18:45 Curragh

Friday 26 June 2020

All16:1516:4517:1517:4518:1518:4519:1519:45

Hanlon Concrete Handicap (50-75)

Off time: 18:49 | Winning time: 1m 39.93s

(13)

Gee Rex⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Declan McDonogh| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 75| BF

4/1

Strong in the market both runs since joining Joseph O'Brien; finding only one too strong at Naas (7f, good to yielding) six days ago; up 3lb in defeat but should be in the mix again.

Form: 0830-82

(11)

Sagittarius Rising^t²⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-1| J: Robbie Colgan| T: J C McConnell| OR: 74

50/1

Just one win in 14 starts, coming on testing ground at Gowran Park (7f) in May 2018; patchy form last season and may find ground conditions against him on return to action.

Form: 052476-

(18)

Lucky Number⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Colin Keane| T: O McKiernan| OR: 73| D

40/1

Ex-William Haggas runner, 50-1 on first start for this handler at Naas (7f, good to yielding) last weekend; sharper now and may prefer his quicker ground; Colin Keane booked to ride.

Form: 53128-0

(7)

Sayesse¹¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: O J Orr| T: N C Kelly| OR: 73

40/1

Round the houses in his career but has won nine times (five on turf); the latest of those a 1m4f Polytrack handicap at Dundalk in March on second run for this trainer. 3lb higher back on turf but not counted out.

Form: 5-24371

(20)

Darkened⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: James J Doyle| T: D Hogan| OR: 71

33/1

Some promise last year in turf maidens for John Oxx before achieving little over hurdles for this trainer in the winter; never able to threaten from the rear on h'cap bow recently at Gowran Park (1m1½f, good) and must improve.

Form: 32543-0

(4)

Khafaaq²³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: A J Slattery⁽⁵⁾| T: A Slattery| OR: 71| D

20/1

Ended last season on a positive note when signing off with a win in good style at Dundalk (7f; standard). 6lb higher mark to contend with but possible place claims if ready to roll on return.

Form: 774271-

(5)

Shawaf¹²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: G M Ryan⁽⁵⁾| T: D English| OR: 71

12/1

Maiden after nine starts but finished second on previous two outings at Dundalk (1m) earlier in the year; could be a lively contender here with useful claimer taking off 5lb.

Form: 0007-22

(12)

Moving Forward¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: W J Lee| T: Madeleine Tylicki| OR: 70

9/1

Kempton winner in 2018 for Godolphin; taking a 1m4f h'cap from a mark of 75. Has shaped nicely in all three runs for this trainer; albeit over further. Not ruled out.

Form: 498-243

(14)

Passing Trade¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: Gary Carroll| T: M Mulvany| OR: 70| D

7/1

Rarely runs a bad race, and again close to form when third at Leopardstown (1m, good) 12 days ago; could make the frame, for all her losing run has stretched to 27 now.

Form: 2043-43

(2)

Latchet¹¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-9| J: Ben Coen⁽³⁾| T: L Breen| OR: 68| CD

28/1

Won over further at Dundalk in October, but she has run poorly on her last two starts there in the spring and others are much more convincing for this turf return; though Ben Coen is a useful ally.

Form: 1297-00

(19)

Trish's Company⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: L F Roche| T: M O'Callaghan| OR: 67| D

28/1

Winner of a 1m Dundalk maiden on third start in November (only AW run); she was back from a 210-day absence when sixth at Tipperary (1m1f, good to yielding) a week ago (second favourite) and should be sharper for that effort. Scope for better.

Form: 001-6

(8)

At War¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Chris Hayes| T: T Cooper| OR: 75

12/1

War Command gelding, yet to win but became very consistent on the AW over the winter and a near miss on turf return at Gowran Park (1m, good to firm) recently fuelled the belief a breakthrough will come soon. Contender from 2lb higher mark.

Form: 80632-3

(3)

Capel At Dawn⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle⁽⁷⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 75| D

11/2

Showed little in first three runs for this trainer but marked improvement when scoring 20-1 Naas win (1m, good to yielding) a week ago under excellent 7lb claimer; more demanded in a better race from new perch but could be an improving sort now.

Form: 5377-01

(16)

Love Bracelet²⁷²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Wayne Lordan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 75

10/1

Highly tried as a two-year-old and did not prove anything special; runners from this yard can make rapid improvement so still one to consider at this level on seasonal return and h'cap bow.

Form: 6067-

(9)

David Garrick^t¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: M A Gallagher| T: E P Harty| OR: 73

7/1

Five-race maiden produced best effort so far when runner-up behind Confidence Is High in 18-runner Leopardstown h'cap recently (7f, good to firm); winner scored again next time with three further winners in behind; contender here.

Form: 976-72

(15)

Ampeson¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Ronan Whelan| T: R O'Brien| OR: 72

50/1

Fair effort when fourth of eight in Fairyhouse maiden (6f, good to firm) this month on seasonal bow, sporting first-time cheekpieces (off now); still needs more going handicapping however.

Form: 75938-4

(21)

Sasta^p1²⁴²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger| OR: 67

16/1

Dawn Approach filly improved for switch to handicaps in October; going close three times in quick succession; including over C&D (soft); cheekpieces on now and Kevin Manning takes over, though has to prove herself on faster surface; watch betting.

Form: 508233-

(10)

Agent Zero⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: J M Sheridan⁽⁷⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 66

80/1

Reserve; maiden of 10 starts and well held 50-1 chance on seasonal return at Limerick (6½f, good) recently.

Form: 80-0006

Non-Runners

(17)

Bellakris¹⁶

Weight: 9-13| Age: 4

T: Mrs J Harrington J: S Foley

(1)

Wild Shot¹¹⁹

Weight: 9-6| Age: 6

T: N C Kelly J: Reserve 2

(6)

Tuamhain²⁴²

Weight: 9-6| Age: 5

T: N C Kelly J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Gee Rex (4/1), Capel At Dawn (11/2), Passing Trade (7/1), David Garrick (7/1), Moving Forward (9/1), Love Bracelet (10/1), At War (12/1), Shawaf (12/1), Wild Shot (12/1), Sasta (16/1), Khafaaq (20/1), Bellakris (20/1), Trish's Company (28/1), Latchet (28/1), Darkened (33/1), Lucky Number (40/1), Sayesse (40/1), Sagittarius Rising (50/1), Ampeson (50/1), Agent Zero (80/1), Tuamhain (200/1)

The lightly-raced Capel At Dawn seemed to have the penny drop on Monday at Naas when tackling a mile for the first time; the handicapper hasn't missed him but he had plenty to spare and might go close again with that improvement behind him. Preference though is for AT WAR; who confirmed the promise of his Dundalk winter efforts when close third at Gowran Park 15 days ago. He's still a maiden but on that evidence he should make his mark soon enough. Love Bracelet is a fascinating handicap debutante for Ballydoyle while Gee Rex, Trish's Company and David Garrick are others that warrant shortlisting.