16:40 Listowel

Saturday 5 June 2021

All13:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4017:10

John Thomas McNamara Handicap (45-65) (Div 2)

Off time: 16:43 | Winning time: 1m 44.91s

(4)

Lust For Life²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 10-0| J: S T McCullagh⁽⁵⁾| T: Ciaran Murphy| OR: 63

20/1

1 win from 3 runs this year. Winner at Gowran in April. Tenth of 14 in handicap (8/1) at Roscommon (7.3f, good to soft) 25 days ago. others more persuasive.

Form: 600-170

(5)

Giustino¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-12| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle⁽⁵⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 61| BF

4/5

Lightly-raced maiden. Good third of 11 in handicap at Sligo (10.6f, good to soft, 5/2) 18 days ago. Back down in trip. Makes plenty of appeal in a weak race.

Form: 000-33

(11)

Brightburn⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-10| J: Ronan Whelan| T: J Feane| OR: 59

11/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Blinkered for 1st time, creditable sixth of 16 in handicap at Fairyhouse (6f, soft, 12/1) 8 days ago, nearest finish. Should prove suited by the longer trip, so not ruled out.

Form: 000-06

(13)

Bella Coaster⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: Robbie Colgan| T: S Lavery| OR: 57

18/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 20/1, twelfth of 13 in handicap at Roscommon (7.2f, good to soft) 5 days ago. Has a good bit to prove at the moment.

Form: 6-6550

(2)

Rusla²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: S Foley| T: G O'Leary| OR: 56

33/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Tenth of 15 in maiden at Naas (7f, soft, 125/1) 28 days ago. Makes handicap debut. Needs to improve for a switch to handicaps.

Form: 000

(8)

Benkogambit^p⁴³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Wayne Lordan| T: P Martin| OR: 53| BF

8/1

2/1, twelfth of 14 in handicap at Cork (7f, good to firm) 43 days ago. Had been in good form previously so not dismissed lightly.

Form: 444430

(9)

Champagne Breath^h1,t²²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: M A Enright| T: T Cooper| OR: 52

28/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Tongue strap on for 1st time, ninth of 19 in maiden at Leopardstown (8f, good to soft, 300/1) 22 days ago. Hooded for 1st time. Makes handicap debut.

Form: 80-9

(1)

Al Rafiq¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: C J MacRedmond⁽⁷⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 50

33/1

66/1, tenth of 14 in handicap at Cork (10.1f, good to soft) 17 days ago. Down in trip. Has work to do.

Form: 07006-0

(12)

Bader Ginsburg^v⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: L F Roche| T: A McGuinness| OR: 45

40/1

25/1, seventh of 10 in claimer at Fairyhouse (10f, soft) 8 days ago. Easily passed over.

Form: 00-0057

(10)

Forge Road²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: Nathan Crosse⁽⁵⁾| T: R O'Brien| OR: 45

9/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 33/1, creditable sixth of 14 in handicap at Dundalk (8f) 24 days ago, not knocked about. In good hands, so worth noting on the back of that eye-catching return.

Form: 990-6

(7)

Our Secret Pearl^h,t⁵⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: Chris Hayes| T: Mrs C O'Leary| OR: 45

12/1

12/1 and hooded for 1st time, 3¼ lengths fifth of 15 to Lust For Life in handicap at Gowran (7f, soft) 59 days ago. Needs to build on that mildly encouraging return.

Form: 00560-5

(3)

Speedy Pix^p³¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: D E Sheehy⁽³⁾| T: T G McCourt| OR: 45

12/1

Respectable fourth of 14 in handicap (20/1) at Gowran (8f, good to soft) 31 days ago. Others make more appeal.

Form: 00620-4

Non-Runners

(6)

Vazzy³¹

Weight: 9-1| Age: 3

T: N Meade J: Colin Keane

Forecasts

Giustino (4/5), Benkogambit (8/1), Forge Road (9/1), Brightburn (11/1), Speedy Pix (12/1), Our Secret Pearl (12/1), Vazzy (12/1), Bella Coaster (18/1), Lust For Life (20/1), Champagne Breath (28/1), Al Rafiq (33/1), Rusla (33/1), Bader Ginsburg (40/1)

GUISTINO was an excellent third in a much stronger handicap at Sligo last time and should benefit from a drop back to a mile so, he's a confident selection to open his account under a useful apprentice. Forge Road caught the ey on her reappearance, so she may pose the main threat.