19:30 Dundalk

Friday 17 December 2021

All16:0016:3017:0017:3018:0018:3019:0019:30

Dundalk Stadium Racing Returns Wednesday 5th January 2022 Handicap (45-65)

Off time: 19:30 | Winning time: 2m 14.3s

(8)

Never Back Down^t⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Colin Keane| T: Joseph Murray| OR: 65| C

13/2

Latest win here (1m) in September. Creditable third of 13 in handicap (33/1) at this C&D 9 days ago. Merits consideration with a repeat here under Colin Keane.

Form: 164003

(5)

Gamigin^p,t⁴⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-11| J: Luke McAteer⁽⁵⁾| T: J McAuley| OR: 62

10/1

Winner at Sligo in August. 9/2, eleventh of 14 in handicap at this C&D 44 days ago.

Form: 001570

(7)

Universal Focus^b²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 9-10| J: Gary Carroll| T: R O'Sullivan| OR: 59| C

25/1

Latest win here (12f) in September. 12/1, respectable fifth of 11 in handicap at this course (12f) 28 days ago, leading briefly 2f out before fading. No forlorn hope back down in trip.

Form: 041575

(3)

Victory March^p⁸⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: D King⁽⁷⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 59

10/1

9/1, bit below form ninth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Listowel (16f, good to soft) 88 days ago. Cheekpieces back on. Fair on the Flat, creditable on last Flat outing. Good showing not ruled out.

Form: 005292

(9)

Picpoul³⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: J A Powell⁽⁷⁾| T: M Rice| OR: 58| C

11/2

Improved model in staying handicaps of late, landing back-to-back 12f events here last month. Assessor applies a little more pressure but certainly not ruled out in hat-trick bid.

Form: 9-00711

(11)

Arctic Blaze¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: J Coen⁽⁷⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 50

5/1

Remains a maiden after 16 Flat runs. 14/1, good second of 14 in handicap at this C&D 14 days ago, clear of rest. Shouldn't be long in going one place better.

Form: 00-2242

(4)

Clueless Hill^b,t²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: Chris Hayes| T: L Comer| OR: 49| CD

15/2

2 wins from 5 runs this year. 14/1 and blinkered for 1st time, won 14-runner handicap at this C&D 28 days ago, overcoming pace bias. Remains with handicapping scope on old form.

Form: 0-61001

(6)

Here's Hoping²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 8-13| J: N G McCullagh| T: T Collins| OR: 48

12/1

Creditable 1½ lengths third of 14 to Clueless Hill in handicap at this C&D (18/1) 28 days ago, well positioned. Task now is to back that up here.

Form: 040003

(16)

Mythical Times²²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Rory Cleary| T: J C McConnell| OR: 49

28/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Eighth of 14 in handicap (16/1) at Roscommon (12f, good to soft) in May, unable to land a blow. Absent since and improvement required to figure on return from a break.

Form: 0-0078

(12)

Lily Of The Glen^v¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: M P Sheehy⁽³⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 48

9/1

Visored for 1st time, creditable third of 14 in handicap at this C&D (10/1) 14 days ago, well positioned. Claims of hitting the frame again with a repeat.

Form: 249293

(17)

Moving¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-10| J: K J Manning| T: B W Duke| OR: 45

16/1

Creditable third of 14 in handicap (11/1) at this C&D 14 days ago, well positioned. Others rate stronger for win purposes, however.

Form: 696833

(14)

Graduate Of Honour³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: A J Slattery| T: J P Fahey| OR: 46

8/1

Good second of 14 in handicap (7/2) at this C&D 35 days ago, just failing. Remains relatively low-mileage and no surprise to see her go well again.

Form: 086032

(10)

Dark Matter^p1²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: W Joyce⁽⁷⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 45

50/1

Pulled up in juvenile hurdle (250/1) at Punchestown (16f, good to soft) on NH debut 24 days ago. Exploits on the level previously were hardly inspiring and others appeal more.

Form: 900079

(13)

Shaylee⁴⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: Nathan Crosse⁽³⁾| T: N Madden| OR: 45

28/1

Creditable sixth of 13 in handicap (6/1) at this C&D 44 days ago, merely plugging on. Needs to step up to play a lead role here.

Form: 035706

Non-Runners

(15)

Born Leader²³

Weight: 8-10| Age: 5

T: E McCarthy J: Reserve 1

(1)

Crystal Pool¹⁴

Weight: 9-10| Age: 6

T: P Martin J: Reserve 2

(2)

Magi Gal⁹

Weight: 9-13| Age: 5

T: J C McConnell J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Arctic Blaze (5/1), Picpoul (11/2), Never Back Down (13/2), Clueless Hill (15/2), Graduate Of Honour (8/1), Lily Of The Glen (9/1), Victory March (10/1), Gamigin (10/1), Here's Hoping (12/1), Moving (16/1), Magi Gal (20/1), Universal Focus (25/1), Shaylee (28/1), Mythical Times (28/1), Crystal Pool (33/1), Born Leader (33/1), Dark Matter (50/1)

Plenty arrive with claims in a competitive finale with the vote in favour of GRADUATE OF HONOUR. She ran her best race yet when just touched off in a C&D handicap 5 weeks ago and a repeat should see her firmly in the mix again from her basement mark. Picpoul, in search of the hat-trick, Arctic Blaze and Never Back Down head up the dangers.