18:20 Curragh

Wednesday 4 June 2025

All16:4517:1517:5018:2018:5519:3020:0020:30

Sky Bet Handicap (Premier Handicap)

Off time: 18:23 | Winning time: 1m 0.13s

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(4)

Unexpected Issues³⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-12| J: A J Slattery| T: J A Stack| OR: 91| D

28/1

Lightly-raced winner. Very good 4½ lengths third of 7 to Two Stars in listed race (50/1) at Naas (5f, good to soft) 37 days ago. Makes handicap debut.

Form: 169-3

(13)

Jorge Alvares^b¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons| OR: 88| BF

7/2

Winner at Dundalk in April. Very good short-head second of 8 to Red Evolution in handicap at Cork (5f, good, 2/1) 15 days ago, just failing. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 46-3122

(6)

Saratoga Special^t¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: S Foley| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 88| D

17/2

50/1 and tongue strap on for 1st time, 4 lengths fourth of 7 to Bucanero Fuerte in listed race at Naas (5f, good) 17 days ago, not ideally placed. Yard in good but this filly will need to improve in order to make a winning handicap debut.

Form: 234-104

(2)

Red Evolution¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: J A Powell⁽³⁾| T: M O'Callaghan| OR: 87| D

7/1

Two wins from 3 runs this year. Career best when winning 8-runner handicap (5/1) at Cork (5f, good) 15 days ago by short head from Jorge Alvares, responding well. Can make presence felt.

Form: 450-181

(8)

Dark Ace⁴⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Adam Caffrey| T: A McGuinness| OR: 84

25/1

66/1, eleventh of 14 in handicap at Newcastle (6f) 47 days ago and he looks set for another struggle.

Form: 8911-50

(12)

Brigid's Cloak^p¹²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Patrick McGettigan⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 83| C

11/2

Two wins from 6 runs this year. 6/1, career best when winning 13-runner handicap at this course (6f, good) 12 days ago, easily. This 12 lb higher mark could prove to be a stumbling block.

Form: 423121

(11)

Bobbi Rosa¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Sam Coen⁽⁷⁾| T: A Slattery| OR: 81| D

25/1

Winner at Tipperary in April. 5¼ lengths last of 8 to Red Evolution in handicap (7/1) at Cork (5f, good) 15 days ago. Some of these make more appeal.

Form: 323-618

(14)

Lethimfly^b1¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle| T: N Meade| OR: 81| D

17/2

Creditable 2½ lengths third of 8 to Red Evolution in handicap (10/1) at Cork (5f, good) 15 days ago. Blinkers on 1st time and he's not without each-way hope.

Form: 12060-3

(10)

Agouti Bear^b³¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Declan McDonogh| T: Daniel Murphy| OR: 79

8/1

Lightly-raced winner. 3/1, career best when winning 7-runner maiden at Sligo (6f, good) 31 days ago by 2½ lengths from Shoney, very much having run of race. Blinkers back on and much more on her plate now.

Form: 2246-1

(9)

Sarahmae⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: J M Sheridan| T: D Hogan| OR: 78| D

14/1

Two wins from 6 runs this year. 5/2, career best when winning 6-runner handicap at Tipperary (5f, good to soft) 8 days ago, doing better under change of tactics. 7 lb rise will ask a question of her but she's a player nonetheless.

Form: 691441

(1)

Shoney⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: M W Hassett⁽⁵⁾| T: W McCreery| OR: 78| D

11/2

Thrice-raced winner. 9/4, won 11-runner maiden at Tipperary (5f, good to soft) 8 days ago, readily. Yard having good spell and another bold show likely on handicap debut.

Form: 421

(7)

Smoke Them Out^v1²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Robert Whearty⁽³⁾| T: T G McCourt| OR: 78

18/1

Fifth of 7 in handicap (11/2) at Naas (5.9f, good) 25 days ago. Visor on 1st time. Others more persuasive.

Form: 4712-45

(5)

Gazelle D'or^p1⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Wayne Lordan| T: M C Grassick| OR: 77| BF| C| D

14/1

Course winner. Latest win here in April. 6/5, creditable third of 8 in handicap at Fairyhouse (6.1f, good) 6 days ago, left poorly placed. Cheekpieces on 1st time.

Form: 381-133

(3)

Tropical Retreat^h1¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: Chris Hayes| T: T Mullins| OR: 69| D

22/1

Thrice-raced winner. 14/1, 4 lengths fifth of 8 to Red Evolution in handicap at Cork (5f, good) 15 days ago, never nearer. Hood on 1st time. Open to improvement but she will need to take a sizeable step forward in order to land this.

Form: 4-15

Non-Runners

(15)

Turners Cross²⁹

Weight: 8-13| Age: 3

T: Mrs J Harrington J: Nathan Crosse

Forecasts

Jorge Alvares (7/2), Brigid's Cloak (11/2), Shoney (11/2), Red Evolution (7/1), Agouti Bear (8/1), Saratoga Special (17/2), Lethimfly (17/2), Gazelle D'or (14/1), Sarahmae (14/1), Smoke Them Out (18/1), Tropical Retreat (22/1), Dark Ace (25/1), Bobbi Rosa (25/1), Turners Cross (25/1), Unexpected Issues (28/1)

The progressive JORGE ALVARES had several of these rivals behind when beaten a whisker by Red Evolution at Cork recently and, now 2 lb better off with that rival, he is taken to emerge on top this time. Red Evolution is likely to be in the mix once again and is feared most, though unexposed handicap debutante Shoney is also high on the shortlist following last week's ready maiden success at Tipperary.