15:45 Curragh

Sunday 16 April 2023

All13:2514:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5517:25

Lester Piggott Gladness Stakes (Group 3)

Off time: 15:45 | Winning time: 1m 34.17s

(2)

Hannibal Barca^t²⁰⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: M P Sheehy| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 106| C| D

5/1

Smart colt. One win from 3 runs last year. Tongue strap on for 1st time, 5¼ lengths ninth of 10 to Bear Story in Diamond Stakes at Dundalk (10.7f, 13/2). Off 6 months. Significantly down in trip. Not ruled out.

Form: 314/179-

(5)

Carrytheone^t1²²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-9| J: Ben Coen| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 102| C| D

9/2

Useful gelding. Course winner. 15/2, creditable eleventh of 27 in handicap at this course (8f, heavy) 22 days ago, running on late. Tongue strap on 1st time. Ought to be in the shake-up.

Form: 29/576-0

(7)

Cosmic Vega²²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: Ronan Whelan| T: M Halford & T Collins| OR: 100| D

12/1

Useful gelding. Latest win at Naas in November. Only twentieth of 27 in handicap at this course (8f, heavy, 22/1) 22 days ago so needs to bounce back.

Form: 47151-0

(1)

Power Under Me^t¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons| OR: 106| C

5/1

Smart gelding. Two wins from 6 runs last year. Resumed with encouraging fifth of 8 to Buckaroo in listed race (6/1) at Leopardstown (8f, heavy) 11 days ago. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 63051-5

(6)

Goldana¹⁷⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 103| D

17/2

Useful filly. Won 9-runner listed race (44/10) at Hanover (8.7f, good to soft) by 6 lengths from Lacuna. Off 175 days. First run for yard after leaving Peter Schiergen. Considered.

Form: 581321-

(4)

Mea Domina¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: W J Lee| T: P Twomey| OR: 101| D

2/1

Useful filly. First run since leaving J. Reynier when encouraging 3½ lengths third of 8 to Buckaroo in listed race (5/1) at Leopardstown (8f, heavy) on IRE debut 11 days ago. In the picture.

Form: 23511-3

(3)

Nightcliff¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: N G McCullagh| T: David J Geary| OR: 95| CD

15/2

Lightly-raced C&D winner. Very good 5¼ lengths fifth of 10 to Never Ending Story in 1000 Guineas Trial (50/1) at Leopardstown (7.1f, heavy) 14 days ago. Not discounted.

Form: 541-5

Forecasts

Mea Domina (2/1), Carrytheone (9/2), Power Under Me (5/1), Hannibal Barca (5/1), Nightcliff (15/2), Goldana (17/2), Cosmic Vega (12/1)

POWER UNDER ME holds the edge on form and should be all the better for his reappearance Leopardstown fifth so gets the vote in an open Group 3. Mea Domina made an encouraging start for her new yard when third in the same contest so rates a big threat, while the Joseph O'Brien trained-duo Goldana and Hannibal Barca must enter calculations too.