Racecards
17:40 Dundalk (IRE)
Christmas Party Packages At Dundalk Stadium Handicap
- 7 Runners
- Distance: 5f
- Going: Standard
- Surface: Polytrack
- €10,000 added
- Winner: €6,900
- 2nd: €1,600
- 3rd: €700
- 4th: €400
- Form 009110
- Age 3
- Weight 10-1
- Official Rating 81
broke well and led, ridden 2f out, headed under 2f out, no impression final furlong (injured left-hind pastern)
- Form 14-6367
- Age 9
- Weight 9-9
- Official Rating 75
- Trainer T G McCourt
- Jockey C T Keane
in rear, ridden in last 2f out, no impression
- Form 352808
- Age 5
- Weight 9-9
- Official Rating 75
- Trainer P Martin
- Jockey D P McDonogh
chased leaders, ridden in 3rd 2f out, improved to lead 1f out, stayed on well final furlong
- Form 027354
- Age 3
- Weight 8-12
- Official Rating 64
held up in 6th, ridden over 2f out, no impression
- Form 211410
- Age 4
- Weight 8-7
- Official Rating 59
chased leader in 2nd, travelling well in 2nd 2f out, ridden to lead under 2f out, headed 1f out, no extra inside final furlong
- Form 002-462
- Age 7
- Weight 8-5
- Official Rating 57
- Trainer M J Browne
- Jockey R P Cleary
dwelt, held up in touch, ridden in 5th 2f out, 5th 2f out, went 2nd inside final furlong, stayed on well close home
Verdict
Almadaa has won four times around here, including this a year ago, and appears to prefer this trip but he's never won off a mark this high and is better handicapped on Turf. SUMMER ISLES went up 15lb for her victory at Bellewstown but it didn't prevent her winning easily here after which she was raised an incredible 20lb. Not surprisingly she couldn't cope at the Curragh but ran very well for a long way and can take this. Copper Dock rarely runs away from here nowadays and has won six times on the track. He's now slipped back to his last winning mark. The three-year-old Boughtforasong is still a maiden but has been running well on Turf while Majestic Timeline scored twice at Wolverhampton in the spring and again at Tipperary in June and he's only 3lb higher. Under Review is 0-20 on Turf but 3-11 on an artificial surface, though he's never won here.
Formwatch
Almadaa 25-1 (8-1) Mid-division, ridden over 2f out, no extra over 1f out,, 10th of 24, 7l behind Nero Emperor (9-10) at Curragh 6f hcp gd in Sep.
Summer Isles 10-1 (8-10) Soon led, wide and headed 1f out, no extra, 12th of 13, 9l behind My Good Brother (8-9) at Curragh 5f hcp gd in Sep.
Copper Dock (IRE) 14-1 (9-0) Chased leaders, ridden in 5th 2f out, no extra final furlong, 7th of 8, 4l behind All Ablaze (8-5) at Dundalk 5f hcp pol in Mar.
Knock Stars (IRE) 16-1 (8-13) Prominent and 3rd halfway, ridden and 2nd briefly over 1f out, no extra inside final furlong, 8th of 14, 3l behind Greek Canyon (9-11) at Curragh 6f hcp gd.
Boughtforasong (IRE) 14-1 (9-0) Slowly into stride, towards rear, 12th halfway, soon ridden, 8th 2f out, kept on same pace final furlong, 4th of 14, 5l behind Shipyard (9-5) at Navan 5f mdn stks.
Majestic Timeline (IRE) 11-4fav (9-8) Prominent and 2nd halfway, driven along and dropped to 5th 1f out, no extra and weakened, 13th of 15, 9l behind Patrickswell (9-7) at Bellewstown 5f hcp 47-65 gf in Jul.
Under Review (IRE) 4-1 (9-9) Slowly into stride, towards rear, switched wide to get a run from over 1f out, kept on into 2nd closing stages without troubling winner, 2nd of 9, 5l behind Summer Isles (10-0) at Dundalk 5f hcp 47-65 pol in Sep.