17:45 Down Royal

Saturday 31 August 2019

All13:4014:1514:5015:2516:0016:3517:1017:45

Ladbrokes Ulster Cesarewitch Handicap

Off time: 17:46 | Winning time: 4m 21.16s

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Selected odds by:

(11)

Flat To The Max^b¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-1| J: S M Crosse⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 81

25/1

Useful 120-rated hurdler, the gelding finished last of four on latest Flat start at Tramore earlier this month. Possibly best watched unless market has other ideas.

Form: 235404

(4)

Conron¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: S Foley| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 80

4/1

125-rated handicap hurdler running well in defeat on the Flat at the Galway festival and more recently over timber at Killarney finishing in third on both occasions. Yard have hit the frame in this contest in the last two years with Neverushacon.

Form: 000/4-13

(5)

Utah¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Colin Keane| T: J J Lambe| OR: 80

25/1

Out of form gelding winner of one of his 11 starts. Hard to construct much of a case and overall profile suggests he is worth taking on again.

Form: 0/07479

(13)

Linger¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 9-12| J: D O'Brien| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 78

3/1

Landed a double over hurdles and on the Flat at the Galway festival before falling at the last fence in a Tramore beginners chase over 2m earlier this month. In good form with himself and a leading player.

Form: 0/8-1231

(3)

Lusis Naturea³

Age: 8| Weight: 9-9| J: J M Sheridan⁽⁷⁾| T: Paul Traynor| OR: 75| C

4/1

Third of 17 as beaten favourite at the Galway festival before running in to the same position in the driving rain at Bellewstown over 1m4f on Wednesday. Major step up in trip.

Form: 242133

(10)

Cacique Royale^t1¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: Ronan Whelan| T: A Oliver| OR: 69| C

25/1

Won both of his two career wins from 12 starts in September last year, the latest of which came off a 3lb lower mark. Another one taking a large step up in trip.

Form: 114-760

(7)

Cliff House¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 8-13| J: Ben Coen⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs D A Love| OR: 65| BF

8/1

Winner of three of a 17 Flat starts on turf and has put together a solid and consistent run of efforts over similar trips over the larger obstacles and more recently on the level since May. Rates a leading contender.

Form: 986/7-02

(2)

Dinard Rose^b²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: A J Slattery⁽⁵⁾| T: N Meade| OR: 69

11/4

Winner of two of her seven Flat starts on turf. Filly finished a creditable fifth of 17 but 11L behind Linger at the Galway festival earlier this month. Yard won this race as recently as 2012 with Blue Cannon and six years ago with Fisher Bridge.

Form: 041125

(9)

El Tren^b¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 8-4| J: Rory Cleary| T: A A Howard| OR: 56

20/1

One from 22 on turf. Caught the eye last time out finishing a close up second of nine in a Killarney 2m1f handicap last month before finishing down the field at Tramore earlier this month over 2m. Lively outsider.

Form: 469027

(12)

Mastermind⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-4| J: Nathan Crosse⁽⁵⁾| T: C O'Brien| OR: 56

9/1

Solid 123-rated handicap hurdler but still looking for his first win on the Flat in 13 starts. Second of 14 over 2m at Clonmel in April is possibly his best form over longer trips. Not easily dismissed.

Form: 34-2304

Non-Runners

(1)

Upgraded²⁷

Weight: 9-8| Age: 5

T: A J Martin J: Robbie Colgan

(14)

Hurricane Sky²³

Weight: 9-3| Age: 10

T: C O'Brien J: N G McCullagh

(6)

Building Bridges⁷

Weight: 8-9| Age: 3

T: Mrs J Harrington J: T P Madden

(8)

Our Rachael²⁹⁶

Weight: 8-4| Age: 7

T: A J Martin J: Wayne Lordan

Forecasts

Dinard Rose (11/4), Linger (3/1), Lusis Naturea (4/1), Conron (4/1), Cliff House (8/1), Mastermind (9/1), Building Bridges (14/1), Upgraded (16/1), El Tren (20/1), Hurricane Sky (20/1), Flat To The Max (25/1), Utah (25/1), Cacique Royale (25/1), Our Rachael (25/1)

The current form of the Joseph O'Brien-trained LINGER is hard to ignore, running well in a number of starts since May. The Cape Cross gelding can get the better of Conron winner at Clonmel in April before running well in defeat at the Galway festival on the Flat and more recently at Killarney over hurdles. In a wide open contest, recent Tramore runner-up, Cliff House, Upgraded for the Tony Martin Yard and bottom weight Mastermind representing the Charles O'Brien yard could all go well at a price.