16:20 Leopardstown

Saturday 22 October 2022

All13:2514:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5517:30

Eyrefield Stakes (Group 3)

Off time: 16:21 | Winning time: 2m 3.05s

(5)

Gulf Of Mexico²¹

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: E J McNamara| T: A P O'Brien

9/2

Thrice-raced winner. 5/2, won 10-runner maiden at Killarney (8.1f, soft) 21 days ago, suited by emphasis on stamina. More to come from him.

Form: 231

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(1)

Hiawatha²⁸

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: Billy Lee| T: A P O'Brien| BF

7/4

Useful form. Unsuited by drop in trip when eleventh of 19 in sales race at the Curragh (7f, good to soft, 10/3) 28 days ago. Should find this test more suitable. Big player under Billy Lee.

Form: 2210

(7)

Hippodrome¹⁴

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: Seamie Heffernan| T: A P O'Brien| D

5/1

Thrice-raced winner. 5/2, won 15-runner maiden at the Curragh (9f, soft) 14 days ago, suited by emphasis on stamina. Should have more to offer.

Form: 561

(6)

Mister Mister³⁵

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: S M Crosse| T: J P O'Brien

9/4

Thrice-raced winner. Won 13-runner maiden at Gowran (8f, good to soft, 5/2) 35 days ago, soon clear. Yard in good form. Should improve.

Form: 531

(4)

Speirling Beag¹⁴

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Rory Cleary| T: J S Bolger| OR: 96

25/1

Lightly-raced winner. Winner at Gowran in September. Creditable 2½ lengths third of 7 to Lumiere Rock in Staffordstown Stud Stakes at the Curragh (8f, soft, 20/1) 14 days ago. Yard has a good record in this race.

Form: 67313

(2)

Village Voice¹⁶

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Colin Keane| T: Mrs J Harrington

14/1

11/2, won 13-runner maiden at Thurles (8f, soft) on debut 16 days ago, cosily. This a jump in class but she's open to improvement.

Form: 1

Non-Runners

(3)

Keep In Touch²⁷

Weight: 9-2| Age: 2

T: D K Weld J: Chris Hayes

Forecasts

Hiawatha (7/4), Mister Mister (9/4), Keep In Touch (4/1), Gulf Of Mexico (9/2), Hippodrome (5/1), Village Voice (14/1), Speirling Beag (25/1)

Perhaps best to focus on the Aidan O'Brien trio. The drop back to 7f didn't work out for HIAWATHA last time but he retains potential as a stayer and is narrowly preferred to Gulf of Mexico and Hippodrome.