17:45 Curragh

Sunday 12 September 2021

All13:4514:2014:5515:3016:0516:4017:1517:45

Irish Stallion Farms EBF 'Northfields' Handicap (Premier Handicap)

Off time: 17:50 | Winning time: 2m 10.38s

(10)

Saltonstall^p,t¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Sam Ewing⁽⁵⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 104| C

22/1

Course winner. Good fourth of 27 in Irish Cambridgeshire here (1m, good) 16 days ago, keeping on final 1f. Third in this race 2 years ago and he should give another good account.

Form: 750654

(19)

Mirann^p1²²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-13| J: Ben Coen| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 103

14/1

Winless since last summer but posted a trio of creditable in-the-frame efforts prior to not seeing things out in the Ebor at York last month. Versatile as regards trip and bounce back anticipated.

Form: 872440

(6)

Finans Bay³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: Ronan Whelan| T: M Halford| OR: 102

9/1

Good 2½ lengths third of 12 to Earlswood in Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes over C&D (good) 30 days ago. Remains relatively low-mileage and no surprise to see another good showing despite inflated mark.

Form: 212-563

(5)

Geometrical¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger| OR: 99

28/1

Won 7-runner minor event at Tipperary (7.5f, good) 17 days ago, forging clear. Balance of his form suggests he's not certain to be in same form here, though.

Form: 00-0581

(11)

Sirjack Thomas¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: C J MacRedmond⁽⁷⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 98| C

40/1

Course winner. Below form sixteenth of 27 in handicap (40/1) at this course (8f, good) 16 days ago. Up in trip.

Form: 061140

(27)

Lough Derg⁷⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: R L Moore| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 101

11/1

2¾ lengths eighth of 10 to Cadillac in International Stakes at this C&D (good, 10/1) 78 days ago, running on late having been held up in his run. Interesting on handicap debut.

Form: 1-42868

(4)

Bear Story³⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Gary Carroll| T: M Halford| OR: 100

11/1

Very good 3½ lengths sixth of 12 to Earlswood in Royal Whip Stakes (16/1) at this C&D (good) 30 days ago, nearest finish. More needed now from revised mark but he's going the right way.

Form: 1-22326

(1)

Still Standing^p1,t²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-4| J: S Foley| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 94| D

25/1

Six wins from 19 Flat runs. Respectable fourth of 12 in handicap at Dundalk (10.7f, 33/1) 28 days ago, faring best of those held up. Cheekpieces on 1st time and not ruled out.

Form: 616834

(8)

Mosala^t⁴⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Chris Hayes| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 92| D

9/1

10/1, good 3½ lengths third of 18 to Sirjack Thomas in handicap at Galway (8.6f, soft) 47 days ago, having to pick way through. Can give a good account without posing serious threat to principals.

Form: 2-12313

(14)

Pineapple Express²²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: A J Slattery| T: A Slattery| OR: 91| C| D

18/1

4 wins from 10 runs this year. 16/1, career best when winning 13-runner handicap at this course (12f, soft) 22 days ago, driven out. This tougher but 1 lb higher mark doesn't rule her out of things.

Form: 711951

(15)

Max Mayhem²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: M P Sheehy⁽⁵⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 95| D

17/2

Winner at Roscommon (10.2f) in May. Good second of 7 in minor event (10/1) at Naas (10f, soft) 21 days ago. Makes handicap debut now but he's possibly not straightforward.

Form: 8-21832

(12)

Royal Pippen^p²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: Robbie Colgan| T: S Donohoe| OR: 88

66/1

10/1, career best when winning 14-runner handicap at Roscommon (7.3f, good to soft) 27 days ago, keeping on well. 10 lb higher mark to contend with now back up markely in trip.

Form: 544551

(18)

Star Harbour^v¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Colin Keane| T: A McGuinness| OR: 94| D

10/1

Latest win at Killarney in July. 28/1, good fifth of 27 in Irish Cambridgeshire here (1m, good) 16 days ago. Remains unexposed at around this trip and with Keane booked, he's not dismissed out of hand

Form: 516105

(7)

Zozimus^b¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: G M Ryan| T: Donnacha O'Brien| OR: 93

11/1

Bit below form fifteenth of 27 in handicap at this course (1m) 16 days ago, very slowly away. Back up in trip. Blinkers back on. Others more persuasive.

Form: 31-7340

(28)

He Knows No Fear¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-10| J: Oisin Murphy| T: L Comer| OR: 86

18/1

Latest win at Leopardstown (9f) in June. Respectable seventh of 27 in handicap (18/1) at this course (8f, good) 16 days ago. Back up in trip and booking of Murphy catches the eye.

