19:30 Dundalk

Friday 9 December 2022

All17:0017:3018:0018:3019:0019:3020:0020:30

William Hill Pick Your Places Handicap

Off time: 19:30 | Winning time: 1m 12.43s

(2)

Rough Diamond⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle| T: E Lynam| OR: 95| CD

5/4

3 wins from 9 runs this year. 9/2, career best when winning 13-runner handicap at this C&D 42 days ago by 3¼ lengths from Dream Today, driven out. Stable in good form. Should go well again.

Form: 939131

(3)

Dream Today^p,t⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: C J MacRedmond⁽⁵⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 88| CD

11/2

C&D winner. Latest win at Laytown in September. 8/1, creditable 3¼ lengths second of 13 to Rough Diamond in handicap at this C&D 42 days ago, conceding first run. Landed this race 12 months ago and not dismissed lightly.

Form: 472142

(8)

Hodd's Girl¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Adam Caffrey⁽⁷⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 85| CD

5/1

5-time course winner. Latest win here in November. Good second of 13 in handicap (9/2) at this C&D 14 days ago, forced to switch inside final 1f and keeping on. Expected to feature again.

Form: 131212

(5)

Ampeson^p⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: Jack Kearney⁽⁷⁾| T: P J McKenna| OR: 84| C| D

13/2

Course winner. 20/1, good fourth of 12 in handicap at this course (8f) 7 days ago. Drops back down in trip now and whilst he's yet to win from a mark this high, his consistency is hard to knock.

Form: 034424

(7)

Ivasecret¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: Chris Hayes| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 84| D

11/1

Latest win at Kempton in October. 14/1, first run since leaving John Butler when creditable fourth of 13 in handicap at this C&D 14 days ago.

Form: U28174

(4)

Transcendental²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Gary Carroll| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 83| D

66/1

First run since leaving P. Sogorb when tenth of 14 in minor event (80/1) at this course (7f) on IRE debut 21 days ago. That was her first start for 5 months and this ought to reveal more.

Form: 216000

(6)

Rocky Dreams¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: Ronan Whelan| T: J McAuley| OR: 78| CD

14/1

3 wins from 14 runs this year. 10/3, creditable second of 14 in claimer at this course (8f) 16 days ago, nearest finish. Back down in trip. First run for yard after leaving Denis Hogan.

Form: 312642

(1)

Benavente²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-10| J: Nathan Crosse| T: R O'Brien| OR: 77| C

10/1

Course winner. Third of 14 in minor event at this course (7f, 50/1) 21 days ago, never nearer. Has slipped to an attractive mark if he's able to build on that now.

Form: 158-003

Forecasts

Rough Diamond (5/4), Hodd's Girl (5/1), Dream Today (11/2), Ampeson (13/2), Benavente (10/1), Ivasecret (11/1), Rocky Dreams (14/1), Transcendental (66/1)

ROUGH DIAMOND confirmed himself a sprinter operating firmly at the top of his game when bolting up over C&D 6 weeks ago and a 7 lb rise may not prevent another bold bid on that evidence. Dream Today, who finished runner-up on that occasion, is a threat, along with Hodd's Girl. Benavente is also worth keeping an eye on having displayed much more encouraging signs back on AW last month.