15:05 Curragh

Saturday 23 September 2023

All13:2013:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:25

Fitzpatrick's Mercedes-Benz Joe McGrath Handicap

Off time: 15:09 | Winning time: 1m 2.38s

(17)

The Highway Rat¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Billy Lee| T: A Oliver| OR: 100| D

6/1

Six wins from 16 Flat runs. Creditable fifth of 22 in handicap (33/1) at this course (6f, good to soft) 13 days ago, unable to sustain effort.

Form: 015-215

(6)

Real Force¹⁶⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Conor Stone-Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: D Bunyan & G O'Leary| OR: 93| D

12/1

18/1, career best when winning 10-runner handicap at Cork (5f, heavy) 168 days ago. Big shout.

Form: 54400-1

(2)

Jon Riggens^t¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: James Ryan⁽⁵⁾| T: E Lynam| OR: 91| CD

13/2

C&D winner. Latest win here in August. 9/1, respectable seventh of 22 in handicap at this course (6f, good to soft) 13 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 4P3417

(4)

Master Matt^p,t¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 9-4| J: Ronan Whelan| T: M Halford & T Collins| OR: 90| CD

28/1

C&D winner. Latest win at Fairyhouse in June. 40/1, fourteenth of 22 in handicap at this course (6f, good to soft) 13 days ago. Cheekpieces back on. Not taken lightly.

Form: 120030

(19)

Laugh A Minute¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 9-3| J: Adam Caffrey⁽⁵⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 89| CD

8/1

C&D winner. Below form eleventh of 22 in handicap at this course (6f, good to soft, 11/1) 13 days ago. Can make presence felt.

Form: 020330

(18)

Never Shout Never¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Jamie Powell⁽⁵⁾| T: J A Stack| OR: 89| D

10/3

Winner at Cork in August. Good second of 22 in handicap (16/1) at this course (6f, good to soft) 13 days ago, no match for winner. Unexposed and good claims.

Form: 44212

(9)

Silmaniya^p²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Ben Coen| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 87| BF| D

9/1

Blinkered for 1st time, creditable ½-length second of 7 to The Highway Rat in handicap (85/40) at Navan (5f, good to soft) 21 days ago. Cheekpieces back on.

Form: 5-76522

(1)

The Organiser¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: Mikey Sheehy| T: J F Levins| OR: 83| C

18/1

Latest win here in August. Below form thirteenth of 22 in handicap at this course (6f, good to soft, 12/1) 13 days ago.

Form: 3-50510

(16)

Mickey The Steel^p,t¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-10| J: Wesley Joyce⁽⁷⁾| T: Joseph Murray| OR: 82| D

18/1

16/1, eighth of 9 in handicap at Cork (6f, good to firm) 17 days ago. Back to a potentially lenient mark.

Form: 240608

(3)

Sioux Spirit^v¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: Leigh Roche| T: K J Condon| OR: 81| D

28/1

66/1, creditable ninth of 22 in handicap at this course (6f, good to soft) 13 days ago, never nearer.

Form: 593959

(14)

Curraheen Princess^p1¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: Andrew Slattery| T: N Stokes| OR: 79| CD

10/1

C&D winner. Eight wins from 28 Flat runs. 33/1, nineteenth of 22 in handicap at this course (6f, good to soft) 13 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time. Second in this last year and lurks on a tempting mark.

Form: 311660

(10)

Harry's Hill⁵⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: Wayne Hassett⁽⁷⁾| T: M Hassett| OR: 79| CD

16/1

C&D winner. 2 wins from 6 runs this year. Latest win here in July. 14/1, eleventh of 14 in handicap at Cork (5f, good) 57 days ago.

Form: 661010

(5)

Nordic Passage¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 8-7| J: Rory Cleary| T: J F Levins| OR: 76| BF| CD

33/1

C&D winner. Latest win at Newcastle in August. Tenth of 14 in handicap (4/1) at Southwell (6.1f) 10 days ago.

Form: 742210

(7)

Swift Flight^t¹²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: N G McCullagh| T: K J Condon| OR: 75| D

22/1

Eleven runs since last win in 2021. 17/2, below form ninth of 15 in handicap at this course (6f, good to soft) 120 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 207-329

(20)

Elda⁴³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: Nathan Crosse| T: A Kinirons| OR: 74| D

16/1

6/1, improved when winning 12-runner maiden at Tipperary (5f, soft) 43 days ago by ¾ length from Never Shout Never, driven out. Makes handicap debut. Lots more needed.

Form: 4-561

(13)

Mount Ruapehu^p1¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: C Horgan⁽⁷⁾| T: J F Grogan| OR: 71| D

66/1

Respectable fifth of 9 in handicap at Cork (6f, good to firm, 20/1) 17 days ago, having run of race. Cheekpieces on 1st time. Plenty to find on form.

Form: 702605

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to all bets - deduction 5p in the pound

Non-Runners

(8)

Dream Today¹¹

Weight: 8-8| Age: 8

T: A McGuinness J: Declan McDonogh

(12)

Hallowed Time²⁸

Weight: 8-7| Age: 5

T: Eoghan O'Neill J: Chris Hayes

(15)

Screen Siren⁴²

Weight: 8-7| Age: 5

T: S Lynam J: D E Sheehy

(11)

Livingston Range²⁸

Weight: 8-7| Age: 5

T: L Breen J: Siobhan Rutledge

Forecasts

Never Shout Never (10/3), The Highway Rat (6/1), Jon Riggens (13/2), Laugh A Minute (8/1), Silmaniya (9/1), Curraheen Princess (10/1), Real Force (12/1), Dream Today (14/1), Hallowed Time (14/1), Harry's Hill (16/1), Elda (16/1), Screen Siren (16/1), Mickey The Steel (18/1), The Organiser (18/1), Swift Flight (22/1), Livingston Range (25/1), Sioux Spirit (28/1), Master Matt (28/1), Nordic Passage (33/1), Mount Ruapehu (66/1)

Another hot renewal of this premier sprint handicap, with CURRAHEEN PRINCESS selected to better last year's second and come out on top. Real Force and Never Shout Never are among the chief dangers.