19:50 Leopardstown

Thursday 2 June 2022

All17:0517:4018:1518:5019:2019:5020:20

Leopardstown Apprentice Handicap (50-85)

Off time: 19:50 | Winning time: 2m 48.68s

(8)

Takarengo^p¹⁸⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Scott McCullagh| T: T Mullins| OR: 85| C

66/1

Course winner. Seventh of 8 in handicap at Dundalk (16f, 18/1), missing break. Off 6 months. Cheekpieces back on.

Form: 0/10007-

(1)

Meritorious¹¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Alan Persse⁽²⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 83

50/1

9/2, ninth of 11 in novice hurdle at Sedgefield (16.8f, soft) 113 days ago. Off 113 days. On the up when last seen on the Flat for John Gosden, so no forlorn hope.

Form: 926/341-

(7)

Fascinating Shadow²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-13| J: Jake Coen⁽²⁾| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 82

11/2

5/1, career best when winning 17-runner juvenile hurdle at Cork (16f, good to soft) on NH debut 26 days ago, outbattling runner-up. Progressive profile on the Flat, so strong claims.

Form: 50241-1

(3)

Ransom^t¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: Daniel King⁽⁴⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 80

18/1

Fourteenth of 18 in handicap (18/1) at the Curragh (7f, good to soft) 13 days ago. Significantly up in trip. Others make more appeal.

Form: 43-6000

(13)

Razdan^h,t⁴⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Georgia Dobie| T: C D Timmons| OR: 77

7/1

Winner at Dundalk in February. Creditable second of 15 in handicap at Lingfield (12f, AW, 9/1) 48 days ago, not ideally placed. Respected.

Form: 4-31352

(4)

Startedwithakiss²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 77

5/2

Lightly-raced winner. Career best when winning 10-runner maiden at Roscommon (12f, soft, 5/2) 24 days ago, plenty in hand. Stable having good spell. On the upgrade recently.

Form: 82/331

(5)

Scott Lang^p²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Luke McAteer| T: P W Flynn| OR: 76| BF| D

7/1

1 win from 3 runs this year. Creditable 2¾ lengths fourth of 20 to Magnetic North there in April, running on after not clear run over 2f out. Good effort over hurdles since, so merits consideration.

Form: 308-614

(15)

Magnetic North^v¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: Adam Caffrey⁽⁷⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 74| C| D

22/1

Course winner. Latest win at Navan in April. 10/1, seventh of 11 in handicap at Killarney (16.8f, soft) 16 days ago, having run of race. Back down in trip. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 60-8817

(14)

Patience Patience^t¹⁵⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: D E Sheehy| T: J Magnier| OR: 74

33/1

Lightly-raced maiden on Flat. Off 157 days. Fairly useful on the Flat, below form on last Flat outing. Makes handicap debut. Others preferred.

Form: 0/346-

(6)

Dollar Value^p²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 9-3| J: James Ryan⁽⁴⁾| T: T G McCourt| OR: 72| C

28/1

Course winner. Respectable fourth of 12 in handicap chase at Kilbeggan (19.4f, good to soft, 25/1) 20 days ago, faring best of those held up. Cheekpieces back on.

Form: 21214-0

(2)

S'all Good Man^p1⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: Neve Bennett⁽⁷⁾| T: W T Farrell| OR: 72

28/1

11¼ lengths tenth of 14 to Fascinating Shadow in handicap (16/1) at Dundalk (12f) 51 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time. Has work to do.

Form: 624/56-0

(11)

Gibraltar³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: Mikey Sheehy| T: W P Mullins| OR: 71

5/2

9/1, sixth of 9 in minor event hurdle at Punchestown (19.8f, good to soft) 36 days ago. Fairly useful on the Flat, creditable on last Flat outing. Shortlist material.

Form: 343394/

(12)

Big Challenge²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 9-1| J: J Cleary⁽⁴⁾| T: R Donohoe| OR: 70| D

40/1

Tenth of 14 in handicap at this course (10f, good to soft, 33/1) 25 days ago, not clear run. Back up in trip. Not easy to make a case for.

Form: 9006-00

(9)

Arctic Blaze^p²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 8-7| J: Jamie Powell⁽⁴⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 60

12/1

One win from 21 Flat runs. Winner at Dundalk in December. 16/1, good fourth of 14 in handicap at this course (10f, good) 20 days ago, nearest finish. Up in trip. Cheekpieces back on.

Form: 21-2354

Non-Runners

(10)

Buckman Tavern⁴⁰

Weight: 9-5| Age: 6

T: A J Martin J: Nathan Crosse

Forecasts

Startedwithakiss (5/2), Gibraltar (5/2), Fascinating Shadow (11/2), Razdan (7/1), Scott Lang (7/1), Buckman Tavern (10/1), Arctic Blaze (12/1), Ransom (18/1), Magnetic North (22/1), Dollar Value (28/1), S'all Good Man (28/1), Patience Patience (33/1), Big Challenge (40/1), Meritorious (50/1), Takarengo (66/1)

FASCINATING SHADOW has an upwardly-mobile profile on the Flat and he maintained his unbeaten record for his current yard when landing a juvenile hurdle at Cork recently, so he gets the nod in this competitive affair. Startedwithakiss had plenty in hand when opening her account in a maiden at Roscommon last time, so she's regarded as a treat, while the likeable Scott Lang can't be dismissed.