16:50 Curragh

Saturday 27 May 2023

All13:2013:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:25

Novibet Guineas Festival Handicap (Premier Handicap)

Off time: 16:52 | Winning time: 2m 10.09s

Settings

Selected odds by:

(13)

Casanova³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Adam Caffrey⁽⁷⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 100| BF

16/1

Eighteen runs since last win in 2021. 5/2, creditable second of 6 in minor event at Tipperary (7.4f, good to soft) 37 days ago. Significantly back up in trip. Every chance if back to best.

Form: 406-432

(10)

Fastnet Crown^p,t⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: W J Lee| T: M O'Callaghan| OR: 100| C

11/1

Course winner. 16 lengths last of 5 to Point Lonsdale in Alleged Stakes at this C&D (heavy, 16/1) 41 days ago. Cheekpieces back on. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 649705

(11)

Timeless Soul^h1³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: D McMonagle| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 98

6/1

First run since leaving David O'Meara when good fourth of 11 in handicap (14/1) at Cork (10.1f, good to soft) 36 days ago. Yard in good form. Hood on 1st time and in the mix.

Form: 44/052-4

(8)

Safecracker^h,t³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: B M Coen| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 97

4/1

Respectable fifth of 10 in handicap at Tipperary (12.4f, good to soft, 13/2) 37 days ago. Tongue strap back on. Not taken lightly at these weights.

Form: 02122-5

(5)

Vega Magnifico³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: H J Horgan⁽⁷⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 95| D

11/1

9/1, creditable sixth of 14 in handicap at Limerick (8f, soft) 35 days ago, not ideally placed. Back up in trip. Stable having good spell. Ought to be in the shake-up.

Form: 4/4163-6

(2)

Ceallach¹⁷⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: S Foley| T: M Halford & T Collins| OR: 94

14/1

Promising individual. Evens, career best when winning 9-runner handicap at Dundalk (12f), keeping on well. 9lb higher now but bold bid is expected after his break.

Form: 561211-

(12)

Smooth Tom^v²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: A J Slattery| T: A Slattery| OR: 93| CD

7/1

C&D winner. 1 win from 3 runs this year. 10/1 and visored for 1st time, career best when winning 19-runner handicap at Leopardstown (10f, heavy) 20 days ago, soon clear. In the picture once more.

Form: 214-781

(6)

Finans Bay^b,e/s1²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: C J MacRedmond⁽⁵⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 91

20/1

Respectable 6¾ lengths seventh of 19 to Smooth Tom in handicap at Leopardstown (10f, heavy, 22/1) 20 days ago. Eyeshields/hood on 1st time. Unreliable type.

Form: 01-3R67

(4)

Laelaps^h²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: O Murphy| T: A McNamara| OR: 89

20/1

Hood on for 1st time in this code, below form fifth of 15 in novice hurdle at Ballinrobe (16.6f, good to soft, 7/1) 25 days ago. Back up in trip. Unreliable sort.

Form: 32408-0

(9)

Brave Troop³⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: L T McAteer⁽³⁾| T: Barry J Fitzgerald| OR: 85| D

8/1

2 wins from 2 runs this year. 5/2, career best when winning 16-runner handicap at Gowran (7f, soft) 38 days ago, easily. Significantly back up in trip. Can go well again.

Form: 0031-11

(15)

Nibiru^p,t⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 8-12| J: C T Keane| T: A J Martin| OR: 84

9/1

Unreliable sort. 7/1, good second of 10 in handicap at Leopardstown (12f, good) 8 days ago, conceding first run. Others remain more persuasive.

Form: 27103-2

(7)

Cold Steel³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: W M Lordan| T: A Oliver| OR: 83

40/1

Latest win at Dundalk in December. Last of 11 in handicap (14/1) at Cork (10.1f, good to soft) 36 days ago. Something to find on form.

Form: 0411-60

(1)

Timourid^p,t²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 8-10| J: J M Sheridan⁽³⁾| T: P W Flynn| OR: 82| D

16/1

Eleven runs since last win in 2022. 9/1, 11 lengths fifteenth of 19 to Smooth Tom in handicap at Leopardstown (10f, heavy) 20 days ago. Cheekpieces back on with work to do.

Form: 684-220

(3)

Any Dream Will Do^p1²²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: N M Crosse| T: W McCreery| OR: 81

28/1

1 win from 2 runs this year. 14/1, seventh of 11 in handicap at Cork (8f, soft) 22 days ago. Back up in trip. Stable in good form. Cheekpieces on 1st time. No forlorn hope.

Form: 5364-17

(14)

Wild Dollar^t²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 8-8| J: C D Hayes| T: E & P Harty| OR: 80| BF| CD

6/1

C&D winner. 9/2, respectable fifth of 19 to Smooth Tom in handicap at Leopardstown (10f, heavy) 20 days ago, never nearer. Has good chance on pick of form.

Form: 913/0-35

Forecasts

Safecracker (4/1), Timeless Soul (6/1), Wild Dollar (6/1), Smooth Tom (7/1), Brave Troop (8/1), Nibiru (9/1), Vega Magnifico (11/1), Fastnet Crown (11/1), Ceallach (14/1), Timourid (16/1), Casanova (16/1), Laelaps (20/1), Finans Bay (20/1), Any Dream Will Do (28/1), Cold Steel (40/1)

CEALLACH was firmly on the up when last seen out at Dundalk in December and is fancied to return in style after his break and complete a hat-trick. Fellow hat-trick seeker Brave Troop is feared most, with C&D scorer Wild Dollar another who can have a big say in an open handicap.