13:40 Navan

Thursday 9 July 2020

All13:0513:4014:1514:5015:2515:5516:25

Wilkinstown Handicap (50-80)

Off time: 13:40 | Winning time: 1m 46.36s

(1)

Juyush^b1¹⁰⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: K J Manning| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 79

40/1

Scored over 7f (heavy) when trained in France in 2018. Well held in just three subsequent starts, and plenty to prove as he returns from another break here.

Form: 5016/0-0

(6)

Prisoner's Dilemma^t¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: D W O'Connor⁽³⁾| T: J F Levins| OR: 79

11/2

Showed some promise last season without winning, before form tailed off. Came good on his reappearance, staying on well to score at Naas (7f, good/yld; first-time tongue-tie), on his handicap debut. Up 7lb now, so more needed, but can go close.

Form: 32386-1

(20)

Phoenix Open^t¹⁸⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-1| J: S Foley| T: S M Duffy| OR: 78| D

18/1

Won a Limerick maiden (1m, good) this time last year, and added a Dundalk claimer (1m, AW; easily) when last seen in January. Since gelded and changed hands. Went close when 1lb lower in a handicap last year, so has to be much respected.

Form: 12763-1

(3)

Alhaazm²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Chris Hayes| T: K Prendergast| OR: 77

20/1

10-race maiden. Was inconsistent in nine of those runs for Sir Michael Stoute, but certainly showed enough for him to suggest that he is capable of defying this sort of mark. Well held on stable debut after a break, but usually comes on for a run.

Form: 33254-0

(9)

Dare To Flare^b²²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Ben Coen⁽³⁾| T: A Slattery| OR: 77| D

11/1

Dual winner (7f, good; 1m, soft), the latter when 9lb lower last summer. Showed that he can be competitive from this mark when 4½L third on last month's Gowran Park reappearance, but more needed for another win.

Form: 28260-3

(13)

Tony The Gent^b¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: J M Sheridan⁽⁷⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 77| D

13/2

Multiple winner at 7f-1m and has won on soft. Is now 7lb lower than when winning a handicap in spring 2019 and ran well on his return from a break at Naas (7f) last time. Bit more needed now up 2lb again, but enters calculations.

Form: 910213

(8)

Aurora Moon²²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-13| J: Luke McAteer⁽⁷⁾| T: Kevin Coleman| OR: 76| D

80/1

Won a Tipperary maiden (7½f, yld/soft) on her third start, 13-months ago. However, that remains easily her best effort, and there was little encouragement from her recent stable debut.

Form: 14000-0

(10)

Imposing Supreme²⁹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-13| J: Gary Carroll| T: T Gibney| OR: 76| D

10/1

Broke his duck at the tenth attempt last August in a Galway handicap (1m½f, good), but the handicapper was in control thereafter. Since gelded and reappears with a bit to prove. Record when fresh also modest.

Form: 221409-

(18)

Just Brilliant^b1¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle⁽⁷⁾| T: S Lynam| OR: 74| D

66/1

Debut winner at Newmarket (1m, good) in 2017, when with Peter Chapple-Hyam. Was unable to kick on for that trainer and was beaten a long way at Naas (7f) on last month's debut for this trainer. Can only watch at present.

Form: 15/279-0

(19)

Sagittarius Rising^t¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-10| J: Robbie Colgan| T: J C McConnell| OR: 73

40/1

Won a Gowran Park maiden (7f, soft/heavy) in 2018. Produced career-best since joining this trainer, when a neck second at Listowel (7f, soft) last September, when 1lb higher. Can't write him off, but needs to be much better than on his reappearance.

Form: 52476-0

(14)

Shorter Skirt^p,t1¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: G M Ryan⁽⁵⁾| T: J Davison| OR: 73

33/1

Dual 6f winner when trained by Eve Johnson Houghton, for whom she was also placed over 7f. Best efforts give her a squeak from this mark, and pedigree suggests she should see out 1m. New headgear tried and interesting if supported.

Form: 756-408

(17)

Annexation²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Wayne Lordan| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 72

11/4

Showed some promise without delivering when with Ed Dunlop, but came good on his debut for this trainer at Gowran Park (7f, good) last time, when a comfortable 2½L scorer. Up 12lbs for that, so this will be significantly tougher.

Form: 33650-1

(7)

Army Recruit⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Gary Halpin| T: Jane M Foley| OR: 72

100/1

Was runner-up in maidens at Down Royal (7f, good) and Gowran Park (1m, heavy) when trained by Ger Lyons in 2018. Didn't run again until recently, and little encouragement in his two runs for this trainer.

Form: 4220/00

(5)

Eastern Racer^b¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 9-8| J: Sean Davis| T: S Byrne| OR: 71| D

25/1

Prolific winner from 5f-1m and acts on soft ground. Goes into this 6lb higher than his last win at Thurles nine months ago. Competitive effort last time at Naas and should be thereabouts again from 1lb lower.

Form: 0-56504

(15)

Calonne²²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Colin Keane| T: J F Levins| OR: 69

28/1

Looked like he would win races when with Ger Lyons, for whom he was just over 2L fourth at Gowran Park (1m, heavy) on his handicap debut last October. However, has lost his way since, and needs more than we have seen in two runs for this trainer.

Form: 43305-0

(12)

New York Ballet²⁵¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: O J Orr| T: E Lynam| OR: 68

28/1

Had a steadily improving profile last season, running in four maidens, all over this trip. Initial handicap mark looks stiff based on her public form, so probably one to watch unless there is significant market support.

Form: U834-

(2)

Trish's Company^p1¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: W J Lee| T: M O'Callaghan| OR: 65| D

9/1

Landed a Dundalk fillies maiden (1m, AW) at 25-1 on her third start last November. Has been held in two handicaps, both when 2lb higher, this season. Cheekpieces go on, but much more needed.

Form: 001-68

(16)

Lady Scathach^v⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 8-6| J: D E Sheehy⁽⁵⁾| T: T G McCourt| OR: 55| BF| D

13/2

Triple 1m winner, including on yielding/soft ground. Went very close from today's mark at Cork (7f, good) on Sunday and could be a player if she gets in.

Form: 736-203

Non-Runners

(4)

Jazz Lady²

Weight: 10-0| Age: 5

T: Ian O'Connor J: W J Lee

(11)

Clifftop¹⁷

Weight: 8-9| Age: 4

T: H Rogers J: Reserve 1

Forecasts

Annexation (11/4), Prisoner's Dilemma (11/2), Lady Scathach (13/2), Tony The Gent (13/2), Trish's Company (9/1), Imposing Supreme (10/1), Jazz Lady (10/1), Dare To Flare (11/1), Clifftop (12/1), Phoenix Open (18/1), Alhaazm (20/1), Eastern Racer (25/1), Calonne (28/1), New York Ballet (28/1), Shorter Skirt (33/1), Sagittarius Rising (40/1), Juyush (40/1), Just Brilliant (66/1), Aurora Moon (80/1), Army Recruit (100/1)

On open-looking handicap, where the suggestion is TONY THE GENT. Denis Hogan's gelding is on a handy mark, and should be spot on after an encouraging reappearance over slightly shorter. Prisoner's Dilemma and Phoenix Open could both emerge as dangers to the selection, while Annexation can't be ruled out, but will need improvement to defy a 12lb rise. Eastern Racer makes some appeal, while money for Shorter Skirt would be interesting and the maiden Alhaazm is not written off.