18:00 Dundalk

Friday 6 January 2023

All15:5016:2517:0017:3018:0018:3019:0019:30

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Off time: 18:00 | Winning time: 1m 14.23s

(4)

Aces Wild^t¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Siobhan Rutledge⁽⁵⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 63

11/2

Lightly-raced colt. Tongue strap on for 1st time, ran below best eleventh of 14 on handicap debut here (5f) 16 days ago. Best efforts in maidens previously came over C&D though, and he could well bounce back.

Form: 7240-

(1)

Diamondsinthesand^t³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-9| J: Adrian O'Shea⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs A M O'Shea| OR: 65

5/1

Fair gelding. Remains a maiden after 8 Flat runs. 15/2, respectable third of 7 in maiden at this C&D 35 days ago, without being seen to very best effect. Merits consideration.

Form: 679023-

(2)

Ribtide^p1,t1¹⁰⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: N G McCullagh| T: K P Cotter| OR: 58

7/1

Modest gelding. First run since leaving Adrian Nicholls when below form twelfth of 23 in handicap at the Curragh (1m) in September, ridden over 2f out and not quicken. Back down markedly in trip on return.

Form: 200960-

(6)

Surviving Murmansk^b¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: Alan Persse⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs A M O'Shea| OR: 41

150/1

Little to shout about on Flat/over hurdles and likely set for another struggle here. Yard look to hold far more convincing claims with Diamondsinthesand.

Form: 00/4900-

(7)

Unterberg²³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: M A Enright| T: G M Lyons

6/5

€12,000 yearling, New Bay gelding. 4/1, showed ability without being knocked about when midfield in 15-runner Curragh maiden (7f) back in May. In good hands and feasible to see improvement coming. One to note.

Form: 7-

(5)

Empress Of Bough¹⁰⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Shane Markey⁽¹⁰⁾| T: A McCann| OR: 54

16/1

Fair filly who ran disappointingly on each of her last 2 starts in handicaps last summer, latterly when fourteenth of 18 at Fairyhouse (6f, good) in September. Bounce back called for on return to action.

Form: 535200-

(8)

Riqaaby⁸²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 9-4| J: C D Maxwell| T: P F O'Donnell

100/1

Poor form in pair of bumpers during 2020 and similarly well held in 2 tries on the Flat later that year for John Butler. Absent since and she can only be watched here on debut for new stable.

Form: 77/

(3)

Un Bacio Ancora³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Rory Cleary| T: C W J Farrell| OR: 65| BF

9/2

Fair filly. Remains a maiden after 12 Flat runs. 5/2, bit below form fourth of 13 in handicap at this C&D 30 days ago, keeping on. Claims of hitting the frame once more.

Form: 305024-

Forecasts

Unterberg (6/5), Un Bacio Ancora (9/2), Diamondsinthesand (5/1), Aces Wild (11/2), Ribtide (7/1), Empress Of Bough (16/1), Riqaaby (100/1), Surviving Murmansk (150/1)

DIAMONDSINTHESAND produced another creditable effort without being seen to very best effect when third over C&D 5 weeks ago and could just be worth chancing to come out on top in what looks a trappy maiden. Unterberg shaped with definite promise on his sole start as a 3-y-o last year and needs monitoring, with Un Bacio Ancora another to consider.