20:05 Killarney

Thursday 18 August 2022

All16:3017:0517:3518:0518:3519:0519:3520:05

Celtic Steps (Q.R.) Race

Off time: 20:05 | Winning time: 3m 55.18s

(6)

Dark Spark^p³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Miss A L Fitzgibbon⁽⁷⁾| T: M Winters

16/1

Useful jumps winner. Useful winner at 16f over hurdles. Sixth of 11 in handicap hurdle (11/2) at this course (20f, good) 34 days ago, ridden too aggressively. Made a winning Flat debut in June.

Form: 1

(10)

Jerandme^p¹⁶⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr Pat Taaffe⁽⁷⁾| T: N Meade| OR: 91

7/1

Cheekpieces on, good second of 14 in handicap chase (9/2) at Leopardstown (21.4f, good to soft) in March. Flat winner prior to that but has absence to overcome.

Form: 3121/41

(5)

Ruling^t1³²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr T Hamilton| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 101

5/1

Promising sort. Won 13-runner maiden at the Curragh (10f, good to soft, evens), kept up to work. Off 10 months. Significantly up in trip. Tongue strap on first time and likely there's more to come.

Form: 4/2391-

(8)

The Shunter^h²²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr D O'Connor| T: E Mullins

9/2

Smart winner at 21f over fences. Eighth of 21 in handicap chase at Galway (22.5f, good, 9/1) 22 days ago. Sligo winner over 13f prior to that but needs to leave that form behind.

Form: 1

(2)

Cape Gentleman²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: E Mullins| OR: 100| BF| D

4/7

Promising individual. Smart winner at 20f over fences. 17/2, ninth of 21 in handicap chase at Galway (22.5f, good) 22 days ago. Useful on the Flat and he sets the standard.

Form: 42121/5-

(3)

Balaclava⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Ms M Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: D Bunyan & G O'Leary| OR: 40

250/1

Remains a maiden after 17 Flat runs. First run since leaving Ms M. Kelly when ninth of 10 in maiden at Tramore (16f, good to firm, 100/1) 7 days ago.

Form: 0687/9-9

(1)

Dixon Line¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Harry Sexton⁽⁷⁾| T: A Sexton| OR: 43

125/1

Modest gelding. Creditable eighth of 13 in handicap hurdle at Sligo (17.9f, good, 33/1) 14 days ago. Significantly up in trip.

Form: 7300-90

(7)

Sani Pass^t⁸⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: Miss A B O'Connor⁽⁵⁾| T: R Hackett

125/1

Making Flat debut. Thirteenth of 15 in handicap hurdle (28/1) at Limerick (19f, good to soft) 84 days ago.

Form:

Non-Runners

(4)

Chiricahua²⁸

Weight: 11-7| Age: 5

T: P Nolan J: Mr J C Barry

(9)

Patrick Joseph³⁷

Weight: 11-4| Age: 7

T: D Broad J: Miss R Hogan

Forecasts

Cape Gentleman (4/7), The Shunter (9/2), Ruling (5/1), Jerandme (7/1), Chiricahua (10/1), Dark Spark (16/1), Dixon Line (125/1), Sani Pass (125/1), Patrick Joseph (150/1), Balaclava (250/1)

A range of abilities on show with several better known for their jumping exploits. CAPE GENTLEMAN shaped quite well in the Galway Plate last month and definitely possesses to speed to get the job done on the level. Ruling has stamina to prove but is unexposed and is second choice.