17:25 Gowran Park

Monday 18 October 2021

All13:3014:0214:3715:1215:4716:2216:5517:25

BetVictor Casino Handicap (45-65) (Div 2)

Off time: 17:25 | Winning time: 2m 12.25s

(13)

Copia Verborum^t⁵²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: K J Manning| T: J J Lambe| OR: 62

50/1

Eleventh of 13 in handicap hurdle (18/1) at Down Royal (16.9f, good to soft) 52 days ago. Tongue strap on 1st time on the Flat. Fair on the Flat, poor on last outing. Tough to see him involved.

Form: 7006/00-

(12)

Jazz Lady^p¹³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Luke McAteer⁽⁵⁾| T: Ian O'Connor| OR: 62

20/1

20/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, not seen to best effect when eighth of 15 in handicap at Listowel (7f, soft). Off 135 days. Significantly back up in trip. Chance back up in trip.

Form: 648-008

(6)

Plunkett^t¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: W J Lee| T: P W Flynn| OR: 62

8/1

Possibly unsuited by conditions when last of 14 in handicap at Tipperary (7.4f, heavy, 5/1) 14 days ago. Back up in trip. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 5-30290

(10)

Fennor Cross¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Donagh O'Connor| T: J C McConnell| OR: 60| C

5/2

Course winner. 2 wins from 6 runs this year. 9/2, career best when winning 14-runner handicap at Thurles (8.1f, good to soft) 11 days ago. Up 6 lb and every chance of the hat-trick.

Form: 009711

(8)

No Show^b³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: J M Sheridan⁽³⁾| T: J J Mangan| OR: 57| D

20/1

Winner at Clonmel in September. Below form ninth of 16 in handicap (4/1) at this course (8f, good to soft) 30 days ago. Can bounce back.

Form: 004219

(1)

Wee Jim^b³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: Chris Hayes| T: L Comer| OR: 57

16/1

Thirteen runs since last win in 2018. Cheekpieces on for 1st time, creditable sixth of 14 in handicap at Punchestown (9f, good, 50/1) 34 days ago, never nearer. Blinkers back on.

Form: 7/78006

(7)

Clear Quartz^p¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: S Foley| T: M Fahey| OR: 55

14/1

Failed to stay upped markedly in trip when ninth of 14 in handicap at Thurles (12.4f, good to soft, 22/1) 11 days ago. Down in trip. Cheekpieces back on.

Form: 066769

(14)

Muntahez^p⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: Colin Keane| T: A A Howard| OR: 55| D

6/1

Best effort when third of 11 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (16f, good to soft, 25/1) 5 days ago, very much having run of race. Back down in trip. Fair on the Flat, bit below form on last run.

Form: 003304

(3)

Slieve Bearnagh^p,t³⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Ronan Whelan| T: M Halford| OR: 55

7/1

Fourteen runs since last win in 2020. Never better than mid-field eighth of 14 in handicap at Punchestown (9f, good, 15/2) 34 days ago. Now below his last winning mark so merits consideration.

Form: 590028

(11)

Miss Louise¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-4| J: Julie McDonald⁽¹⁰⁾| T: P J F Murphy| OR: 50

12/1

Latest win at Fairyhouse in July. Creditable fifth of 15 in handicap at Bellewstown (12f, good to soft, 9/1) 18 days ago. Down in trip. Holding form well so could make her presence felt.

Form: 751445

(18)

Solar System¹⁷⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: Ben Coen| T: L Breen| OR: 49

80/1

16/1, well held after 3 months off when nineteenth of 20 in handicap at Naas (8f, good). Off 175 days. Possibly better on the AW but looks competitive from this much-reduced mark nevertheless.

Form: 0/716-00

(16)

Gregory's Gift^b1⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: Melanie Horsman⁽¹⁰⁾| T: S Fahey| OR: 47

25/1

Remains a maiden after 20 Flat runs. 66/1, seventh of 16 in novice hurdle at Limerick (16f, soft) 8 days ago. Blinkers on 1st time. Modest on the Flat, below form on last run.

Form: 543986

(20)

Odd Venture^p¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: J A Heffernan| T: R K Watson| OR: 47| D

11/1

Shaped as if still in form when fourth of 18 in handicap (14/1) at Navan (10f, soft) 12 days ago, racing closer to pace than ideal. Enters calculations with a fully-fledged rider replacing claimer.

Form: 194264

(17)

Paddytheirishman¹²

Age: 11| Weight: 9-1| J: Rory Cleary| T: T Cleary| OR: 47

33/1

Remains a maiden after 40 Flat runs. Ran better than for a good while when third of 18 in handicap at Navan (10f, soft, 100/1) 12 days ago. Task is backing that up here.

Form: 390-703

(5)

Camogue Wood¹⁶⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: M P Sheehy⁽⁵⁾| T: P J Flynn| OR: 45

40/1

Last of 16 in handicap (20/1) at this course (8f, good to soft). Off 166 days. Has work to do.

Form: 7740-90

(15)

Minky^p1³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-13| J: A J Slattery| T: A Kinirons| OR: 45

80/1

100/1, fared little better after 6 months off when tenth of 14 in handicap at Dundalk (8f) 31 days ago, very slowly away. Cheekpieces on for 1st time.

Form: 90-9970

(9)

Sassy Dancer^b¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: K J Leonard| T: W J Martin| OR: 45

25/1

Remains a maiden after 17 Flat runs. Confirmed return to form when fourth of 20 in handicap (33/1) at Navan (5.8f, soft) 12 days ago. Significantly up in trip.

Form: 970764

Non-Runners

(19)

Mephisto¹²

Weight: 10-1| Age: 4

T: G Keane J: Reserve 1

(4)

Sanctuary Place⁴⁹

Weight: 8-13| Age: 4

T: P O'Rourke J: Reserve 2

(2)

Our Anniversary¹⁶⁶

Weight: 8-13| Age: 7

T: Ciaran Murphy J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Fennor Cross (5/2), Muntahez (6/1), Slieve Bearnagh (7/1), Plunkett (8/1), Odd Venture (11/1), Miss Louise (12/1), Clear Quartz (14/1), Wee Jim (16/1), Mephisto (16/1), Jazz Lady (20/1), No Show (20/1), Gregory's Gift (25/1), Sassy Dancer (25/1), Our Anniversary (25/1), Paddytheirishman (33/1), Sanctuary Place (33/1), Camogue Wood (40/1), Copia Verborum (50/1), Minky (80/1), Solar System (80/1)

A wide-open closing contest with the vote going to ODD VENTURE. He raced closer to the strong pace than was ideal when a well-beaten fourth at Navan 12 days ago and, with Seamie Heffernan taking over from an inexperienced claimer, he's taken to double his career tally. Hat-trick seeking Fennor Cross could provide the main threat, ahead of Slieve Bearnagh and Miss Louise.