16:15 Galway

Saturday 30 July 2022

All14:0014:3015:0515:4016:1516:4517:2017:55

Gra Chocolates Irish EBF Nursery Handicap

Off time: 16:15 | Winning time: 1m 34.64s

(1)

Congo River^t1⁵⁵

Age: 2| Weight: 9-7| J: J A Heffernan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 87| BF

10/3

Twice-raced maiden. Third of 6 in maiden at Listowel (6.3f, good to soft, 4/6) 55 days ago. Tongue strap on 1st time. Makes handicap debut for top stable. Big player.

Form: 23

(2)

Goa Gajah⁴³

Age: 2| Weight: 9-7| J: M P Sheehy⁽³⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 87| D

7/2

Twice-raced winner. 85/40, won 14-runner maiden at Down Royal (7f, good to soft) 43 days ago, keeping on well. Makes handicap debut. Likely capable of better again.

Form: 91

(5)

Pandora Lovegood³²

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: Gary Carroll| T: J G Murphy| OR: 83| D

15/8

Thrice-raced winner. 3/1, won 9-runner maiden at Roscommon (7.3f, soft) 32 days ago, easily. Makes handicap debut.

Form: 631

(6)

Yamazaki¹⁴

Age: 2| Weight: 8-7| J: Wayne Lordan| T: Donnacha O'Brien| OR: 72

9/1

Thrice-raced maiden. 40/1, eighth of 11 in maiden at the Curragh (7f, good to soft) 14 days ago. Yard having good spell. Makes handicap debut.

Form: 588

(7)

Ard Mhacha³²

Age: 2| Weight: 8-7| J: J A Powell⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 71

5/1

Thrice-raced maiden. 5 lengths third of 9 to Pandora Lovegood in maiden (40/1) at Roscommon (7.3f, soft) 32 days ago, running on. Trainer going well. Makes handicap debut. More needed from this opening mark.

Form: 803

(4)

Approaching Bear²¹

Age: 2| Weight: 8-7| J: A C Persse⁽⁷⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 70

11/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Fourth of 11 in maiden at Navan (5.8f, good to firm, 14/1) 21 days ago, nearest finish. Up in trip. Makes handicap debut. one of 2 runners from leading yard. Betting should provide more clues.

Form: 064

Non-Runners

(3)

Thunderbear¹

Weight: 9-2| Age: 2

T: J Davison J: Ronan Whelan

Forecasts

Pandora Lovegood (15/8), Congo River (10/3), Goa Gajah (7/2), Ard Mhacha (5/1), Yamazaki (9/1), Thunderbear (10/1), Approaching Bear (11/1)

The fact CONGO RIVER has gone off at a short price on both starts suggests he's well regarded at Ballydoyle and, with a tongue tie to possibly help, he is taken to come good now switching to a handicap. Fellow joint top weight Goa Gajah should have more to offer on the back of his Down Royal maiden success and can provide the chief threat.