19:40 Galway

Friday 4 August 2023

All17:0017:3018:0018:3519:1019:4020:1020:40

Arthur Guinness Handicap (50-70)

Off time: 19:41 | Winning time: 1m 52.44s

(3)

Rio Largo⁴^{(ex 7)}

Age: 3| Weight: 10-9| J: Declan McDonogh| T: L Comer| OR: 70| C

4/1

8/1, career best when winning 15-runner handicap at this course (7f, heavy) on Monday. Carries penalty but step back up in trip will suit and he's clearly in good order.

Form: 941931

(11)

Sir John Monash²³

Age: 3| Weight: 10-2| J: G M Ryan| T: P J F Murphy| OR: 70| BF

17/2

Bit below form eighth of 14 in handicap (5/1) at Dundalk (7f) 23 days ago. Back up in trip, which may help him.

Form: 444528

(8)

Harriet Eagle¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 10-1| J: R Donaghue-Leahy⁽¹⁰⁾| T: P J Flynn| OR: 69

28/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Fifth of 11 in maiden (125/1) at the Curragh (7f, soft) 13 days ago. Up in trip. Makes handicap debut with promise of more to come but mark certainly demands it.

Form: 065

(16)

Fratas⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-13| J: J A Powell⁽⁵⁾| T: M Mulvany| OR: 67

11/2

Winner at Ballinrobe in June. 13/2, creditable third of 13 in handicap at this course (12.4f, heavy) on Monday. Significantly back down in trip.

Form: 901453

(7)

Jazz Forever⁸⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-13| J: Luke McAteer| T: P W Flynn| OR: 67

25/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 14/1 and hooded for first time, first run since leaving M. Halford when sixth of 9 in handicap at Killarney (8.1f, good to soft) 80 days ago, not ideally placed.

Form: 04-556

(18)

Rival Queen^t1⁴²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-13| J: M P Sheehy| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 67

40/1

Thrice-raced maiden. 14/1, ninth of 16 in maiden at Limerick (8f, good) 42 days ago, not knocked about. Tongue strap on first time and type to do better in handicaps, but assessor taken no chances with her mark.

Form: 659

(6)

Bright Dick³⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-12| J: Nathan Crosse| T: L Comer| OR: 66

20/1

Below form seventh of 16 in handicap at Tipperary (9f, good, 33/1) 30 days ago, merely passing beaten rivals.

Form: 523507

(1)

Rough And Tough⁸⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-12| J: Gary Carroll| T: M Mulvany| OR: 66

22/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Sixth of 8 in handicap at Sligo (10.4f, good to soft, 20/1) 80 days ago. Not easy to make a case for.

Form: 8566

(15)

Western Cape^t²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-10| J: J A Heffernan| T: E McNamara| OR: 64

28/1

16/5, creditable fourth of 11 in claimer at Fairyhouse (10f, good) 23 days ago, racing closer to pace than ideal. First run for yard after leaving Denis Hogan.

Form: 344524

(12)

Snowhaven¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: S T McCullagh⁽³⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 63| BF

18/1

Twelfth of 15 in handicap at Killarney (11.2f, good to soft, 10/3) 18 days ago. Back down in trip.

Form: 0-865S0

(19)

Bang Po⁹³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: L F Roche| T: R O'Sullivan| OR: 62| BF

25/1

Below form sixth of 13 in handicap at Gowran (8f, good to soft, 4/1). Off 93 days.

Form: 04-0946

(9)

Kami^b1,t1⁴⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: Paddy Harnett⁽⁵⁾| T: M M McNiff| OR: 62

66/1

33/1, respectable eleventh of 20 in handicap at Cork (7f, soft) 49 days ago. Back up in trip. Blinkers/tongue strap on 1st time. Plenty to find on form.

Form: 670-580

(17)

Partisan Hero^p¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Chris Hayes| T: D K Weld| OR: 61

6/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Cheekpieces on for first time, excellent third of 14 in handicap at Killarney (8.1f, good to soft, 5/1) 17 days ago, faring best of those held up. Likely has a bigger performance in him.

Form: 0-083

(14)

Lisieux^p1²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Adam Caffrey⁽⁵⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 60

28/1

Twelve runs since last win in 2022. 12/1, below form seventh of 17 in handicap at Navan (5.8f, good to soft) 20 days ago, left with too much to do. Significantly up in trip. Cheekpieces on first time.

Form: 563767

(2)

Dougie's Double^t1¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle| T: R P Cody| OR: 59

66/1

Thrice-raced maiden. 66/1, seventh of 8 in maiden at Killarney (8.2f, good) 16 days ago. Tongue strap on for 1st time. Makes handicap debut. Uphill task.

Form: 80-7

(4)

Navy Beach^t1⁴¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Colin Keane| T: A J Martin| OR: 59

9/4

Good third of 10 in handicap at Down Royal (10.3f, good, 6/1) 41 days ago, never nearer. Tongue strap on first time and very interesting contender.

Form: 060-053

(5)

Portmagee¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: W J Lee| T: R Brabazon| OR: 59

28/1

9/1, fourteenth of 15 in handicap at Killarney (11.2f, good to soft) 18 days ago. Back down in trip. RESERVE.

Form: 0-70550

Non-Runners

(20)

Havana Notion²⁰

Weight: 9-8| Age: 3

T: J Feane J: Hugh Horgan

(21)

Lasting Peace²⁹

Weight: 9-8| Age: 3

T: N Meade J: Robert Whearty

(10)

Jackie Brown⁶⁴

Weight: 9-3| Age: 3

T: A J Martin J: Reserve 2

(13)

Kinda Tiny⁶

Weight: 9-1| Age: 3

T: T Doyle J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Navy Beach (9/4), Rio Largo (4/1), Lasting Peace (5/1), Fratas (11/2), Jackie Brown (11/2), Partisan Hero (6/1), Sir John Monash (17/2), Havana Notion (16/1), Snowhaven (18/1), Bright Dick (20/1), Rough And Tough (22/1), Bang Po (25/1), Jazz Forever (25/1), Portmagee (28/1), Harriet Eagle (28/1), Lisieux (28/1), Western Cape (28/1), Kinda Tiny (33/1), Rival Queen (40/1), Kami (66/1), Dougie's Double (66/1)

NAVY BEACH creeps in at the foot of the weights for very shrewd connections and given we surely haven't seen the best of him yet, he's a fascinating contender. Lasting Peace seems sure to give it another good go, with Rio Largo, a winner at the meeting on Monday, clearly in excellent heart.