19:50 Leopardstown

Thursday 18 July 2019

All17:4018:1018:4519:2019:5020:2520:55

Meld Stakes (Group 3)

Off time: 19:50 | Winning time: 1m 54.98s

(6)

Ancient Spirit^p1¹²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger| OR: 112

14/1

Multiple winner on turf in Germany including in a 1m Group 2 in May last year. Well held in two starts in Australia earlier this season however and cheekpieces are tried for the first time on debut for yard who won this race in both 2017 and 2018.

Form: 1613-80

(5)

Pincheck¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: S Foley| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 110| C

3/1

Returning from a break when beaten ½L into third in a 1m Listed race at The Curragh (good) last time out. Improvement likely and is one to note in this contest.

Form: 138-603

(8)

Zabriskie^t¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Wayne Lordan| T: L Comer| OR: 95

66/1

Sole success so far came in a 7f maiden at Tipperary (soft-to-heavy) in September last year. Well held in three starts since joining this stable.

Form: 807-967

(3)

Zihba^t¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Chris Hayes| T: J A Stack| OR: 104| C

16/1

Fair 5L sixth of seven in a 1m2f Group 3 at The Curragh (good) in first time cheekpieces (absent here) last time out. Interesting to see how he fares dropping slightly in trip.

Form: 8-23406

(2)

Mohawk⁴⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: D O'Brien| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 109

9/4

Placed in a Listed race over an extended 1m2f at Chester (good-to-soft) in May and has been outclassed in Group 1 company twice subsequently. Interesting contender dropping in grade.

Form: 417-287

(7)

Tinandali⁴⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: O J Orr| T: D K Weld| OR: 104| C

4/1

Impressive 11L winner of a small field 1m contest at Navan (good-to-yielding) last time out. Well beaten in a 1m2f Group 3 at The Curragh (good-to-firm) prior to that however.

Form: 6-171

(1)

Up Helly Aa⁴⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: W J Lee| T: W McCreery| D

7/2

Improved on debut effort when winning impressively over an extended 1m1f at Gowran Park (good) early last month. Interesting runner taking a marked step up in grade.

Form: 21

Non-Runners

(4)

Cape Of Good Hope¹²

Weight: 9-0| Age: 3

T: A P O'Brien J: J A Heffernan

Forecasts

Mohawk (9/4), Pincheck (3/1), Cape Of Good Hope (3/1), Up Helly Aa (7/2), Tinandali (4/1), Ancient Spirit (14/1), Zihba (16/1), Zabriskie (66/1)

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE has run well in Group 1 company this season and dropping in grade he is taken to register a second victory of the campaign in this Group 3 contest. Second place can go the way of top weight Ancient Spirit who is making his debut for this stable while Pincheck, third on seasonal debut last time out can fill the same position in this contest.

Cape Of Good Hope
Ancient Spirit
Pincheck

Previous Winners

2018

Turret Rocks

Weight: 9-6 |Age: 5

J: K J Manning | T: J S Bolger

14/1

Prize Money

1st: €35,400.002nd: €11,400.003rd: €5,400.004th: €2,400.005th: €1,200.006th: €601.00