20:10 Gowran Park

Wednesday 16 August 2023

All16:3517:1017:4018:1018:4019:1019:4020:10

McEnery Cup Handicap

Off time: 20:10 | Winning time: 2m 45.76s

(8)

Goodie Two Shoes^t⁴⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Conor Stone-Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 95| BF

6/5

Lightly-raced winner on Flat. 9/2, creditable eighth of 15 in handicap at the Curragh (10f, good) 46 days ago. Up in trip and she's open to improvement.

Form: 117-8

(4)

The Shunter^h,t¹⁰⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: Simon Torrens| T: E Mullins| OR: 95| BF

11/1

Lightly-raced winner on the Flat. Smart winner at 21f in chases. 25/1, fifteenth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (19.1f, good to soft) 109 days ago. Off 109 days and needs a career-best in this sphere. Yard also saddles Aurora Princess.

Form: 1374-

(9)

Smooth Tom^v¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: A J Slattery| T: A Slattery| OR: 93

5/2

Latest win at Leopardstown in May. 20/1, respectable seventh of 17 in handicap at Galway (12f, good) 12 days ago, never nearer. Can give a good account without posing serious threat to principals.

Form: 781297

(1)

Wandering Rocks^t⁴²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: W J Lee| T: W Durkan| OR: 82

9/2

Respectable second of 7 in handicap at Epsom (10.1f, good, 10/3) 42 days ago. Back up in trip on first run for yard after leaving James Fanshawe. One to consider.

Form: 39-7662

(6)

Aurora Princess^t1,v¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: Ronan Whelan| T: E Mullins| OR: 78| C

8/1

Course winner. Fourteenth of 17 in handicap (14/1) at Galway (12f, good) 12 days ago, not clear run. Visor back on and tongue strap on 1st time. Becoming well treated and she merits respect.

Form: 3085-60

(5)

Rushford²²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-10| J: C Horgan⁽⁷⁾| T: T R Hughes| OR: 77| BF

33/1

Bit below form ninth of 15 in handicap hurdle (10/1) at Ballinrobe (17f, good) 22 days ago. Creditable effort on last Flat run (for Sir Mark Prescott) and it would be no surprise were he to take a hand in the finish.

Form: 181693-

Non-Runners

(7)

Phoenix Cowboy¹⁴

Weight: 9-11| Age: 6

T: J J Hanlon J: G M Ryan

(10)

March Law¹

Weight: 9-4| Age: 5

T: M J Smith J: Robert Whearty

(3)

Youcrackmeup¹⁶

Weight: 9-0| Age: 3

T: Mrs J Harrington J: S Foley

(2)

Voice Of Reason¹⁶

Weight: 8-7| Age: 3

T: G M Lyons J: L F Roche

Forecasts

Goodie Two Shoes (6/5), Smooth Tom (5/2), Youcrackmeup (10/3), Wandering Rocks (9/2), Aurora Princess (8/1), Voice Of Reason (8/1), The Shunter (11/1), March Law (20/1), Phoenix Cowboy (25/1), Rushford (33/1)

There may well be better to come from GOODIE TWO SHOES, who wasn't disgraced on her first start in handicap company at the Curragh where she was returning from a 5-month break. Entitled to come on for that run and likely to benefit from this step up in trip, the Fastnet Rock filly gets the nod ahead of British import Wandering Rocks and Aurora Princess, who has slipped to an attractive mark in this sphere. Others to consider include the progressive Youcrackmeup and Rushford.