17:45 Curragh

Sunday 28 June 2020

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:1516:4517:1517:45

Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Handicap

Off time: 17:47 | Winning time: 3m 36.70s

King's Vow^b,t¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle⁽⁷⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 97| D

16/1

Versatile sort at a host of trips. Improved to land two Dundalk staying handicaps on the bounce in the winter but returned to the turf with modest 8L defeat in 1m4f handicap here this month. Gives weight away all round and this looks tough.

Form: 07-7119

Sharjah¹¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 9-11| J: Billy Lee| T: W P Mullins| OR: 92| D

4/1

Top class hurdler, winning three Grade 1's and a Galway hurdle. Down the field on last two flat starts in Autumn 2018 but claims if replicating jumps form in this sphere.

Form: 212300/

Lorelina¹⁷⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 9-8| J: P B Beggy| T: L Comer| OR: 89

100/1

Modest sort when trained in Britain for Andrew Balding, but made little impression on Irish/stable debut when 18L ninth behind King's Vow at Dundalk (2m) in January. Has plenty on her plate in this.

Form: 84736-9

Presto¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: Darragh O'Keeffe⁽⁵⁾| T: O McKiernan| OR: 89| BF| D

10/1

Bumper winner and maiden winner on first two starts and not disgraced since, including 3L fourth in competitive C&D handicap this month. Up 1lb but should be thereabouts once more.

Form: 17-4

Zenon¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: W P Mullins| OR: 89

20/1

Useful performer on the flat for John Gosden before switching to this yard. Luckless attempts over jumps and poor 18L 13th in C&D handicap recently. Makes limited appeal.

Form: 13526/0

Dalton Highway¹⁸³

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: Andrew Slattery⁽⁵⁾| T: D K Weld| OR: 86| CD

14/1

Consistent sort/ C&D winner last year before finishing runner-up in the Irish Cesarewitch. Subsequent winner over hurdles during the winter. May have a bit left off this mark.

Form: 0/12224-

Grandmaster Flash¹⁹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Mikey Sheehy⁽⁷⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 85

14/1

Belatedly off the mark during the winter and continuing to run well, including nose defeat in 1m6f handicap at Chelmsford when last seen in December. Comes into this off a break but makes each-way appeal.

Form: 922122-

Jon Snow¹¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Colin Keane| T: W P Mullins| OR: 85

5/2

Winner on the flat in France before being switched to this yard. Ran four times over hurdles culminating with success over 2m2f. Workable opening handicap mark and looks the stable's main pick on jockey bookings.

Form: 841/

Golden Spear^t¹⁴⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 9-3| J: Robbie Colgan| T: A J Martin| OR: 84| D

66/1

Likeable mixed campaigner in the past but regressing as of late. Beaten 99L in the Irish Cesarewitch when last seen on the flat and not much better over hurdles since. Best watched.

Form: 6020/30-

Harriet Tubman^b,t¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger| OR: 82

40/1

Lightly-raced sort who got off the mark at her second attempt. Kept on without threatening when ninth over C&D on seasonal bow two weeks ago and may need a bit more to be competitive now.

Form: 316-9

Lynwood Gold¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: Shane Foley| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 82| D

12/1

Ex-Mark Johnston trained who was held in three starts on the flat for this yard before getting off the mark over hurdles. One-paced sixth over C&D latest and claims if improving from that effort.

Form: 39/046-6

Buckman Tavern³²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Seamie Heffernan| T: A J Martin| OR: 81

14/1

Lightly-raced stayer for Sir Mark Prescott in Britain. Didn't look particularly well-handicapped on final starts, including 4L sixth at Chelmsford (1m6f) last August. Not seen since and entitled to improve from this outing.

Form: 91/6223-

Legal Spin²³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Ronan Whelan| T: W P Mullins| OR: 81

25/1

Best effort came over C&D in what was a fruitless campaign last term, culminating with tame effort in November handicap (1m6f) at Naas. Great improvement required and other yard's horses look better equipped.

Form: 867060-

Dinard Rose¹³³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Gavin Ryan⁽⁵⁾| T: N Meade| OR: 80| D

50/1

Proven at this distance, winning the Ulster Cesarewitch (2m2f) last term before modest seventh in the Irish version over C&D. Winner over hurdles subsequently and some claims if back to that form.

Form: 112517-

Conron²²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 8-12| J: T P Madden| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 79| D

25/1

Had been a modest enough handicapper on the flat in the past before disappointing 74L defeat in the Ulster Cesarewitch. Has won over hurdles since but plenty to find on best flat form. Others preferred.

Form: 004/138-

De Name Escapes Me^t¹⁴⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 8-12| J: J M Sheridan⁽⁷⁾| T: N Meade| OR: 79| BF| D

13/2

Veteran campaigner in the jumps sphere and only raced once on the flat to date, winning 1m2f Roscommon maiden in June 2019. Disappointing over fences lately and younger rivals may have his mark in this.

Form: 123-

Harvest Bow¹⁰⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-10| J: Chris Hayes| T: N Meade| OR: 77| BF

40/1

Had been typically running well over flat and hurdles last summer but yet to get off the mark on the level, culminating with 12L defeat at Gowran (1m6f) in October. Third in handicap hurdle since but even best form requires another step up.

Form: 3/65326-

Romantically^p¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 8-6| J: Nathan Crosse⁽⁵⁾| T: W McCreery| OR: 72| D

22/1

Steadily getting the hang of things with racing, winning 2m Dundalk handicap three starts ago and made winning reappearance at Fairyhouse (1m4f, good) 10 days ago. Up 7lb but every chance if she sneaks in.

Form: 0641-01

Non-Runners

Bronagh's Belle²¹²

Weight: 8-13| Age: 5

T: W P Mullins J: Declan McDonogh

Mokhles⁵

Weight: 8-6| Age: 5

T: A McCann J: Reserve 2

Eight And Bob¹⁸³

Weight: 8-6| Age: 7

T: W P Mullins J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Jon Snow (5/2), Sharjah (4/1), De Name Escapes Me (13/2), Eight And Bob (7/1), Presto (10/1), Lynwood Gold (12/1), Bronagh's Belle (12/1), Dalton Highway (14/1), Grandmaster Flash (14/1), Buckman Tavern (14/1), King's Vow (16/1), Zenon (20/1), Romantically (22/1), Conron (25/1), Legal Spin (25/1), Harvest Bow (40/1), Harriet Tubman (40/1), Dinard Rose (50/1), Golden Spear (66/1), Lorelina (100/1), Mokhles (100/1)

A difficult staying handicap to end proceedings which mizes some useful flat and jumps form, it may be worth taking a chance on the severely unexposed JON SNOW to make his Irish flat debut a winning one. He has taken time to come to hand for his handler over timber but has been given a workable mark for this and looks the trainer's top selection on jockey bookings. Lynwood Gold showed promise when hampered last time and represents a yard who can irk significant improvement out of these sorts, while Dalton Highway looks handicapped for one last significant effort and Sharjah could be dangerous if replicating his hurdles form that saw him finish runner-up in this year's Champion Hurdle.