18:50 Curragh

Friday 24 May 2024

All16:4517:1517:5018:2018:5019:2019:5020:20

Mongey Communications Handicap

Off time: 18:51 | Winning time: 1m 24.74s

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Selected odds by:

(11)

New Definition⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Jack Kearney⁽⁵⁾| T: R O'Brien| OR: 89| D

66/1

Dual AW winner for James Tate but yet to scale same heights in 2 starts on turf upon joining present yard. Steps back up in trip but good deal to prove at present.

Form: 6850-90

(1)

Hurricane Ivor⁶¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-12| J: S Foley| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 87| C

10/1

Course winner. 16/1, below form tenth of 16 in handicap at Naas (7f, heavy) 61 days ago, weakening over 1f out. Others rate stronger.

Form: 08706-0

(8)

Genuine Article⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: James Ryan⁽⁵⁾| T: G Keane| OR: 85

25/1

5/1, first run since leaving D. K. Weld/after 7 months off when tenth of 12 in handicap at Naas (8f, good to firm) 5 days ago, held up and never involved. This should reveal more.

Form: 3/1362-0

(9)

Physique^h1¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: L F Roche| T: M Fenton| OR: 85| D

18/1

Bit below form ninth of 15 in handicap at Cork (7f, good, 66/1) 14 days ago. Hood on 1st time.

Form: 3305-09

(4)

Pier Pressure^b¹⁵⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons| OR: 85| BF| D

8/1

Latest win at Dundalk (7f) in November. Very good second of 9 in handicap back at that venue (7f, 5/2) a month later. Improved plenty for the application of blinkers last year and not out of things from revised mark.

Form: 366112-

(12)

Tough Talk^t²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: Gary Carroll| T: G M Lyons| OR: 85| C

6/1

Course winner. Bit below form fifth of 14 in handicap (11/2) at Naas (5.9f, soft) 25 days ago, not ideally placed. Yard having good spell and remains sufficiently lightly raced to think there could be more to come.

Form: 2/784-55

(13)

Benavente⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-6| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle| T: Kevin Coleman| OR: 81| D

17/2

Latest win at Southwell in February. Respectable second of 12 in handicap (10/3) at Chelmsford City (7f) 41 days ago. Present mark demands that bit more returned to turf.

Form: 22-4132

(14)

Pinar Del Rio^p⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Ronan Whelan| T: Joe Conlon| OR: 81| C| D

9/2

Course winner. 2 wins from 3 runs this year. Career best when winning 12-runner handicap at Limerick (6.7f, soft, 9/4) 8 days ago, always holding on. Getting better with each recent run and hard to rule out another bold showing in this groove.

Form: 000-211

(2)

Volatile Analyst^p¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-6| J: C J MacRedmond⁽⁵⁾| T: A McGuinness| OR: 81| D

25/1

Sixteen runs since last win in 2022. 40/1, bit below form eighth of 15 in handicap at Cork (7f, good) 14 days ago. Cheekpieces back on.

Form: 26-2708

(16)

Expressova^h³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: M W Hassett⁽⁵⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 80| D

9/2

First run since leaving Ms Sheila Lavery when 7/2 and hooded for 1st time, career best when winning 8-runner handicap at Gowran (7f, soft) 30 days ago, cosily. 8 lb rise may not be enough to prevent her following up.

Form: 80/104-1

(15)

Blanc De Noir⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: Ben Coen| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 73| C

9/1

First run since leaving Mrs J. Harrington/off 11 months off when fifth of 14 in handicap (10/1) at Navan (5f, good) 6 days ago, having to pick way through and keeping on. Returns to scene of sole previous success and he's still unexposed at 7f.

Form: 48153-5

(7)

Ice Cold In Alex^t²⁵⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 8-11| J: J A Powell⁽³⁾| T: K J Condon| OR: 72| CD

20/1

4-time course winner. Twelfth of 17 in handicap at Leopardstown (7.3f, good to firm, 33/1) in September. Has gone well fresh in the past but the betting may prove a good guide as to expectations back from 8 months off.

Form: 909740-

(5)

Rumbled Again^p¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-8| J: J M Sheridan| T: D Hogan| OR: 69| D

40/1

22/1, first run since leaving Darren Bunyan when below form eighth of 13 in handicap at Naas (5f, good) 13 days ago. Significantly back up in trip.

Form: 002-008

(3)

Secret Magician¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: Chris Hayes| T: M Hassett| OR: 68| C

17/2

Course winner. 11/2, seventeenth of 20 in handicap at this C&D (soft) 18 days ago, going off too hard. Mark is easing all the time but both his career victories have come at 6f.

Form: 453-400

Non-Runners

(10)

Dagoda²⁵

Weight: 9-6| Age: 6

T: Miss Jennifer Anne Lynch J: Adam Caffrey

(6)

Verhoyen²⁵

Weight: 9-6| Age: 9

T: M C Grassick J: D E Sheehy

Forecasts

Pinar Del Rio (9/2), Expressova (9/2), Tough Talk (6/1), Pier Pressure (8/1), Benavente (17/2), Secret Magician (17/2), Blanc De Noir (9/1), Hurricane Ivor (10/1), Dagoda (12/1), Verhoyen (12/1), Physique (18/1), Ice Cold In Alex (20/1), Volatile Analyst (25/1), Genuine Article (25/1), Rumbled Again (40/1), New Definition (66/1)

EXPRESSOVA showed improved form when making a winning return/yard debut at Gowran 4 weeks ago and the manner of that success suggests an 8 lb rise in the weights may not prevent Joseph O'Brien's filly going close again. Pier Pressure, and Verhoyen, who has landed the last 2 renewals of this race, are feared. Pinar del Rio and Blanc de Noir complete the shortlist.