15:17 Ripon

Sunday 17 May 2026

All14:1714:4715:1715:5016:2016:5017:2017:50

Napoleons Casino And Restaurant Leeds Handicap

Off time: 15:17 | Winning time: 2m 4.50s

(2)

Finlaggan¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Cieren Fallon| T: D O'Meara| OR: 70

11/8

French recruit who has been brought along steadily by his current yard, shaping well when close second on Pontefract handicap debut (1¼m, good) 18 days ago. Open to further progress and leading claims from a good draw.

Form: 7-882

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(6)

Popeye Doyle^p,t¹⁴⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Shay Farmer⁽⁷⁾| T: J Bedi| OR: 70

40/1

Two all-weather wins for Hugo Palmer last summer but made an inauspicious start for new yard at Newcastle when last seen in December.

Form: 911336-

(11)

Twilight Safari^h³⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Jack Nicholls⁽⁵⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 68

66/1

Fair maiden at best for Harry Eustace last year but out of sorts in the autumn and poor form over hurdles since joining Micky Hammond, finishing a remote third in Sedgefield maiden latest.

Form: 526467-

(5)

Bearwith¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 9-7| J: Aiden Brookes| T: H Bethell| OR: 68| CD

4/1

C&D winner. Latest win at Newcastle in February. Good second at Nottingham (1¼m, good to soft) last month and shaped as if still in form when fourth at Pontefract since.

Form: 318024

(13)

Spirit Catcher¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 9-3| J: C Lee| T: P A Kirby| OR: 64| C

9/2

Back to form out of the blue to land a gamble at Musselburgh (9f, good) 18 days ago. Hasn't fared well with the draw here but he continues to look favourably treated on peak efforts.

Form: 008-001

(4)

Distinction^v²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 9-0| J: P J McDonald| T: J Mackie| OR: 61| D

14/1

Won 3 times last year but hasn't found his best form in 3 outings this spring. Starting to look well treated as a result but needs to stage a revival.

Form: 870-056

(1)

Poet's Dawn^p⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 8-13| J: Sean Kirrane| T: T D Easterby| OR: 60| CD

15/2

Veteran C&D winner who added 2 more wins last year. Respectable fourth over 1m at Pontefract and here on first 2 outings this year but below par over C&D latest.

Form: 038-449

(12)

Bay Dream Believer^h²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 8-12| J: A Mullen| T: M Walford| OR: 59| CD

14/1

Seems more straightforward nowadays, including 2 wins over C&D last year. However, down the field on both comeback runs this spring so needs to stage a revival.

Form: 6259-00

(3)

Off Spin^t¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 8-10| J: D Fentiman| T: T D Easterby| OR: 57

20/1

Still a maiden but he is entitled to step forward from his recent reappearance fifth of 9 over 1m at Thirsk.

Form: 50820-5

(7)

Speechman¹⁵⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 8-9| J: Rowan Scott| T: P A Kirby| OR: 56

25/1

Sixteen runs since last win in 2024. Below par on all-weather at Newcastle when last seen at the end of 2025. Spirit Catcher has to be considered the stable first string here unless the betting suggests otherwise.

Form: 044070-

(9)

Tiberio Force⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 8-4| J: Cam Hardie| T: S Whitaker| OR: 50| CD

22/1

Winner of a classified event over C&D last summer. Good sixth of 12 from 6 lb out of handicap on C&D reappearance and back closer to his proper mark this time.

Form: 12986-6

Non-Runners

(14)

Everyoneknowsadave¹⁰

Weight: 9-7| Age: 4

T: Jessica Macey J: Lewis Edmunds

(8)

Skinny Malinka⁵¹⁶

Weight: 9-6| Age: 5

T: N Wilson J: Ryan Sexton

(10)

The Cookstown Cafu³⁴

Weight: 9-3| Age: 7

T: Fionn McSharry J: O McSweeney

Forecasts

Finlaggan (11/8), Bearwith (4/1), Spirit Catcher (9/2), The Cookstown Cafu (5/1), Poet's Dawn (15/2), Everyoneknowsadave (10/1), Bay Dream Believer (14/1), Distinction (14/1), Off Spin (20/1), Tiberio Force (22/1), Speechman (25/1), Skinny Malinka (25/1), Popeye Doyle (40/1), Twilight Safari (66/1)

FINLAGGAN could just be a cut above this 0-70 grade and is taken to build on his promising handicap debut second at Pontefract. Last-time-out winners The Cookstown Cafu and Spirit Catcher retain plenty of handicapping scope on peak form and might be the pair to give David O'Meara's charge most to do.