16:30 Naas

Monday 8 June 2020

All14:5515:3016:0016:3017:0517:3518:0518:35

Clinton Higgins Chartered Accountants Handicap (50-75) (Div 2)

Off time: 16:31 | Winning time: 1m 11.09s

(12)

Never Back Down¹⁷⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: S M Mooney⁽⁷⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 75| D

12/1

Not disgraced in a number of starts on the AW at Dundalk over the winter but the Kodiac gelding is just two from 13 on turf with his last win coming back in 2018. More needed.

Form: 625069-

(14)

Shorter Skirt¹⁰¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Gary Halpin| T: J Davison| OR: 75| D

12/1

Creditable winner of two of her 14 starts on the Flat for trainer Eve Johnson-Houghton including a victory on the AW at Chelmsford last April. Ran well in defeat on stable debut in February and is one to keep safe.

Form: 35756-4

(13)

Twenty Minutes^p,t²⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: Gavin Ryan⁽⁵⁾| T: D English| OR: 75| CD

6/1

Sole win in 22 career starts came over C&D in May last year off an 8lb lower mark. Generally well held on turf since and could be vulnerable to better handicapped sorts in this contest.

Form: 569290-

(15)

Fit For Function^t1⁸⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-1| J: Gary Carroll| T: J G Murphy| OR: 74| D

10/1

Better on turf than on the AW at Dundalk but the gelding has been running with credit over the winter including notching a victory over a similar trip in March. More likely than some to run his race.

Form: 2-34931

(16)

Parkers Hill¹⁰⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-1| J: Shane Foley| T: L Breen| OR: 74| D

18/1

Off the mark for former connections at the sixth time of asking at Dundalk on the AW landing a 1m handicap in February. Should be up with the early pace on second stable start and makes more appeal than most in this competitive contest.

Form: 03-0125

(11)

Yale²²²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-1| J: Seamie Heffernan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 74

3/1

By Scat Daddy out of a USA bred mare. Winner on his third career start on the AW at Dundalk over 5f when last seen in October. Trainer boasts a 34% win and place strike rate with their stable debutantes in June since 2016.

Form: 021-

(7)

Inflection Point⁴⁰⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Ronan Whelan| T: K P Cotter| OR: 73| BF

9/1

Lightly raced gelding, without a win in four starts on turf. Not disgraced when last seen in the spring of 2019. Can give a good account without posing serious threat to principals.

Form: 9/346-

(4)

Lightning Charlie^e/s⁹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: M A Enright| T: J Feane| OR: 73| D

18/1

Winner of two of his last three starts on the AW at Dundalk, the latest of which coming over a similar trip in March. Open to progress but needs more to trouble the market leaders back on turf.

Form: 943-181

(9)

That's Mad³⁷⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Andrew Slattery⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 67

40/1

Placed twice over the minimum distance at Navan including third of 10 in May last year before a below-par effort at Tipperary when last seen on soft ground 12 months ago. Faces a tough ask in this company.

Form: 0/92030-

(1)

Tai Sing Yeh^t²⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-6| J: D W O'Connor⁽³⁾| T: J F Levins| OR: 65| D

11/1

Running well in big-field handicaps since scoring second win of 2019 at Ayr in July. Second of 15 over C&D off a 6lb lower mark 12 months ago and could be capable of a big run.

Form: 213496-

(3)

Powersville¹⁸⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: N G McCullagh| T: T Mullins| OR: 61| CD

12/1

Form has tailed off a little in six starts since winning over 5f at this venue in July. C&D in September 2017, the mare appears to have every chance of going close now back to 1lb below last winning mark.

Form: 000099-

(6)

Agent Zero⁹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: James J Doyle| T: D Hogan| OR: 68

66/1

Eight-race maiden. Early season promise last term appeared to dissipate towards the end of the season. Last of the 11 runners on the AW at Dundalk when last seen in March. Hasn't looked a winner in waiting for some time.

Form: 3380-00

(10)

Divine Covey³⁰⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Leigh Roche| T: P Roche| OR: 68

40/1

Put two disappointing performances behind her with encouraging second in 6f Doncaster novice contest 12 months ago before another encouraging effort at Newbury in August on final start for trainer Richard Hannon. Market watch on stable debut.

Form: 6523-

(5)

Lequinto⁸⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Wayne Lordan| T: D W O'Sullivan| OR: 68| D

16/1

Well beaten in three starts in maidens but it was a much improved performance on handicap debut in February before getting off the mark at the fifth attempt on the AW at Dundalk in March off a 9lb lower mark. Place claims.

Form: 006-31

(17)

Nakakande²⁷⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: Robbie Colgan| T: K Thornton| OR: 60

80/1

Winner of a Fairyhouse handicap off a 1lb lower mark in July last year but has been generally well held in five starts since. Not seen since an 8L defeat at Gowran Park in September and others preferred.

Form: 016606-

(8)

Riogha^t1⁹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Colin Keane| T: J J Murphy| OR: 59

12/1

Six-race maiden who has been running better than a number of finishing positions suggest including on stable debut on the AW at Dundalk in March. No surprise to witness the filly hitting the frame at a price.

Form: 07768-7

(2)

Kerry Blue⁸⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: Rory Cleary| T: L Comer| OR: 62

28/1

Improving sort on the AW at Dundalk in four career starts at the venue. Likes to be up with the early pace but unlikely to be involved at the finish.

Form: 076-5

Forecasts

Yale (3/1), Twenty Minutes (6/1), Inflection Point (9/1), Fit For Function (10/1), Tai Sing Yeh (11/1), Powersville (12/1), Never Back Down (12/1), Riogha (12/1), Shorter Skirt (12/1), Lequinto (16/1), Parkers Hill (18/1), Lightning Charlie (18/1), Kerry Blue (28/1), That's Mad (40/1), Divine Covey (40/1), Agent Zero (66/1), Nakakande (80/1)

The Aidan O'Brien-trained YALE can build on a victory on his third career start on the AW at Dundalk over 5f when last seen in October. The Scat Daddy colt won by a head and can continue his improvement for a yard who boast a 34% win and place strike rate with their career and seasonal debutantes in June since 2016. It may pay to be on the pace during the afternoon which brings in distance winner, Parkers Hill, Inflection Point who was beaten favourite when last seen in May last year and Lequinto, a distance winner on the AW at Dundalk on his last start in March.