16:25 Dundalk

Wednesday 17 February 2021

All14:2014:5515:2515:5516:2516:5517:3018:00

Crowne Plaza Hotel Dundalk Handicap (45-75) (Div 1)

Off time: 16:26 | Winning time: 2m 14.78s

(11)

Nevendon¹¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Gary Carroll| T: J C McConnell| OR: 75

40/1

Thrice-raced maiden on Flat (fairly useful form at best). Disappointing in juvenile hurdle on sole start for Dan Skelton. Off 118 days. Worth a market check

Form: 0/30-

(6)

Drakensberg^t⁵^{(ex 6)}

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Siobhan Rutledge⁽⁷⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 67| C

11/8

Career best when winning 14-runner handicap (9/2) at this course (12f) 5 days ago. Carries penalty. Not taken lightly.

Form: 3738-31

(8)

Itsalonglongroad^h,t¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Simon Torrens⁽⁵⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 73| CD

18/1

C&D winner. Latest win here in November. 11/2, respectable third of 9 in minor event chase at Down Royal (16.2f, heavy) 13 days ago. Summed up by this mark.

Form: 810174-

(5)

Darkened^t¹²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: J M Sheridan⁽⁵⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 71| BF

22/1

Bit below form fourth of 11 in handicap (4/1) at the Curragh (8f, soft). Off 129 days. Significantly up in trip. Makes polytrack debut. Returns from a break on a fair mark.

Form: 324374-

(4)

Gougane Barra^t²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 9-11| J: Colin Keane| T: M Halford| OR: 70| C

7/2

Course winner. Thirteen runs since last win in 2019. 8/1, good fourth of 14 in handicap at this C&D 26 days ago, keeping on having not been seen to best effect. Shortlist material.

Form: 0/25V3-4

(12)

Haayem^p¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle⁽⁵⁾| T: J McAuley| OR: 70

25/1

11/1, eighth of 10 in handicap at this course (8f) 19 days ago, unable to sustain effort. Significantly up in trip. Needs to bounce back.

Form: 8129-88

(2)

Eloy D'amerval^t²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: J A Heffernan| T: A McNamara| OR: 68

16/1

Tenth of 14 in handicap (33/1) at this course (8f) 28 days ago, merely passing beaten rivals. Significantly back up in trip. Showing little recently.

Form: 5450-00

(3)

But You Said¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Katelyn Young⁽¹⁰⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 67

125/1

100/1, first run since leaving Mrs J. Harrington when ninth of 12 in handicap at this course (6f) 16 days ago. Significantly up in trip.

Form: 28/858-9

(1)

Boasty^p¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: E J McNamara| T: F Birrane| OR: 66

14/1

One win from 3 runs last year. Winner at Kempton in October. 16/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, creditable third of 17 in handicap at this course (8f) 12 days ago. One to consider.

Form: 915-703

(7)

Ballycaines²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: Chris Hayes| T: B A Murphy| OR: 64

3/1

Creditable third of 14 in handicap at this C&D (13/2) 26 days ago. Should give another good account.

Form: 727/0-23

(9)

Persian Lion⁶⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: Sorcha Woods⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Miss K Brown| OR: 62

14/1

One win from 24 Flat runs. Twenty runs since last win in 2018. Good fourth of 14 in handicap at this course (12f, 18/1) 68 days ago, not ideally placed. Not discounted.

Form: 296624-

(10)

Special Memento⁹³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-6| J: Rory Cleary| T: T Collins| OR: 50

40/1

Hooded for 1st time, thirteenth of 14 in handicap at this course (12f, 20/1), hampered. Off 93 days. Others more persuasive.

Form: 89/0490-

(13)

Lethal Endeavour^h¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 8-6| J: James J Doyle| T: C Cannon| OR: 45

100/1

Hooded for 1st time, first run since leaving A. Slattery when twelfth of 14 in handicap at this C&D (125/1) 12 days ago.

Form: 96000/0

Forecasts

Drakensberg (11/8), Ballycaines (3/1), Gougane Barra (7/2), Boasty (14/1), Persian Lion (14/1), Eloy D'amerval (16/1), Itsalonglongroad (18/1), Darkened (22/1), Haayem (25/1), Nevendon (40/1), Special Memento (40/1), Lethal Endeavour (100/1), But You Said (125/1)

GOUGANE BARRA did well to finish a close fourth despite meeting trouble over C&D last time and, with a clear run, he could be up to taking this open-looking handicap. Drakensberg linked up well with his promising claimer over 12f here last time, so he makes plenty of appeal under a penalty, while the in-form Boasty shouldn't be ruled out.