15:30 Dundalk

Monday 11 January 2021

All14:3015:0015:3016:0016:3017:0017:3018:00

Crowne Plaza Hotel Dundalk Handicap (45-65) (Div 1)

Off time: 15:31 | Winning time: 3m 34.25s

(13)

Take A Turn^p³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Sam Ewing⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 61

8/1

Sixteen runs since last win in 2017. 9/1, last of 14 in handicap at this course (12f) 31 days ago, clearly not 100% on the day. Fancied to bounce back.

Form: 304620-

(11)

Tham Luang³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: Declan McDonogh| T: L Lennon| OR: 61

7/1

Hit the frame in pair of 12 handicaps in November. However, well held eleventh of 14 in handicap (13/2) at this course (12f) 31 days ago. Bounce back called for.

Form: 309220-

(4)

Custers Mistake^t1⁵⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-13| J: S T McCullagh⁽⁵⁾| T: K Prendergast| OR: 63

12/1

Creditable fifth of 14 in handicap (10/1) at this course (12f) 56 days ago. Not one to write off taking a significant step up in trip.

Form: 079305-

(5)

Nightly Wailing⁶³

Age: 7| Weight: 9-13| J: Rory Cleary| T: T Cleary| OR: 58| CD

10/3

Won 14-runner handicap at this C&D (9/2) 63 days ago by ¾ length from Punters Poet. Can be expected to go well again from 1 lb higher mark.

Form: 000531-

(12)

Danehill Quest²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-9| J: J A Heffernan| T: S Crawley| OR: 54

13/2

One win from 25 Flat runs. Shaped better than bare result whenninth of 13 here (10.7f) on yard debut 24 days ago. Significantly up in trip and not dismissed lightly.

Form: 22800/9-

(14)

Falak^t⁵⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 9-9| J: Colin Keane| T: J C McConnell| OR: 54| D

5/1

Respectable seventh of 14 in handicap at this course (12f, 33/1) 56 days ago, met some trouble. Significantly back up in trip. Booking of Keane a plus.

Form: 000907-

(2)

Union Gap²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: S Foley| T: P W Flynn| OR: 52| BF

18/1

Tenth of 13 in novice chase at Down Royal (20f, heavy, 28/1) on debut over fences 25 days ago. Up in trip. First run for yard after leaving Noel Meade. Creditable on last Flat outing.

Form: 056036/

(9)

Sharjah³¹

Age: 11| Weight: 9-6| J: A J Slattery⁽³⁾| T: A Slattery| OR: 51| C| D

12/1

9-time course winner who went close to ending long losing run on handful of occasions last year. Entitled to strip fitter for last month's return but fact he's winless for so long is off-putting.

Form: 262220-

(7)

My Manekineko³⁰

Age: 12| Weight: 9-5| J: G P Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: J Nash| OR: 50| CD

25/1

C&D winner. 14/1, tenth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, heavy) 30 days ago. Modest on the Flat, creditable on last Flat run.

Form: 37309/5

(3)

Punters Poet^t⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: Robbie Colgan| T: M J Smith| OR: 50

9/1

Eleventh of 18 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (24.5f, heavy, 25/1) 8 days ago. Had gone close in this sphere late last year and he's not one to write off returned to the level.

Form: 703290-

(1)

Olive D'Haguenet¹²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 9-3| J: Chris Hayes| T: I Madden| OR: 48

125/1

Sixth of 10 in handicap chase at Galway (22.5f, soft, 18/1) 126 days ago, dropping away quickly. Off 126 days. Significantly up in trip. Poor on last Flat outing.

Form: 109000/

(8)

Liam Eile^t²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 9-0| J: D E Sheehy⁽⁵⁾| T: P Martin| OR: 45

100/1

66/1, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Naas (19f, heavy) 28 days ago. Hadn't been shaping like a winner in waiting on Flat previously and others more persuasive.

Form: 930790-

(10)

Paula's Prayer⁵⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: C G O'Dwyer⁽¹⁰⁾| T: C O'Dwyer| OR: 45

8/1

7/2, creditable second of 14 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (16f, heavy) 55 days ago. Not ruled out back on the level if arriving in same form.

Form: 8080/59-

Non-Runners

(6)

Intermedia⁵⁴⁸

Weight: 10-2| Age: 6

T: K Thornton J: T P Madden

Forecasts

Nightly Wailing (10/3), Falak (5/1), Danehill Quest (13/2), Tham Luang (7/1), Take A Turn (8/1), Paula's Prayer (8/1), Punters Poet (9/1), Sharjah (12/1), Custers Mistake (12/1), Intermedia (14/1), Union Gap (18/1), My Manekineko (25/1), Liam Eile (100/1), Olive D'Haguenet (125/1)

TAKE A TURN needs to shrug off a lesser effort on his most recent start but had previously shaped well over shorter here and is given the nod to bounce back under his capable 7 lb claimer. Punters Poet, Nightly Wailing and Danehill Quest head up the dangers.