16:00 Leopardstown

Thursday 13 August 2020

All13:0013:3014:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:30

Holden Plant Rentals Handicap

Off time: 16:01 | Winning time: 2m 9.74s

(10)

Bring Us Paradise⁴⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-3| J: Nathan Crosse⁽⁵⁾| T: L Comer| OR: 81

40/1

Didn't get off to the greatest of starts on stable/seasonal debut when producing a quiet effort at the Curragh (1m2f; good) in June. Doesn't look well-handicapped on that evidence so others are preferred until he shows more encouraging signs again.

Form: 21131-0

(11)

Lightning Amber¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Mikey Sheehy⁽⁷⁾| T: D K Weld| OR: 80| C

10/1

Sole career victory came at this track. Not progressed since sent handicapping but did offer a little bit more in defeat last time. New trip offers hope of some improvement so she could have a say.

Form: 71/2-605

(17)

Contrapposto¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Adrian O'Shea⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs A M O'Shea| OR: 78

20/1

Holds a particularly modest strike-rate (1-26). Step back in the right direction when not beaten far at all into fifth over slightly further at Leopardstown (1m4f; soft). Must build on that as he drops in trip but place claims if doing so.

Form: 8-44605

(6)

Mohtarrif^h¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Sam Ewing⁽¹⁰⁾| T: G M Lyons| OR: 78

11/1

Looks stable second-string judged on jockey bookings. Offered plenty of encouragement at the third attempt for this stable when third over C&D on his penultimate start. Not able to reproduce that next time out though.

Form: 18-0030

(4)

Hamley⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 9-13| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle⁽⁷⁾| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 77| D

8/1

Mark has been on the drop for some time now. Hinted at a return to form when running better than the finishing position would suggest when sixth at Sligo (1m2f; good). 10lb below her last winning mark she could be on a very attractive mark.

Form: 6-80996

(3)

Koybig²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 9-12| J: D W O'Connor⁽³⁾| T: D Marnane| OR: 76

25/1

Never won in three starts at this trip but the consistency he has been displaying in recent weeks would give him an each-way chance. Still 5lb above winning mark and doesn't win very often so vulnerable for win purposes.

Form: 742345

(18)

Park Row¹⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 9-12| J: Ross Coakley| T: D P Coakley| OR: 76

33/1

5lb below the mark he nearly scored off when second over C&D last year. Gone backwards in recent months though & difficult to take any real positives out of his seasonal reappearance at Galway (1m4f; soft). Confidently ruled out.

Form: 843-0V9

(12)

Drakensberg^t³³

Age: 6| Weight: 9-10| J: Billy Lee| T: A J Martin| OR: 74| C| D

12/1

Produced a likeable return to action when fifth over 1m4f at this track last month on his seasonal debut. Last win came at this track and he is only 4lb above that mark now so wouldn't need to improve hugely.

Form: 17717-5

(13)

Globe Theatre^t¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: E Greatrex| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 74

11/1

Not been disgraced on either start this year, but hasn't looked like winning. Drops back in trip after finishing sixth at Galway (1m4f; soft) and is unexposed at 1m2f but looks to hold place claims at best for now.

Form: 0243-56

(8)

Estepona Sun³²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons| OR: 81

6/1

Less exposed than some of his rivals. Been in quiet form on both starts this year but the step up to 1m2f offers possibilities he could raise his game. Can't be written off fully just yet.

Form: 3451-56

(7)

Lyrical Attraction^p²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Ronan Whelan| T: J P Fahey| OR: 73| D

9/2

Still 9lb above her last winning mark but she showed more promising signs when fourth over 1m4f at this track last time. Place claims on that basis and is 2-3 over this trip. Intriguing contender.

Form: 410-274

(1)

Ultra Pride¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Robbie Colgan| T: S Lavery| OR: 72| D

6/1

Latest effort when he fluffed his lines at Galway (1m; soft) can be ignored given he is a highly consistent type in the main. Fourth over 1m4f at this track on his penultimate start would bring him into this. Each-way player.

Form: 256-340

(16)

Alhajjaj^h¹⁵³

Age: 7| Weight: 9-1| J: O J Orr| T: A McCann| OR: 65

50/1

0-3 on turf. Not seen since running poorly at Dundalk (1m2f; standard) in March. Mark remains the same and his record fresh isn't the greatest so he has enough to prove for the time being.

Form: 88-0138

(14)

Alexei Vronsky^p1²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Leigh Roche| T: M O'Callaghan| OR: 71| D

16/1

9lb rise for breakthrough win on handicap/seasonal debut seemingly found him out when he was only ninth at the Curragh (1m2f; good to yielding) next time. This is less demanding but the first-time cheekpieces must yield further progress.

Form: 000-19

(9)

Curious Bride⁵⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Chris Hayes| T: N Meade| OR: 71

33/1

Yet to make an impact in a trio of maidens. Now sent handicapping and she must raise her game on what she has shown so far. Hard to fancy unless market suggests otherwise.

Form: 87-0

(2)

Clifftop²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-8| J: Shane Foley| T: H Rogers| OR: 58

9/1

Posted a pair of respectable efforts on either of his two starts so far this summer. 0-4 over this trip but he was third over it two starts ago at Roscommon (1m2f; yielding) & has solid place claims given his current form.

Form: 3760-35

(5)

North Street¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: D E Sheehy⁽⁵⁾| T: J G Coogan| OR: 66

66/1

Likely to encounter better ground than he did on handicap debut when well held at Galway (1m; soft) but he will need to come on a bundle from that. Steps up in trip. Easy to oppose.

Form: 0408

Non-Runners

(15)

Slaney East²⁰

Weight: 10-0| Age: 3

T: J S Bolger J: K J Manning

Forecasts

Lyrical Attraction (9/2), Estepona Sun (6/1), Ultra Pride (6/1), Hamley (8/1), Clifftop (9/1), Lightning Amber (10/1), Mohtarrif (11/1), Globe Theatre (11/1), Drakensberg (12/1), Alexei Vronsky (16/1), Slaney East (16/1), Contrapposto (20/1), Koybig (25/1), Park Row (33/1), Curious Bride (33/1), Bring Us Paradise (40/1), Alhajjaj (50/1), North Street (66/1)

Although he has failed to kick on from his breakthrough career win, it is still too early to write off Estepona Sun with the step up to 1m2f offering him a chance to step up on his previous pair of defeats this summer. Similar comments apply to Lightning Amber, while the consistent Ultra Pride and Drakensberg are likely to feature prominently once again though the former does need to bounce back from a rare below-par run last time. In an open race though we'll take a chance on HAMLEY who is turned out quickly after running her best race for some time when sixth last week. Any sort of step forward from that would see her go close & she is well-handicapped.