16:55 Dundalk

Wednesday 17 February 2021

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

Crowne Plaza Hotel Dundalk Handicap (45-75) (Div 2)

Off time: 16:55 | Winning time: 2m 25.66s

(4)

Allegio^t⁷⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: J M Sheridan⁽⁵⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 72

33/1

Thirteen runs since last win in 2018. Eleventh of 13 in handicap (33/1) at this course (8f) 77 days ago. Significantly up in trip with work to do.

Form: 00/0000-

(3)

Approach The City¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: Sam Ewing⁽⁷⁾| T: J McAuley| OR: 72

40/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Tenth of 14 in maiden (12/1) at this C&D 16 days ago. Makes handicap debut but very hard to make a case for.

Form: 2/7-70

(8)

Spelga^v1³³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: Colin Keane| T: M Halford| OR: 72| CD

5/2

C&D winner who posted respectable fifth of 14 in minor event at this course (12f) 33 days ago. Visor replaces cheekpieces now and weighted to have a say if it has the desired effect.

Form: 28426-5

(13)

Flylikeaneagle²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-1| J: T E Whelan| T: E O'Connell| OR: 71| CD

4/1

66/1, sprung surprise back on Flat when winning 14-runner handicap at this C&D 26 days ago. Not ruled out despite 5 lb rise.

Form: 96/000-1

(9)

Pachmena⁶³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-13| J: K J Manning| T: J Feane| OR: 69| CD

28/1

C&D winner in November but only thirteenth of 14 in minor event (33/1) at this course (8f) 63 days ago. Significantly back up in trip and needs to bounce back.

Form: 209150-

(2)

Blackstone Cliff^h,t¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: Siobhan Rutledge⁽⁷⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 68| CD

9/4

Career best when racking up third C&D success in 14-runner handicap 12 days ago. Up 6 lb but another bold showing is very much on the cards.

Form: 1415-21

(7)

Reverberation¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-12| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle⁽⁵⁾| T: J J Lambe| OR: 68| C

14/1

Course winner but only eleventh of 14 in handicap (8/1) at this course (8f) 12 days ago. Up in distance and others more persuasive.

Form: 2445-60

(1)

The Alpha Man¹⁸⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: Ben Coen| T: S G O'Donnell| OR: 65

25/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 20/1, fifth of 8 in handicap at Tramore (12f, good to soft) on final run for Richard John O'Brien. Off 6 months and hard to fancy.

Form: 23905-

(11)

Brilliant Question^t¹²²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: Chris Hayes| T: K A Heffernan| OR: 59

66/1

Modest maiden who came in only ninth of 10 in handicap at Naas (10f) 122 days ago on final run for Ms Sheila Lavery. Easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 036379-

(6)

Dande¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: M A Gallagher| T: F Birrane| OR: 58

7/1

66/1, improved form when fourth of 14 to Blackstone Cliff in handicap at this C&D 12 days ago. Still low mileage so merits consideration.

Form: 5430-84

(10)

Dame Joan²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: A J Farragher⁽⁷⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 53

28/1

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, creditable seventh of 14 in handicap (40/1) at this course (8f) 26 days ago. Bit more needed though stepped up in trip.

Form: 4407-07

(12)

Ragtime Red^t²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 8-6| J: D E Sheehy⁽⁵⁾| T: A McCann| OR: 47| CD

14/1

C&D winner but it's now eleven runs since last win in 2019. 7/1, below-form seventh of 14 in handicap at this C&D 28 days ago so others appeal more.

Form: 0690-47

Non-Runners

(5)

Sam Missile¹²

Weight: 9-6| Age: 8

T: P J McKenna J: J A Heffernan

Forecasts

Blackstone Cliff (9/4), Spelga (5/2), Flylikeaneagle (4/1), Dande (7/1), Ragtime Red (14/1), Reverberation (14/1), Sam Missile (16/1), The Alpha Man (25/1), Pachmena (28/1), Dame Joan (28/1), Allegio (33/1), Approach The City (40/1), Brilliant Question (66/1)

BLACKSTONE CLIFF looked better than ever when notching up his third C&D success at the start of the month so is hard to oppose despite being hit with a 6 lb rise. Dande finished an excellent fourth behind the selection that day so this lightly-raced sort is fancied to go well again, with C&D winner Flylikeaneagle another sure to be on the premises too.