19:30 Dundalk

Friday 10 January 2020

All17:0017:3018:0018:3019:0019:3020:0020:30

Crowne Plaza Race & Stay Apprentice Handicap

Off time: 19:31 | Winning time: 1m 27.26s

(2)

Flower Garland⁷⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-12| J: Gavin Ryan| T: Donnacha O'Brien| OR: 72

3/1

Four-race maiden well held on sole start over C&D in September on last but one start for trainer Aiden O'Brien. One of two runners on the card tonight for trainer in the embryonic stages of his career.

Form: 0562-

(12)

Laurel Grove^b²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-12| J: Ben Coen| T: J A Stack| OR: 72

8/1

Running with plenty of credit in a couple of starts last month over C&D including a career best effort for the eight-race maiden finishing second of 14 beaten ½L. Can be expected to improve.

Form: 546872-

(9)

Varna Gold²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-12| J: Paddy Harnett⁽⁴⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 72

16/1

Four-race maiden. All starts coming over C&D where the colt has proceeded to hit the frame on tow occasions including on handicap debut last month. Well worth a place on the shortlist.

Form: 7363-

(3)

Johan The Great^t²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle⁽⁴⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 67| BF

8/1

Five-race maiden. Seventh of 14 beaten 6¼L over C&D last month. Represents a trainer who boasts a 44% win and place strike rate at this venue since 2016 in the first couple of weeks of the new year.

Form: 67637-

(11)

Cap D'Antibes²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: A Mackay⁽⁴⁾| T: J J Murphy| OR: 65

33/1

Six-race maiden generally well held and never nearer in a couple of starts over C&D last month. Needs to improve significantly.

Form: 435800-

(17)

Ossco²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: D E Sheehy| T: A McCann| OR: 65

40/1

Without a win in seven starts including a dismal effort over 5f at this venue last month. Possibly best watched stepping up in trip.

Form: 335237-

(8)

Bolly Bullet^h²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Luke McAteer⁽⁴⁾| T: C W J Farrell| OR: 63

5/1

Beaten but not disgraced in a number of starts on turf and on the polytrack surface here since October. Needs a few to falter.

Form: 06666-

(13)

Kosman¹⁰³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Ms N A Kane⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 62

40/1

Hints of promise in three maiden starts since June before a dismal effort on handicap debut at the Curragh over 6f when last seen in September. Market likely to reveal expectations on polytrack debut.

Form: 9600-

(5)

Dazzling Darren³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: S M Crosse| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 60

8/1

Six-race maiden. Well held and never a factor on last couple of appearances for trainer Adam West. One of three runners at the track this evening for a yard who boast a 25% strike rate here in the first two weeks of the year since 2016.

Form: 060437-

(1)

Funny Little Ways³⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Mikey Sheehy⁽⁴⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 60

16/1

Needs to improve dramatically on three poor efforts so far including over C&D last month. Yard have a 25% strike rate at this venue in the first two weeks of the year since 2016.

Form: 908-

(10)

Jm Barrie²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: D W O'Connor| T: D Marnane| OR: 60

9/2

By no means disgraced in a couple of recent starts over C&D finishing fourth of 14 beaten 4¼L last month the best of them. More progress possible and not dismissed.

Form: 05004-

(14)

Saphiri²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Nathan Crosse| T: P J F Murphy| OR: 60

20/1

Seven-race maiden made a pleasing debut over C&D last month finishing an encouraging fifth of 14 beaten 5½L adrift of Distant Vista. More needed.

Form: 300305-

(4)

Little Brother^b1³⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: C G O'Dwyer⁽⁷⁾| T: J Nash| OR: 53

33/1

Four-race maiden. Never a factor over C&D on latest start last month. First time blinkers unlikely to bring about the required amount of improvement needed to play a role here.

Form: 0090-

(7)

Eglish²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: Alan Persse⁽⁴⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 50

6/1

Career best effort over C&D last month finishing second of 14 runners. Represents a yard with a 26% win and place strike rate in the last four years at this venue in the first couple of weeks of the new year.

Form: 084032-

Non-Runners

(16)

Absolute One Right²⁸

Weight: 8-4| Age: 3

T: V C Ward J: Reserve 1

(15)

Dame Rapide⁶⁵

Weight: 8-4| Age: 3

T: A McGuinness J: Reserve 2

(6)

Buachaill Or²⁰²

Weight: 8-4| Age: 3

T: P W Flynn J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Flower Garland (3/1), Jm Barrie (9/2), Bolly Bullet (5/1), Eglish (6/1), Johan The Great (8/1), Laurel Grove (8/1), Dazzling Darren (8/1), Funny Little Ways (16/1), Varna Gold (16/1), Saphiri (20/1), Dame Rapide (20/1), Absolute One Right (20/1), Buachaill Or (25/1), Cap D'Antibes (33/1), Little Brother (33/1), Kosman (40/1), Ossco (40/1)

It pays to be on the front end around here over this trip which bodes well for the likes of Flower Garland for trainer Donnacha O'Brien and Varna Gold, placed on two occasions over C&D. The early speed could be beneficial to the Fozzy Stack-trained LAUREL GROVE who finished second of 14 beaten ½L over C&D last month. Johan The Great for Joseph O'Brien and the Adrian McGuinness-trained Eglish both have decent efforts to their name over C&D and can give another good account here.