Form: 061677

(16)

Magic Chegaga²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: J M Sheridan⁽³⁾| T: T Gibney| OR: 85| C| D

16/1

Course winner. 2 wins from 4 runs this year. Latest win at Naas in August. Respectable third of 7 in minor event back at that venue (10f, soft, 7/1) 21 days ago. This understandably tougher.

Form: 10-1213

(29)

Crystal Black^v¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: L F Roche| T: D K Weld| OR: 90

11/1

Lightly-raced winner. Visored for 1st time, very good sixth of 27 in handicap (28/1) at this course (8f, good) 16 days ago. Possible there is more to come now stepping up in trip.

Form: 8196

(17)

Eagle's Flight^t¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: N G McCullagh| T: M Halford| OR: 83

50/1

Latest win at Leopardstown (1m) in June. 12/1, eighteenth of 27 in handicap at this course (8f, good) 16 days ago. Back up in trip.

Form: 314360

(26)

Overheer²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: Tom Kiely Marshall⁽¹⁰⁾| T: J G Murphy| OR: 83

28/1

6/1, respectable sixth of 12 in minor event at Killarney (8.1f, good) 24 days ago, met some trouble.That was his first run for 10 weeks and further progress not ruled out.

Form: 722116

(13)

Prairie Dancer^b⁶⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-6| J: M A Gallagher| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 88| D

40/1

2 wins from 5 runs this year. Latest win at Roscommon (10f) in June. 3/1, last of 6 in handicap at Killarney (11.2f, good) 60 days ago. Has work to do.

Form: 5-21516

(22)

Turbulence³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 8-6| J: W Joyce⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Murphy| OR: 82

11/1

Lightly-raced sort. Winner at Killarney (1m) in July. Good third of 13 in handicap (15/2) at this course (8f, good to soft) 35 days ago. Back up in trip. Not taken lightly.

Form: 03-13

(24)

Takeachancejimmy⁴¹

Age: 7| Weight: 8-6| J: Nathan Crosse⁽³⁾| T: N Slevin| OR: 81| C

80/1

Course winner. Latest win at Ballinrobe in July. 6¼ lengths seventh of 9 to Magic Chegaga in handicap (18/1) at Naas (10f, good to soft) 41 days ago, finding little. This demands even more.

Form: 709517

(20)

Luke Short¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-6| J: D E Sheehy⁽³⁾| T: N Meade| OR: 81

80/1

28/1, twenty first of 27 in handicap at this course (8f, good) 16 days ago. Needs to bounce back stepping back up to 10f. Reserve 1.

Form: 0-30650

Non-Runners

(23)

Protagonist⁴³

Weight: 9-0| Age: 4

T: Mrs J Harrington J: C P Hoban

(3)

Vultan²⁹

Weight: 9-0| Age: 4

T: J P O'Brien J: Dylan Browne McMonagle

(21)

Band of Outlaws⁷³

Weight: 8-12| Age: 6

T: J P O'Brien J: Wayne Lordan

(25)

Soaring Monarch⁴²

Weight: 8-12| Age: 4

T: Peter Fahey J: W J Lee

(2)

Yafordadoe²²⁸

Weight: 8-6| Age: 5

T: G P Cromwell J: Reserve 2

(9)

Wild Dollar⁵⁶

Weight: 8-6| Age: 3

T: E & P Harty J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Band of Outlaws (7/1), Max Mayhem (17/2), Finans Bay (9/1), Mosala (9/1), Star Harbour (10/1), Crystal Black (11/1), Lough Derg (11/1), Turbulence (11/1), Bear Story (11/1), Zozimus (11/1), Wild Dollar (11/1), Mirann (14/1), Vultan (14/1), Magic Chegaga (16/1), Soaring Monarch (16/1), Pineapple Express (18/1), He Knows No Fear (18/1), Protagonist (20/1), Saltonstall (22/1), Still Standing (25/1), Yafordadoe (25/1), Overheer (28/1), Geometrical (28/1), Sirjack Thomas (40/1), Prairie Dancer (40/1), Eagle's Flight (50/1), Royal Pippen (66/1), Luke Short (80/1), Takeachancejimmy (80/1)

Ultra-competitive stuff and it may pay to side with Aidan O'Brien's LOUGH DERG. He shaped better than his finishing position would suggest in a Group 2 over C&D when last seen in June and it would come as no surprise to see him make his mark now handicapping. Band of Outlaws is an intriguing contender operating from his last winning mark and along with Turbulence and Finans Bay heads the dangers.