17:10 Curragh

Friday 12 June 2020

All16:0516:4017:1017:4018:1018:4019:1519:45

Equine MediRecord Handicap

Off time: 17:15 | Winning time: 1m 11.86s

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Selected odds by:

(6)

Flash Gordon³⁴⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: S Foley| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 96| D

10/1

Maiden winner on debut and shaped with plenty purpose in Listed/Group races last summer. Off 349 days and while he returns with his trainer/jockey team in flying form, just a suspicion he might want further than this.

Form: 1330-

(5)

Geological¹²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 9-11| J: G M Ryan⁽⁵⁾| T: D English| OR: 93| D

40/1

Grand servant to connections and he racked up a Dundalk Polytrack hat-trick over 6f/7f during the winter; no luck in Dubai before the break and has plenty on his plate from this mark back on Irish turf.

Form: 1107-88

(3)

Cityman²²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: Ben Coen⁽³⁾| T: A Slattery| OR: 92| D

16/1

Useful sprinter has done his winning over 5f so far and has gone close over that trip around here. Has to improve to defy this mark but unlikely that we've seen the best of him yet and worth keeping an eye on.

Form: 177168-

(11)

Ardhoomey^t²³³

Age: 8| Weight: 9-8| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons| OR: 90| C| D

6/1

Couldn't get his head in front during 2019 despite running some excellent races. As a result he finds himself on an attractive mark of 90 and his record first-time up suggests this dual course winner needs plenty respecting for top team.

Form: 788288-

(8)

Alfredo Arcano^h,t⁹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-4| J: O J Orr| T: D Marnane| OR: 86| C| D

33/1

Cracking performer on AW at Dundalk (eight wins) but hasn't managed the same level of form on grass. Did win here over 5f in 2018 when 4lb lower but well held in two autumn runs at this venue. 12lb lower than when scoring on AW in December.

Form: 3541-80

(14)

Ice Cold In Alex^t²⁷²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: N G McCullagh| T: K J Condon| OR: 85| C

15/2

Course winner, couldn't manage a win in 2019 but was a model of consistency in five starts; three of them here from 6f-1m. Has gone well fresh mark unchanged having gone close in valuable Leopardstown handicap on final start in September.

Form: 1/32343-

(15)

Dark Vader³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle⁽⁷⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 92| BF| D

4/1

Progressive on the AW over winter and returned to action with solid effort from the front in Listed company at Leopardstown (7f, good to firm; 11-2) on Tuesday, finishing fourth in the end. Talented 7lb claimer back on for quick turnaround; noted.

Form: 4-12124

(12)

Zig Zag Zyggy²⁸⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: K J Manning| T: Andrew Hughes| OR: 82| D

80/1

Three of four career wins at Hamilton, best of them in Class 4 event over this trip in May last year (rated 78). Back from a break and more to do in this company but booking of Kevin Manning won't hurt him.

Form: 819726-

(16)

Mary Salome^t1⁸¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Gary Carroll| T: Madeleine Tylicki| OR: 81| D

25/1

Twice went close last season over C&D (good to yielding/soft to heavy); looked in need of the run at Naas in March and needs to be much sharper in this competitive line-up with first-time tongue-tie fitted.

Form: 50030-0

(13)

Nordic Passage^t⁴^{(ex 6)}

Age: 5| Weight: 8-13| J: D W O'Connor⁽³⁾| T: J F Levins| OR: 75| D

11/4

Recruited from John Gosden's yard and enjoyed a solid winter around Dundalk (won over a mile); convincing scorer at Naas (6f, good to firm; 14-1) on Monday and interesting contender turned out quickly under penalty.

Form: 95-1801

(1)

Fridtjof Nansen^b²¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 8-10| J: M A Gallagher| T: K P Cotter| OR: 78| CD

25/1

One career win in 22 starts, though it did come over similar trip here in August last year. Has shown since he can compete from this sort of mark but others holds more attractive profiles for this.

Form: 429500-

(2)

Maid Of Spirit^t1²⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: Chris Hayes| T: K J Condon| OR: 77

25/1

Frontrunner possibly flattered by Salisbury win last summer (raced alone) for Clive Cox and needs a bit of improvement to deft this mark having switched to this trainer over the winter. First-time tongue-tie on.

Form: 353160-

(7)

Miacomet²²²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-8| J: A J Slattery⁽⁵⁾| T: J Davison| OR: 76| CD

18/1

Fair filly and she tends to give her running more often than not, scored over C&D (soft to heavy; 4-1fav) in October but she's likely needing a career-best to make a winning return.

Form: 213168-

(9)

Never Back Down^v⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: Nathan Crosse⁽⁵⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 75| D

18/1

Fair fifth at Naas (6f, good to firm; 12-1) on Monday; this former Hugo Palmer inmate has dropped a long way in the ratings since arriving in Ireland and should get her head in front somewhere this summer if building on that pleasing comeback.

Form: 25069-5

Non-Runners

(4)

Verhoyen²⁴³

Weight: 9-11| Age: 5

T: M C Grassick J: W J Lee

(10)

Arcanears⁸¹

Weight: 9-3| Age: 5

T: M Halford J: Ronan Whelan

Forecasts

Nordic Passage (11/4), Dark Vader (4/1), Ardhoomey (6/1), Verhoyen (7/1), Ice Cold In Alex (15/2), Arcanears (8/1), Flash Gordon (10/1), Cityman (16/1), Miacomet (18/1), Never Back Down (18/1), Maid Of Spirit (25/1), Fridtjof Nansen (25/1), Mary Salome (25/1), Alfredo Arcano (33/1), Geological (40/1), Zig Zag Zyggy (80/1)

Nordic Passage is a fairly obvious starting place having won with a good deal of authority at Naas on Monday. He's got a 6lb penalty to contend with now however in a deeper race. Ger Lyons hasn't exactly hit the ground running (1-16) this week but his horses are generally running well and former Group 2 winner ARDHOOMEY makes plenty appeal from a mark of 90 here given his penchant for going well fresh. Verhoyen is another that goes well off a break; while Cityman is amongst the possible improvers and joins the very consistent Ice Cold In Alex and Dark Vader on the shortlist.

Ardhoomey
Ice Cold In Alex
Cityman

Prize Money

1st: €12,600.002nd: €4,200.003rd: €2,100.004th: €1,050.005th: €630.006th: €420.00

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