19:45 Galway

Monday 29 July 2024

All16:5017:2518:0018:4019:1019:4520:15

Gra Chocolates Handicap (60-90)

Off time: 19:45 | Winning time: 2m 48.54s

(1)

Cruden^t⁷⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 10-0| J: Shane Foley| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 88

11/1

Twice-raced winner. Won 6-runner maiden (85/40) at Limerick (11.2f, soft) 74 days ago, well on top finish. Makes handicap debut. Open to progress for yard with a strong recent record in this.

Form: 31

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(3)

Ephesus^p⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-13| J: Wayne Lordan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 87| D

4/1

Fairly useful form. Cheekpieces on for 1st time, career best when winning 11-runner maiden (13/8) at the Curragh (12f, good) 8 days ago, getting first run. Makes handicap debut. Player for top yard.

Form: 3241

(12)

Himalayan Heights⁶¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-11| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons| OR: 85| D

4/1

Lightly-raced winner. 9/4, career best when winning 11-runner maiden at Tipperary (12.5f, soft) 61 days ago. Makes handicap debut. Respected.

Form: 5221

(13)

Brosna Town⁴⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: James Ryan⁽⁵⁾| T: D K Weld| OR: 83| D

11/1

Progressive. Won 13-runner maiden at Fairyhouse (12f, good, 9/1) 45 days ago, responding well. Makes handicap debut. Should improve again. On the shortlist for Dermot Weld.

Form: 8-41

(4)

Highland Bling^p³⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: Keithen Kennedy⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 82| D

11/1

Lightly-raced winner. Winner at Fairyhouse in June. 40/1, last of 19 in handicap at Royal Ascot (12f, firm) 39 days ago.

Form: 4410

(8)

Naturally Nimble⁶⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: Declan McDonogh| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 82| BF

6/1

Fairly useful maiden. Bit below form fifth of 9 in handicap (6/5) at Fairyhouse (10f, good to soft) 60 days ago. Up in trip. Enters calculations.

Form: 2-3425

(11)

Courageous Strike⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Robert Whearty⁽⁵⁾| T: A Murray| OR: 80| D

14/1

Respectable sixth of 10 in handicap (8/1) at the Curragh (10f, good) 9 days ago, needing stronger gallop. Back up in trip.

Form: 18-0316

(2)

Castleheath⁷⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Ben Coen| T: Ciaran Murphy| OR: 77

33/1

Twice-raced winner. 1 win from 2 runs this year. 15/2, won 7-runner maiden at Sligo (10.6f, good) 75 days ago, just holding on. Makes handicap debut. Likely to improve.

Form: 61

(6)

Dont Do Dramas⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Wesley Joyce⁽⁵⁾| T: M Mulvany| OR: 73

14/1

2/1, career best when winning 7-runner handicap at Ballinrobe (9.6f, good to soft) 7 days ago, driven out. Back up in trip.

Form: 651361

(5)

Tiscommonknowledge²⁷²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Wayne Hassett⁽⁵⁾| T: P Roche| OR: 73

12/1

10/3, career best when winning 9-runner nursery at the Curragh (8f, heavy), forging clear. Off 9 months. Significantly up in trip. Reappears in a tough race.

Form: 900721-

(7)

Chick Flick⁶¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Andrew Slattery| T: J Halley| OR: 72

125/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 50/1, well-beaten seventh of 11 to Himalayan Heights in maiden at Tipperary (12.5f, soft) 61 days ago. Makes handicap debut. Must improve.

Form: 6-5077

(14)

Kentucky Gal³¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: Rory Cleary| T: A Mullins| OR: 69

11/1

Lightly-raced winner. Winner at Gowran in June. Good third of 21 in handicap at the Curragh (9f, good, 6/1) 31 days ago, left poorly placed. Significantly up in trip.

Form: 00713

(9)

Empress Alma¹⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: Chris Hayes| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 68

15/2

Improving filly who has won handicaps at Naas and Down Royal (13f, good) in recent weeks, forging clear at the latter track. Merits consideration on hat-trick bid.

Form: 508511

Non-Runners

(10)

There's No Limit¹⁰

Weight: 8-7| Age: 3

T: C Collins J: Jamie Powell

Forecasts

Himalayan Heights (4/1), Ephesus (4/1), Naturally Nimble (6/1), Empress Alma (15/2), Kentucky Gal (11/1), Highland Bling (11/1), Cruden (11/1), Brosna Town (11/1), Tiscommonknowledge (12/1), Dont Do Dramas (14/1), Courageous Strike (14/1), There's No Limit (25/1), Castleheath (33/1), Chick Flick (125/1)

Jessica Harrington has dominated this 3-y-o handicap in recent years and perhaps CRUDEN has been saved for this since his Limerick maiden success in May. Ephesus and Brosna Town are other last-time-out maiden winners who could have more to offer in handicaps and make the shortlist along with the hat-trick seeking Empress Alma.