17:10 Leopardstown

Thursday 8 July 2021

All16:4017:1017:4018:1018:4019:1019:4020:10

Ballsbridge Handicap (50-80)

Off time: 17:10 | Winning time: 1m 41.70s

(1)

Kosman^v¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Ms S Verling⁽¹⁰⁾| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 80| D

10/1

Career best when winning 9-runner handicap (7/2) at Naas (8f, good) 15 days ago, very much having run of race. Looks vulnerable on the back of a hefty rise.

Form: 353281

(9)

Jungle Cove⁶²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-1| J: Shane Foley| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 79| D

15/2

One win from 21 Flat runs. Winner at Dundalk in March. 10/1, good third of 15 in handicap at Cork (8f, good) 62 days ago. Should continue to give a good account.

Form: 341583

(5)

Will Be King^h,t¹⁶⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: Billy Lee| T: G O'Leary| OR: 73| D

33/1

12/1, bit below form seventh of 14 in handicap at Dundalk (8f). Off 167 days. Hard to make a solid case for.

Form: 0357-47

(12)

Big Island¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Ben Coen| T: J Feane| OR: 72

18/1

Twenty first of 23 in handicap at the Curragh (9f, good to soft, 25/1) 13 days ago, better judged on previous form. Others preferred.

Form: 440-460

(11)

Giustino²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle⁽³⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 80| BF| D

7/2

Winner at Listowel in June. Good third of 20 in handicap (8/11) at this course (9.2f, good) 28 days ago. Much higher mark to contend with, but he's going the right way, so remains of interest.

Form: 00-3313

(13)

Magnetic North¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: C J MacRedmond⁽⁷⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 71| CD

9/1

C&D winner. Twenty one runs since last win in 2019. 11/2, below form thirteenth of 23 in handicap at the Curragh (9f, good to soft) 13 days ago. Chance on best for but he's hard to rely on.

Form: 902020

(10)

Emphatic^t¹⁶⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 9-6| J: Sean Davis| T: J Larkin| OR: 70| D

40/1

Bit below form sixth of 10 in handicap at Dundalk (8f, 7/2), racing closer to pace than ideal. Off 160 days. Likely to need the run back on turf.

Form: 918-116

(6)

Khafaaq^v²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: Andrew Slattery⁽³⁾| T: A Slattery| OR: 69| D

10/1

Eleven runs since last win in 2020. 22/1, creditable fourth of 14 in handicap at this C&D (good to firm) 21 days ago. Warrants respect.

Form: 007004

(8)

Gamigin^v1⁴⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: O J Orr| T: J Davison| OR: 73

33/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Twelfth of 13 in handicap at the Curragh (7f, soft, 25/1) 47 days ago. Visor on 1st time. Hard to make a case for.

Form: 5470

(15)

Razdan³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Colin Keane| T: M J Smith| OR: 73

12/1

Unreliable sort. 6/1 and blinkered for 1st time, first run since leaving M. Halford when eighteenth of 20 in handicap at this C&D (good) 35 days ago. Up against it.

Form: 248-20

(4)

The Alpha Man⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 8-13| J: Nathan Crosse⁽⁵⁾| T: S G O'Donnell| OR: 63| D

7/2

Winner at Limerick in June. Creditable third of 15 in handicap (8/1) at Limerick (8f, good to soft) 4 days ago, well positioned. Not taken lightly.

Form: 05-0013

(2)

Valhalla's Dream¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Rory Cleary| T: A Mullins| OR: 72

18/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Blinkered for 1st time, twenty first of 26 in handicap (20/1) at the Curragh (7f, good to soft) 13 days ago, doing too much too soon. Not discounted.

Form: 34750

(7)

Sasvana^t¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: Ms N A Kane⁽⁷⁾| T: D Murphy| OR: 62| BF| C

18/1

Winner here in June. Seventh of 11 in handicap (3/1) at Down Royal (6.8f, good) 19 days ago. Tongue strap back on. Too soon to write off.

Form: 0884-17

(14)

Sod's Law⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 8-12| J: Leigh Roche| T: L Comer| OR: 62| D

25/1

Fifteen runs since last win in 2018. 12/1, last of 9 in handicap at Sligo (10.6f, good to soft) 51 days ago. Back down in trip. Others more persuasive.

Form: 0808-49

(17)

Legal Thriller^p²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger| OR: 59| D

16/1

One win from 22 Flat runs. 8 lengths eleventh of 15 to The Alpha Man in handicap at Limerick (8f, good, 15/2) 26 days ago. Others make more appeal.

Form: 536200

(3)

Catherine Chroi^p,t1³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-6| J: Siobhan Rutledge⁽⁷⁾| T: C O'Connell| OR: 56

33/1

16/1, respectable eighth of 20 in handicap at this course (10f, good) 35 days ago. Tongue strap on 1st time. Difficult ask.

Form: 577548

Non-Runners

(16)

Royal Pippen¹⁷

Weight: 10-2| Age: 4

T: S Donohoe J: Jamie Powell

(19)

Golden Valour²⁶

Weight: 9-12| Age: 5

T: R O'Brien J: Daniel King

(18)

Zahee¹

Weight: 9-1| Age: 6

T: J C McConnell J: Gary Carroll

Forecasts

Giustino (7/2), The Alpha Man (7/2), Jungle Cove (15/2), Magnetic North (9/1), Kosman (10/1), Khafaaq (10/1), Razdan (12/1), Zahee (12/1), Golden Valour (14/1), Legal Thriller (16/1), Sasvana (18/1), Big Island (18/1), Valhalla's Dream (18/1), Royal Pippen (20/1), Sod's Law (25/1), Will Be King (33/1), Catherine Chroi (33/1), Gamigin (33/1), Emphatic (40/1)

JUNGLE COVE is a consistent sort who shaped well when third at Cork a couple of months ago, so he could take the beating in a race where few look well treated. Giustino is a player if he can get back on the up, while Kosman can't be ruled out despite going up plenty for making all at Naas 15 days ago.