14:50 Curragh

Saturday 1 July 2023

All13:4014:1514:5015:2516:0016:3517:1017:40

Sherry FitzGerald Country Homes Handicap

Off time: 14:51 | Winning time: 1m 10.44s

(15)

Gordon Bennett²²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Gary Carroll| T: R Brabazon| OR: 93| CD

7/1

C&D winner. Fifth of 6 in conditions event at Fairyhouse (6f, good to firm, 7/2) on reappearance 22 days ago, unable to sustain effort. Should be spot on with that behind him. Respected.

Form: 81151-5

(4)

Apache Outlaw^t²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-11| J: Conor Stone-Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 96| D

17/2

17/2, good fourth of 9 in handicap at this course (5f, good) 24 days ago. Stable having good spell. Tongue strap back on. Open to improvement. Big player for leading stable.

Form: 1355-94

(12)

Dandyville³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Wayne Lordan| T: N Lupini| OR: 86| BF| D

7/1

Six wins from 19 Flat runs. 1 win from 2 runs this year. Latest win at Naas in May. Twelfth of 15 in handicap (9/2) at this C&D (good to soft) 36 days ago.

Form: 3211-10

(10)

Ice Cold In Alex^t¹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 9-5| J: J A Powell⁽⁵⁾| T: K J Condon| OR: 84| BF| CD

12/1

4-time course winner. Fourth of 7 in handicap at Fairyhouse (6f, good, 16/5) 15 days ago, unsuited by drop in trip.

Form: 551-024

(3)

Song For Whoever²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Jack Kearney⁽⁷⁾| T: John O'Donoghue| OR: 87| D

16/1

1 win from 3 runs this year. Latest win at Dundalk in January. 12/1, sixth of 9 in handicap at this course (5f, good) 24 days ago.

Form: 281-106

(2)

Dream Today^p,t⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 9-1| J: C J MacRedmond⁽⁵⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 80| D

20/1

Latest win at Dundalk in February. 8/1, fifth of 7 in minor event at Limerick (6.7f, good) 8 days ago.

Form: 133035

(6)

Heavenly Power³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: Ben Coen| T: E Lynam| OR: 76| CD

7/1

C&D winner but ran poorly when thirteenth of 15 in handicap here (good to soft, 11/2) 36 days ago. Bounce back needed.

Form: 2601-50

(8)

Hallowed Time^p⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 8-10| J: Declan McDonogh| T: Eoghan O'Neill| OR: 75

16/1

14/1, respectable fourth of 12 in handicap at Down Royal (5f, good) 8 days ago, nearest finish.

Form: 09-0204

(5)

Coumshingaun¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: Nathan Crosse| T: Kevin Coleman| OR: 74| BF| CD

9/2

Won this last year. Creditable third of 9 in handicap (11/4) at Gowran (7f, good to soft) 13 days ago. 7 lb lower in the weights than 12 months ago and a bold bid would come as no surprise.

Form: 00U423

(9)

Gabriella's Spirit^t¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: Chris Hayes| T: K J Condon| OR: 74

18/1

1 win from 2 runs this year. Latest win at Tipperary in May. Below form sixth of 10 in handicap at Cork (5f, good to soft, 4/1) 15 days ago.

Form: 7719-16

(7)

Iva Batt^p³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: Ronan Whelan| T: A McGuinness| OR: 74| BF| D

8/1

11/4, below form fifth of 9 in handicap at Roscommon (7.2f, good) 30 days ago.

Form: 8-42025

(11)

Greek Flower⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: L F Roche| T: J Feane| OR: 71

5/1

9/2, creditable second of 8 in handicap at Down Royal (5f, good) 8 days ago, sticking to task.

Form: 23-6302

(1)

Navalny⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: K J Leonard| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 76

80/1

Below form fifth of 10 in maiden (13/2) at Limerick (7f, good) 7 days ago. Makes handicap debut. improvement will be needed.

Form: 454-655

Non-Runners

(13)

Midnight Fire¹

Weight: 8-7| Age: 6

T: E & P Harty J: N G McCullagh

(14)

Parting Glass¹⁵

Weight: 8-7| Age: 3

T: J A Stack J: A J Slattery

Forecasts

Coumshingaun (9/2), Greek Flower (5/1), Midnight Fire (6/1), Dandyville (7/1), Heavenly Power (7/1), Gordon Bennett (7/1), Iva Batt (8/1), Parting Glass (8/1), Apache Outlaw (17/2), Ice Cold In Alex (12/1), Hallowed Time (16/1), Song For Whoever (16/1), Gabriella's Spirit (18/1), Dream Today (20/1), Navalny (80/1)

APACHE OUTLAW shaped well on his 5f course handicap debut and should have more to offer back up at 6f so he might prove the answer to this competitive handicap. Second choice is Gordon Bennett who did so well in handicaps in the second half of last year and should be nicely primed for this after his Fairyhouse reappearance 3 weeks ago. The shortlist is completed by last year's winner Coumshingaun, who arrives on the back of 3 creditable placed efforts.