Racecards
14:32 Gowran Park (IRE)
Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase
- 10 Runners
- Distance: 2m 4f
- Going: Heavy
- Surface: Turf
- €15,500 added
- Winner: €9,300
- 2nd: €3,100
- 3rd: €1,551
- 4th: €775
- Form 11/94FF-
- Age 7
- Weight 12-0
- Trainer W P Mullins
- Jockey D J Mullins
mid-division, raced keenly, 4th halfway, not fluent 8th, ridden and no impression in moderate 6th when mistake 3 out, no extra, tailed off
Bolbec (FR)
42- Form 8710/
- Age 6
- Weight 12-0
- Trainer J J Hanlon
- Jockey J S McGarvey
always towards rear, a little keen, not fluent 7th, mistake 5 out, ridden and no extra before next, tailed off
- Form 910P2-7
- Age 5
- Weight 12-0
- Trainer J P O'Brien
- Jockey J J Slevin
always towards rear, slight mistake 4th, ridden and no extra from 4 out, tailed off
- Form 1/311-
- Age 6
- Weight 12-0
- Trainer W P Mullins
- Jockey P Townend
made all, soon clear, slight mistake 6th, mistake 9th, 8 length lead 4 out, kept on well from next, easily
- Form 5761U1-
- Age 5
- Weight 12-0
- Trainer J P O'Brien
- Jockey Rachael Blackmore
mid-division, mistake 2nd, not fluent 3rd, 6th halfway, ridden and no impression in moderate 5th 3 out, kept on one pace
Ferocious (IRE)
244- Form 0/512P8-
- Age 6
- Weight 12-0
- Trainer G Elliott
- Jockey K M Donoghue
chased leaders, 5th halfway, mistake 4 out, ridden and no extra before next, tailed off
- Form 75/09B2-
- Age 6
- Weight 12-0
- Trainer D H Kelly
- Jockey Mr J C Barry
held up towards rear, pushed along in rear halfway, weakened and pulled up before 8th
- Form 53321-3
- Age 6
- Weight 12-0
- Trainer Mrs J Harrington
- Jockey S F O'Keeffe
tracked leaders, not fluent 3rd, 3rd halfway, 2nd 4 out, pushed along before next, no impression in 3rd when slight mistake 2 out, slight mistake last, kept on one pace
Speak Easy
26- Form 32/3F3-4
- Age 7
- Weight 12-0
- Official Rating 141
- Trainer J P O'Brien
- Jockey M P Walsh
tracked leaders, 2nd halfway, 3rd when slight mistake 4 out, ridden in moderate 4th and no impression 3 out, kept on one pace
- Form 6310-69
- Age 6
- Weight 11-7
- Trainer C Bowe
- Jockey Mr R James
mid-division, 8th halfway, moderate 5th after 4 out, went 3rd next, 2nd 2 out, ridden and no impression when slight mistake last, kept on one pace
Verdict
Speak Easy has been performing much better than his form figures imply against strong opposition. His stable companion Fakir was in excellent form over hurdles last winter and may have completed a hat-trick but for unseating at Down Royal. Another from the yard, Ellipsism, was beaten narrowly in his only start over fences at Limerick in March but COKO BEACH looks the one to beat. Narrowly beaten by stable companion Pencilfulloflead at Galway, the form was given a massive boost when the winner landed a Punchestown Grade 2 on Sunday. Willie Mullins saddles both Antey, who fell when there with every chance in his last two starts over fences, and Paul Townend's mount Energumene, a winning point-to-pointer and bumper who won a maiden hurdle by 19 lengths here in March.
Formwatch
Antey (GER) 6-5fav (11-12) Disputed lead early, soon led, headed from 2nd and soon raced in moderate 2nd, some slight mistakes, closed approaching straight and effort when fell 2 out, at Thurles 2m Good - Yielding in Feb.
Bolbec (FR) 40-1 (9-11) Prominent, led inside 1st 2f, headed into straight, soon weakened, 12th of 14, 12 1/2l behind Alghazaal (9-7) at Dundalk 1m 4f hcp pol in Oct.
Ellipsism (IRE) 18-1 (11-9) Chased leaders, 6th after 3rd, 7th approaching 4th, towards rear and pushed along into straight, soon no impression, 7th of 9, 34l behind Dreal Deal (11-10) at Cork 2m hcp Soft - Heavy in Nov.
Energumene (FR) 1-4 (11-12) won at Gowran Park 2m Soft - Heavy in Mar beating Coolagh Park (11-12) by 19l, 13 ran.
Fakir (FR) 11-1 (11-7) Towards rear on outer, headway approaching 3 out and travelled well to lead 2 out, pushed along and 4 lengths clear last, stayed on well run-in, won at Gowran Park 2m 4f hcp hvy in Feb beating Baily Thunder (10-1) by 11l, 20 ran.
Ferocious (IRE) 25-1 (11-7) Tracked leaders, 5th halfway, pushed along and lost place after 8th, ridden and detached in rear before 4 out, weakened, tailed off, 8th of 9, dist behind Jetz (11-2) at Thurles 2m 6f Yielding - Soft in Mar.
Montagne D'Argent (IRE) 20-1 (11-12) Soon tracked leaders, 2nd approaching 4 out, on terms approaching straight, headed 2 out, soon no impression, one pace, 2nd of 7, 6 1/2l behind Discordantly (11-12) at Gowran Park 2m 4f Soft - Heavy in Mar.
Port Stanley (IRE) 14-1 (12-0) Tracked leaders, 5th from 3rd, effort straight, no impression before 2 out, kept on without threatening run-in, 3rd of 17, 9 3/4l behind Easywork (12-0) at Navan 2m 1f Soft - Heavy in Nov.
Speak Easy 3-1 (12-0) Settled behind leaders, moderate 4th halfway, closer after 8th, ridden and no impression 2 out, kept on one pace, 4th of 8, 18 1/2l behind Pencilfulloflead (12-0) at Galway 2m 7f sft in Oct.
Fort Worth Texas (IRE) 22-1 (11-9) Prominent and disputed lead, pushed along and lost place after 4 out, soon weakened, tailed off, 9th of 10, dist behind Western Run (12-0) at Killarney 2m 7f gd in Oct.
Coko Beach (FR) 10-1 (12-0) Led and disputed, slight mistake 1st, led halfway, pressed 2 out, ridden and joined after last, narrowly headed 1f out, kept on without matching winner, 2nd of 8, 3/4l behind Pencilfulloflead (12-0) at Galway 2m 7f sft in Oct.