15:15 Navan

Saturday 17 May 2025

All13:3014:0514:4015:1515:5016:2517:0017:30

Best Of Luck On Your Retirement Joey Martin Handicap

Off time: 15:15 | Winning time: 1m 0.88s

(10)

The Highway Rat¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-4| J: Billy Lee| T: A Oliver| OR: 94| CD

7/2

C&D winner. Fourteenth of 15 in handicap (14/1) at Naas (5.9f, good to soft) 19 days ago. Others preferred.

Form: 3460-60

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

(4)

Merlin The Wizard^h1²⁰⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-13| J: Gary Carroll| T: J Feane| OR: 89

16/1

Last of 14 in handicap at Kempton (8f, 20/1). Off 6 months. Significantly down in trip. First run for yard after leaving Harry Charlton. Hooded for 1st time. Market may prove best guide to claims on debut.

Form: 510/070-

(1)

Bold Optimist³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: Ben Coen| T: Daniel McLoughlin| OR: 84| D

4/1

Back from 7 months off when creditable 2¼ lengths fifth of 10 to Cuban Grey in handicap at the Curragh (5f, good) 35 days ago. Entitled to build on that and must enter calculations.

Form: 54100-5

(5)

Moral Turpitude^b1,t³¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Colin Keane| T: Daniel Murphy| OR: 84| D

10/1

14/1, fourth of 5 in minor event at Tipperary (5f, good to firm). Off 10 months. Blinkers on 1st time. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 45213/4-

(7)

Emerald Harmony^p³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Patrick McGettigan⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 82| D

9/2

Returned to winning ways at Bellewstown (5f) last month and ran to similar level, off 4 lb higher, when creditable 1½ lengths fourth of 10 to Cuban Grey in handicap at the Curragh (5f, good) 35 days ago. Ought to give another good account.

Form: 469-814

(2)

Mickey The Steel^p,t¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-6| J: Wesley Joyce⁽⁵⁾| T: Joseph Murray| OR: 82| CD

14/1

C&D winner. 50/1, tenth of 15 in handicap at Naas (5.9f, good to soft) 19 days ago. Has good chance on pick of form.

Form: 8410-90

(9)

Harry's Hill^t¹⁹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: Wayne Hassett⁽⁵⁾| T: M Hassett| OR: 81| CD

14/1

C&D winner. Twelfth of 13 in handicap (12/1) at the Curragh (5f, good to soft), left poorly placed. Off 6 months. Tongue strap back on. Others more persuasive.

Form: 102370-

(3)

Cuban Grey^p¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: J M Sheridan| T: P J McKenna| OR: 76| D

9/2

Career best when winning 10-runner handicap at the Curragh (5f, good) last month and ran just as well in defeat when good fifth of 15 in handicap (12/1) at Naas (5.9f, good to soft) 19 days ago, racing closer to pace than ideal. Likely contender.

Form: 42-1215

(8)

Only Spoofing²⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 8-8| J: Chris Hayes| T: Kevin Coleman| OR: 70| CD

8/1

Three-time C&D winner who took advantage of drop in weights at Musselburgh (5f) last month and can likely be excused (missed break) below-par effort at same course since. Not taken lightly.

Form: 50-9319

Non-Runners

(6)

Pineapple Island⁷⁵⁴

Weight: 9-7| Age: 6

T: Miss Jennifer Anne Lynch J: Nathan Crosse

Forecasts

The Highway Rat (7/2), Bold Optimist (4/1), Emerald Harmony (9/2), Cuban Grey (9/2), Only Spoofing (8/1), Moral Turpitude (10/1), Harry's Hill (14/1), Mickey The Steel (14/1), Merlin The Wizard (16/1), Pineapple Island (20/1)

Preference is for BOLD OPTIMIST, who is only 3 lb above his last winning mark and arrives on back of solid return at the Curragh last month. Cuban Grey and Only Spoofing should also go well.