16:25 Cork

Saturday 15 April 2017

All13:4014:1014:4515:2015:5516:2517:00

Cork Handicap

Off time: 16:30 | Winning time: 2m 12.33s

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Selected odds by:

(1)

Elleval^p²²

Age: 7| Weight: 9-13| J: O J Orr⁽⁵⁾| T: D Marnane| OR: 101

13/2

Without a win for three years but has run some fine races in defeat in good company, including in Meydan this winner. Finishined strongly at Dundalk latest and set to run another good race.

Form: 280366

(9)

Jaqen H'ghar^p,t¹³⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: D O'Brien| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 97

7/1

Scored at the Curragh in October and Dundalk last time out in December. Good yard can get them ready so has to be player if continuing his upward curve of last term.

Form: 71541-0

(11)

Sikandarabad^b²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: P J Smullen| T: D K Weld| OR: 96

9/2

Highly tried in good handicap company last season after winning Galway maiden. Favoruite but weakened late on to finish out of the money on recent reappearance but should be better for that outing.

Form: 2/126-9

(8)

Ringside Humour^t⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger| OR: 94

13/2

Versatile performer who held his form well throughout a busy 2016 campaign. Rasied 3lb after winning at Dundalk recently but clearly in good heart and should go well again.

Form: 223710

(6)

Le Vagabond³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: W J Lee| T: E J O'Grady| OR: 93

7/1

Three wins in handicap company last season at up to 2m so suspicion this 10f trip might be a little on the short side. Strong pace would help bring stamina into play.

Form: 15517-9

(12)

St Gallen¹⁸³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: C T Keane| T: J J Murphy| OR: 91

14/1

Won Killarney maiden last season and not disgraced in three subsequent starts although failed to trouble the judge. This looks a tough assignmnent however.

Form: 4/1544-0

(3)

Roconga¹⁶⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 9-2| J: J A Heffernan| T: E J O'Grady| OR: 90

8/1

Has respectable strike rate for a handicapper (5-19) and has scored both on the Flat and over timber. 168 day absence to overcome so may come on for this seasonal debut.

Form: 31301

(2)

Turbine^t1⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: G P Halpin⁽³⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 89

7/1

Won twice in England for Mark Johnston before joining current connections and being gelded. Tends to race prominently and could be among those forcing the pace so after a fair run last time may be there or thereabouts.

Form: 317-755

(5)

Sir Ector⁴⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 9-0| J: C D Hayes| T: Nicole McKenna| OR: 88

40/1

Veteran who has shown nothing over the last 12 months under both codes and handicapper surely needs to relent further before he'll be competitive again.

Form: 05/770-0

(10)

Highly Toxic^v¹⁸³

Age: 6| Weight: 8-11| J: K J Leonard⁽⁵⁾| T: P J Flynn| OR: 85

16/1

Fairly one paced sort who has won just won of his 12 starts to date. Form tailed off towards the end of last season and will need to do better than that to figure here.

Form: 38358-9

(4)

Sweet Company^t¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 8-7| J: C P Hoban| T: A J Martin| OR: 81

20/1

Galway maiden winner last June and noted making modest late headway on seasonal return recently. From a very shrewd yard and is at the right end of the weights so likely capable of stepping up on that effort.

Form: 0/41-0

(7)

Cliff House⁹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 8-5| J: R P Cleary| T: J J Walsh| OR: 79

10/1

Stays well as he showed when landing two miler at Clonmel last May. Been hurdling this winter. May be biting off more thna he can chew at this level.

Form: 770/19-8

Forecasts

Sikandarabad (9/2), Elleval (13/2), Ringside Humour (13/2), Le Vagabond (7/1), Turbine (7/1), Jaqen H'ghar (7/1), Roconga (8/1), Cliff House (10/1), St Gallen (14/1), Highly Toxic (16/1), Sweet Company (20/1), Sir Ector (40/1)

In receipt of plenty of weight from Elleval, SWEET COMPANY is suggested as a potential winner given his recent pipe opener that suggested their could be better to come. Elleval is a grand sort and should be there or thereabouts once again, along with another towards the top of the wieghts Jaqen H'Ghar, who looked a progressive sort last term. Roconga and Ringside Humour are other worthy of consideration in a decent event.