19:10 Down Royal

Friday 8 September 2023

All15:5016:2517:0017:3018:0518:4019:10

Grant Thornton Handicap (47-65)

Off time: 19:10 | Winning time: 2m 50.03s

(9)

Texas Sun^t³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: J M Sheridan| T: J McAuley| OR: 64

14/1

Didn't need to improve to win 12-runner claimer at Sligo (10.5f, good to soft, 14/1) 30 days ago. Up in trip. Makes handicap debut. Looked promising last season and he's unexposed for this stable, so worth taking a chance on.

Form: 2-60741

(8)

Hidden Land^h¹³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Luke McAteer| T: A Kinirons| OR: 62

11/1

One win from 23 Flat runs. Creditable seventh of 15 in handicap (11/1) at Limerick (11.2f, soft). Off 139 days. Likely to need the run.

Form: 60-0037

(2)

Estepona Sun²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-12| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle| T: C Byrnes| OR: 60

4/1

Thirteen runs since last win in 2020. Respectable fourth of 14 in novice hurdle at Kilbeggan (16f, good to soft, 6/1) 27 days ago. Potentially well treated returning to this sphere.

Form: 037200-

(12)

Showman⁶⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Ben Coen| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 56

18/1

Fifteenth of 16 in handicap (18/1) at Bellewstown (14.4f, good to soft) 64 days ago.

Form: 4243-00

(7)

Wojood^t³²

Age: 7| Weight: 9-4| J: S D Bowen⁽⁷⁾| T: A B Joyce| OR: 52

11/2

22/1, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Cork (18.7f, good to soft) 32 days ago, going in snatches. Fair on the all weather, respectable on last Flat run.

Form: 425-080

(5)

Kartayaz²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: Siobhan Rutledge⁽³⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 51| C

18/1

Course winner. Tongue strap on for 1st time, creditable sixth of 13 in handicap at Dundalk (10.7f, 8/1) 24 days ago, suited by emphasis on speed. Others more persuasive.

Form: 707536

(11)

Charlie Darling⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Robert Whearty⁽⁵⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 56

13/2

Career best when winning 13-runner handicap (33/1) at Navan (14f, good to soft) 8 days ago, suited by increase in trip. Should go well again if the race doesn't come too soon.

Form: 077741

(15)

Futurum Regem¹

Age: 7| Weight: 8-13| J: W Joyce⁽⁷⁾| T: H P Finegan| OR: 47

3/1

Creditable eighth of 14 in handicap at Clonmel (16.6f, good, 6/1) 1 day ago. Down in trip.

Form: 6/078-38

(4)

Joven De Corazon²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: S Foley| T: P Stafford| OR: 47

25/1

22/1, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe (16.6f, good) 25 days ago. Back up in trip. Modest on the Flat, below form on last Flat outing. Others more persuasive.

Form: 206-040

(16)

Manwal⁶⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 8-13| J: Robbie Colgan| T: V C Ward| OR: 47

50/1

Fourteenth of 15 in handicap (50/1) at Bellewstown (7.9f, good to soft) 64 days ago. Significantly back up in trip. Plenty to prove at present.

Form: 00-0000

(14)

Scalor^t⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 8-13| J: Adam Caffrey⁽⁵⁾| T: Liz Doyle| OR: 47

10/1

Eleventh of 17 in handicap at Navan (14f, good to soft, 10/1) 8 days ago. Others make more appeal.

Form: 033-670

(6)

Sioux Princess^p1,t²³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: James Ryan⁽⁷⁾| T: M O'Callaghan| OR: 47

9/1

Respectable seventh of 13 in handicap at Gowran (9.4f, good, 9/2) 23 days ago. Significantly up in trip. Trainer going well. Tongue strap back on, cheekpieces on 1st time. Others more persuasive. RESERVE.

Form: 6233-67

(1)

Drakensberg^t²²

Age: 9| Weight: 9-10| J: J Cleary⁽⁷⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 58| D

33/1

125/1, fourteenth of 18 in handicap at Leopardstown (9f, good) 22 days ago. Significantly up in trip. RESERVE.

Form: 86-0000

Non-Runners

(17)

Bigz Belief²⁹

Weight: 9-7| Age: 6

T: M J Smith J: Colin Keane

(13)

Theresathought¹⁷

Weight: 9-0| Age: 4

T: Michael G Cleary J: J Cleary

(3)

Cleopatra's Needle⁵

Weight: 8-13| Age: 5

T: H Rogers J: Non Runner

(10)

Mayo For Sam¹⁷

Weight: 8-9| Age: 3

T: A B Joyce J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Futurum Regem (3/1), Estepona Sun (4/1), Wojood (11/2), Charlie Darling (13/2), Bigz Belief (7/1), Sioux Princess (9/1), Scalor (10/1), Hidden Land (11/1), Mayo For Sam (12/1), Texas Sun (14/1), Cleopatra's Needle (14/1), Showman (18/1), Kartayaz (18/1), Joven De Corazon (25/1), Theresathought (25/1), Drakensberg (33/1), Manwal (50/1)

TEXAS SUN looked a reasonable prospect on his first couple of starts for Ger Lyons last season and, having got his career back on track since joining his current stable, he's worth a chance to defy a mark of 64 on his first go in handicaps. Estepona Sun and Charlie Darling could emerge as the main dangers.