16:30 Leopardstown

Monday 16 April 2018

All15:3016:0016:3017:0017:3518:0518:35

Bulmers Live At Leopardstown Handicap (50-80)

Off time: 16:30 | Winning time: 2m 12.23s

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Selected odds by:

(4)

Nanabad^b1¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Dylan Hogan⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Fahey| OR: 78| D

7/1

Heavy ground maiden winner at Gowran in 2016 but not won since and beaten over 16L when fifth of 12 at Cork last time. Proven in conditions at least. Wears first-time blinkers.

Form: 66407-5

(9)

Wexford Opera¹⁵⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 9-11| J: W T Byrne⁽¹⁰⁾| T: J S Bolger| OR: 75

14/1

4-38 on turf, unable to show his best in just two runs during 2017 (both in November), hard to gauge where he's at now but well handicapped against his best form in 2016.

Form: 8015/90-

(10)

Ace Of Diamonds^h1¹⁹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-10| J: Declan McDonogh| T: D K Weld| OR: 74| C

5/1

Sole win came here over 1m2f just over a year ago. Ran okay on next two starts but form tailed off badly towards the end of the season. Wears a first-time hood for his return.

Form: 8/14600-

(16)

Brokopondo¹⁰¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-10| J: D W O'Connor⁽³⁾| T: J F Levins| OR: 74| D

20/1

Often slowly away and not placed on his last 11 starts. No real signs he was close to returning to the winners enclosure last time out on AW and has a poor draw for his return.

Form: 85000-6

(1)

Balanced Approach³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: K J Manning| T: B W Duke| OR: 73

7/1

Less exposed than most but winless in six starts and well beaten on stable debut last time out despite finishing fourth of 11. Needs to improve.

Form: 65/449-4

(7)

Hernandoshideaway^h⁶⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: P B Beggy| T: Miss A Mooney| OR: 72

33/1

Won a handicap off 89 back in 2015 and last seen on the Flat winning a seller at Redcar. Shown nothing over hurdles since joining this yard but not out of this off a workable mark back on the Flat if he can return to form.

Form: 936361-

(12)

Ocean Air^t⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Gary Carroll| T: J C McConnell| OR: 72

33/1

Won back to back races on first two starts at Leicester either side of last winter but shown very little on the Flat since he's been trained in Ireland and well beaten on return at Navan last time.

Form: 76000-6

(6)

Highly Toxic¹⁷⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: L F Roche| T: P J Flynn| OR: 71

20/1

Just two wins from 29 starts, latest was a claimer in June at Naas. Well beaten on last three starts including at Dundalk last time out and may struggle again.

Form: 041007-

(14)

Rosin Box¹⁵⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Colin Keane| T: J J Murphy| OR: 71

9/1

Has won two handicaps over a mile in 12 career starts. Well beaten on Dundalk last time but may do better back in testing conditions on turf and she gets the assistance of a top jockey in the saddle.

Form: 030120-

(3)

Bigger And Better^t¹⁷³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: O J Orr⁽³⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 70

6/1

Ex-Richard Hannon inmate went close in first start for this firm at Navan (1m, soft) in October before poor effort there soon after. Has won over this far before and potentially on good mark with champion apprentice taking 3lb off.

Form: 3741/29-

(8)

Try Again^h⁶⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: S Foley| T: P W Flynn| OR: 68

11/1

Placed at Dundalk in December but only moderate efforts in three subsequent starts over hurdles. On a workable mark still but best efforts have either come on AW or quicker ground than what he will get here.

Form: 366043-

(5)

Claregate Street¹⁸⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: C O'Donoghue| T: M Halford| OR: 67

7/1

Filly would have sound claims judged on her Naas win in June over this trip. On a decent mark but the likelihood of very testing ground is a concern.

Form: 032145-

(15)

Grand Canyon²²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 8-12| J: S P Davis⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss A Mooney| OR: 62

25/1

Yet to place in 10 starts for this yard (five on Flat, five over hurdles) and sole win came on fast ground. Opposable.

Form: 70/0479-

(2)

Johnny Carney²⁰³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: Chris Hayes| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 61

11/1

Not shown much in three starts in maidens but may be a different proposition dropped in trip for his handicap debut.

Form: 608-

(11)

Circling Moon^p¹⁵⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: C P Hoban| T: M Halford| OR: 59

12/1

Yet to win in 10 starts but his better efforts have come in softer conditions and finds himself on a nice mark. Not out of this despite a poor run on AW last time.

Form: 392029-

(13)

Shamar^h,t¹³⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 8-5| J: A J Slattery⁽⁷⁾| T: R K Watson| OR: 55| D

20/1

Record of two wins from 33 starts tells its own tale, anything but reliable and gets variety of headgear on return from a break.

Form: P05000-

Forecasts

Ace Of Diamonds (5/1), Bigger And Better (6/1), Claregate Street (7/1), Nanabad (7/1), Balanced Approach (7/1), Rosin Box (9/1), Try Again (11/1), Johnny Carney (11/1), Circling Moon (12/1), Wexford Opera (14/1), Brokopondo (20/1), Highly Toxic (20/1), Shamar (20/1), Grand Canyon (25/1), Hernandoshideaway (33/1), Ocean Air (33/1)

The booking of Colin Keane on ROSIN BOX is eye-catching and her best form has come in testing conditions. Given she finds herself on a workable mark, she's taken to land this. Circling Moon may still be a maiden but he's another with some form on soft/heavy ground while any support for Johnny Carney could prove significant on handicap debut.