1

Running well in defeat in a number of starts since returning to action in July. Last win came at Leopardstown in August last year and the gelding has looked in the hands of the handicapper ever since.

Form: 75-2765

(8)

Noble Expression^b⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Killian Leonard| T: R K Watson| OR: 81| D

25/1

Winner on three occasions on the AW in Britain when in the care of Roger Varian and Jim Boyle. Not much to shout about in a number of below-par efforts for current connections and hard to recommend on current evidence.

Form: 104447

(2)

Long Arm⁸³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons| OR: 86

9/1

Rock Of Gibraltar gelding and a half-brother to the stables Group 3 winner Who's Steph. Winner on debut at Gowran Park over the extended 1m1f when last seen in July. Yard among the winners at this venue this month and a leading contender in this.

Form: 1

(12)

Nimitz¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: Billy Lee| T: C O'Brien| OR: 80| CD

5/1

Sending mixed messages in a number of starts over the summer. C&D winner has finished third of 13 on both starts over combination since Last month and likely to be in the mix again.

Form: 930433

(5)

Spruce Meadows^p²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-2| J: Gavin Ryan⁽⁵⁾| T: J Feane| OR: 79| CD

9/1

A solid record of a win and two place efforts from four start over C&D give the gelding a clear and obvious chance here following a ½L victory over the combination last month off a 3lb lower mark.

Form: 505151

(6)

Claim The Lady^p⁶⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: T P Madden⁽³⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 82

33/1

Off the mark at the seventh attempt in a Naas 1m2f good ground handicap in July. Well beaten a month later at Leopardstown off a 7lb higher mark. Market likely to reveal expectations on AW debut.

Form: 9-39510

(11)

Moktamel^v1²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Chris Hayes| T: K Prendergast| OR: 76| D

7/2

Ran well in defeat on his second AW start when running Spruce Meadows to ½L over C&D last month. More needed but not one to be putting a mark through in first-time visor.

Form: 1-42423

(7)

Trevena⁷²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-8| J: Leigh Roche| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 71| D

25/1

Failed to build on promising AW debut here in February when second of seven beaten a short-head over 1m2½f despite running well in defeat when in the care of trainer Denis Hogan. A check in the market likely to be the best bet on stable debut.

Form: 296983

Non-Runners

(1)

Girolamo¹⁴

Weight: 9-2| Age: 3

T: J S Bolger J: K J Manning

Forecasts

Moktamel (7/2), Eminence (7/2), Nimitz (5/1), Girolamo (5/1), Persian Lion (8/1), Long Arm (9/1), Spruce Meadows (9/1), Presto (10/1), Perfect Tapatino (14/1), Trevena (25/1), Noble Expression (25/1), Claim The Lady (33/1), Sam Missile (50/1)

Competitive handicap where it is hard to ignore the clear and obvious chances of the Ger Lyons-trained LONG ARM. The Rock Of Gibraltar gelding won on debut at Gowran Park when last seen in July, leading inside the final furlong going best close home to win by a neck. The three-year-old can improve once again to land the spoils at the expense of the Jim Bolger-trained Girolamo, winner over C&D earlier this month. Eminence for Ballydoyle and Moktamel have had a number of chances to win over the summer and may have to settle for the minor honours once again.