16:15 Curragh

Sunday 2 July 2023

All13:5014:2515:0015:4016:1516:5017:2518:00

Dubai Duty Free Derby Festival Handicap (Premier Handicap)

Off time: 16:25 | Winning time: 1m 34.78s

(10)

Saltonstall^p,t¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: James Ryan⁽⁷⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 100| CD

40/1

C&D winner. 22/1, last of 6 in minor event at Gowran (9.4f, good to soft) 14 days ago. Others make more appeal.

Form: 1-24586

(7)

Casanova¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-11| J: Adam Caffrey⁽⁵⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 97| D

16/1

Twenty runs since last win in 2021. 8/1, respectable second of 6 in minor event at Gowran (9.4f, good to soft) 14 days ago.

Form: 6-43202

(15)

Current Option³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-9| J: C J MacRedmond⁽⁵⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 95

25/1

50/1, creditable 3 lengths fifth of 20 to Rahmi in handicap at this C&D (good to soft) 37 days ago. Becoming well treated and can't be ruled out.

Form: 23-3005

(2)

Rahmi³⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: Ben Coen| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 91| CD

4/1

Won 20-runner handicap (18/1) at this C&D (good to soft) 37 days ago. Stable having good spell. On the up and likely to go well again.

Form: 413-81

(1)

Chazzesmee^h⁹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: J M Sheridan| T: J A Stack| OR: 90| D

11/1

Career best when winning 12-runner handicap at Naas (7f, heavy, 11/8), well on top finish. Off 98 days. Needs more improvement if he's to complete the hat-trick.

Form: 67P/4-11

(5)

Blues Emperor⁴²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: Shane Kelly| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 87| D

7/1

Career best when winning 13-runner handicap (2/1) at Naas (8f, good to firm) 42 days ago, always holding on. Yard in good form. Should give another good account.

Form: 4/317-21

(23)

Cordouan¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: Declan McDonogh| T: A McGuinness| OR: 87| D

28/1

4/1, bit below form third of 6 in handicap at Limerick (8f, good to soft) 18 days ago. Others are more appealing.

Form: 21/123-3

(3)

Howyoulikethat²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-1| J: W J Lee| T: Miss H McLoughlin| OR: 87| D

16/1

10/1, respectable fourth of 13 in handicap at Leopardstown (9f, good) 24 days ago, faring best of those held up. Can't be ruled out.

Form: 0310-04

(20)

Tosen Wish^t³⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: G M Ryan| T: A McGuinness| OR: 87

9/1

1 win from 3 runs this year. 15/2, shaped as if still in form when 5½ lengths eleventh of 20 to Rahmi in handicap at this C&D (good to soft) 37 days ago, not much room. Not discounted.

Form: 51/150

(19)

Celtic Crown⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 8-13| J: M P Sheehy| T: A McGuinness| OR: 85| CD

25/1

C&D winner. Good third of 9 in handicap at Down Royal (10.3f, good, 17/2) 8 days ago. Back down in trip. One to consider.

Form: 0-36903

(16)

Brave Troop³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: Luke McAteer| T: Barry J Fitzgerald| OR: 84

14/1

2 wins from 3 runs this year. Latest win at Gowran in April. Good fourth of 15 in handicap (8/1) at this course (10f, good) 36 days ago, very much having run of race. Enters calculations.

Form: 031-114

(6)

Farnborough^b⁹^{(ex 7)}

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: J A Heffernan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 85| BF| D

6/1

Didn't need to improve to win 16-runner maiden (1/2) at Limerick (8f, good) 9 days ago, comfortably. Carries penalty. More required but remains with potential.

Form: 92-2261

(9)

Cheers Again⁵⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-10| J: Robert Whearty⁽⁷⁾| T: P W Flynn| OR: 82| D

20/1

Latest win at Dundalk in January. 9/1, bit below form 5¼ lengths ninth of 19 to Earls in handicap at Cork (7f, soft) 58 days ago. Others make more appeal.

Form: 41-1249

(8)

No More Porter^p,t³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-10| J: Chris Hayes| T: A McGuinness| OR: 82| CD

10/1

C&D winner. Thirteen runs since last win in 2021. Creditable 2¾ lengths fourth of 20 to Rahmi in handicap at this C&D (good to soft, 8/1) 37 days ago. Tongue strap back on. Respected.

Form: 072-564

(21)

Sirjack Thomas²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 8-8| J: Nathan Crosse| T: A McGuinness| OR: 80| CD

33/1

C&D winner. Latest win here in May. 16/1, eleventh of 13 in handicap at Leopardstown (9f, good) 24 days ago. Must improve.

Form: 050010

(11)

Zabeir^t²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-8| J: N G McCullagh| T: D Kinsella| OR: 80

16/1

Career best when winning 12-runner maiden (11/1) at Dundalk (7f), keeping on well. Off 9 months. Likely to need the run. Engaged 6.05 here Friday.

Form: 45741-3

(14)

Gambe Veloci^p1³⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: M W Hassett⁽¹⁰⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 79| D

7/1

1 win from 2 runs this year. 13/2, good 3 lengths sixth of 20 to Rahmi in handicap at this C&D (good to soft) 37 days ago, unable to sustain effort. Cheekpieces on 1st time. Likely to be on the premises.

Form: 223-16

(22)

Super Over^p¹⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: L F Roche| T: D P Coakley| OR: 79| D

33/1

Latest win at Dundalk in December. Good third of 14 in handicap (6/1) at Dundalk (8f). Off 163 days. Yet to prove he's quite as effective on turf.

Form: 00151-3

Non-Runners

(13)

Snapraeterea⁵⁸

Weight: 9-13| Age: 5

T: J P O'Brien J: Jake Coen

(17)

Joe Masseria⁸⁵

Weight: 9-4| Age: 4

T: N Meade J: J A Powell

(4)

Earls³⁷

Weight: 9-3| Age: 6

T: G P Cromwell J: Gary Carroll

(18)

Arniemac⁴⁷

Weight: 9-1| Age: 4

T: J P O'Brien J: Dylan Browne McMonagle

(12)

Inchturk⁹⁹

Weight: 8-8| Age: 4

T: M Halford & T Collins J: Ronan Whelan

Forecasts

Rahmi (4/1), Farnborough (6/1), Blues Emperor (7/1), Gambe Veloci (7/1), Joe Masseria (8/1), Tosen Wish (9/1), No More Porter (10/1), Arniemac (10/1), Chazzesmee (11/1), Brave Troop (14/1), Zabeir (16/1), Howyoulikethat (16/1), Casanova (16/1), Cheers Again (20/1), Snapraeterea (20/1), Current Option (25/1), Celtic Crown (25/1), Earls (25/1), Cordouan (28/1), Sirjack Thomas (33/1), Super Over (33/1), Saltonstall (40/1), Inchturk (50/1)

This is highly competitive but ARNIEMAC made a good impression when landing a maiden at Killarney 47 days ago and, with the scope for further progress, he is narrowly preferred to Rahmi, who landed a 20-runner event over C&D last time. Blues Emperor is one of several others to consider.