17:05 Navan

Sunday 16 February 2020

All13:2013:5014:2014:5515:3016:0016:3517:05

Flower Hill (Pro/Am) Flat Race

Off time: 17:05 | Winning time: 4m 20.7s

Awayfortheday

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: J G Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Gilligan

66/1

First foal; related to the very useful See More Business; interesting debutante but probably just worth a watch on debut unless market speaks highly.

Form:

Deployed³⁹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr J Archdeacon⁽⁷⁾| T: N Meade| BF

20/1

Modest form in a couple of point-to-point starts in 2018; showed promise in two bumper outings (more than a year apart); not seen since January 2019; will possibly find a couple too good.

Form: P/843-

Johngus^t¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: O R Brown⁽⁷⁾| T: S Aherne

16/1

Stepped up on previous form to finish runner-up in a Limerick bumper at the end of last month; certainly going the right way and one to consider now the penny has dropped.

Form: F5-452

Julies Stowaway⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: Ms M Mullins

5/1

Stowaway gelding out of an Old Vic mare; twice runner-up in bumpers including on this track on his debut; can improve again and looks to be one of the leading candidates.

Form: F-22

A Star In Leo⁷⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: Mr L J McGuinness⁽⁷⁾| T: D M Christie

40/1

Related to some fair National Hunt performers; difficult to assess on debut given he was pulled up on only start in a point-to-point in December.

Form: P

Ballyadam¹²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: Mr J J Codd| T: G Elliott

1/4

Bought for £330,000 after winning a point-to-point in October; represents a stable who has an excellent record in this race and likely to go off as one of the leading fancies.

Form: 1

Fidji Emery⁵⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: Mr P J Vaughan⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott

33/1

A half-brother to Cilaos Emery; this fellow cost €170,000 as a three-year-old but unlikely to trouble the judge here based on only appearance at Leopardstown in December when he was completely tailed off.

Form: 9

Kingsfort Hill¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: Mr Sean P O'Connor⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Walsh

33/1

A non-factor on debut at Fairyhouse in December but much improved effort last and latest at Limerick at the end of January; entitled to progress again but will need to be stronger in the finish.

Form: 03

Lifetime Ambition¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: Mr F Maguire⁽³⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington

12/1

Expensively bought in 2019 for £120,000 at the sales; runner up on point-to-point debut before winning next time out; fair effort on debut at Down Royal in January and will be expected to improve again; interesting contender.

Form: 214

Mount Melleray

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: Mr D G Lavery⁽³⁾| T: J Motherway

25/1

Cost €45,000 as a three-year-old; quite well bred gelding related to plenty of winners; appears the type to do better in time and does not stand out as a likely winner.

Form:

Delvino

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: D J Hand⁽⁷⁾| T: D A McLoughlin

14/1

Dylan Thomas mare; does not look a particularly likely winner based on pedigree; others preferred.

Form:

Non-Runners

Mahler Allstar⁵¹

Weight: 12-0| Age: 6

T: Jonathan Sweeney J: Mr R W Barron

Oh So Frisky¹

Weight: 11-7| Age: 7

T: L Fowler J: Mr T Hamilton

She's All Vintage¹

Weight: 11-7| Age: 7

T: P Magee J: Mr F J Harford

Forecasts

Ballyadam (1/4), Julies Stowaway (5/1), Mahler Allstar (13/2), Lifetime Ambition (12/1), Delvino (14/1), Johngus (16/1), Deployed (20/1), Mount Melleray (25/1), Kingsfort Hill (33/1), Fidji Emery (33/1), A Star In Leo (40/1), She's All Vintage (50/1), Awayfortheday (66/1), Oh So Frisky (100/1)

Gordon Elliot has won four out of the last five runnings of this contest and his BALLYADAM is taken to continue his good run especially considering the weakness and inexperience of most of his rivals. He was expensively bought at the Cheltenham November sales after easily winning a point-to-point in October. He should be able to win this before going on to bigger and better things. Julies Stowaway has twice finished runner-up and given his good attitude to racing, should give the selection most to do. Any market moves for Deployed would interesting. He has some fair bumper form but his chances are tempered by a long absence from the track.