Racecards
13:25 Thurles (IRE)
John Meagher Memorial Chase (Listed) (Class 1)
- 6 Runners
- Distance: 2m 6f
- Going: Good
- Surface: Turf
- €27,500 added
- Winner: €17,876
- 2nd: €5,225
- 3rd: €2,475
- 4th: €825
- Form 36145-F
- Age 9
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 157
- Trainer C A Murphy
- Jockey D N Russell
led or disputed lead, jumped left 9th, headed after 5 out and ridden in 5th approaching straight, no extra approaching last, kept on one pace
- Form 375525
- Age 11
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 136
prominent and disputed lead, slow 5th, led after 5 out until slight mistake and headed 3 out, ridden and dropped to 3rd before last, no impression run-in
- Form 315845
- Age 8
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 120
- Trainer D E Fitzgerald
- Jockey P D Kennedy
held up racing keenly, headway into 3rd at 9th, pushed along entering straight and no extra in 4th when stumbled on landing last
- Form 0F5P0-0
- Age 9
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 123
- Trainer S J Mahon
- Jockey R C Colgan
chased leaders and in rear before halfway, pushed along approaching 4 out and no extra when slight mistake 2 out, weakened
- Form 7444-54
- Age 9
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 145
- Trainer P Nolan
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
settled towards rear, went 3rd when slight mistake 2 out, headway to lead last and kept on well run-in
- Form 2/04422-
- Age 9
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 154
- Trainer N Meade
- Jockey B J Geraghty
tracked leaders in 3rd, led 3 out, ridden after 2 out and headed last, no impression on winner run-in
Verdict
Quito De La Roque has competed at the highest level since winning the Jnwine.com at Down Royal a year ago where he had Sizing Europe in second. He has a huge penalty to carry for that and it will be a cracking effort if he can beat REALT DUBH on these terms. A triple Grade 1 winner as a novice, the latter hasn't quite gone on as expected but race conditions favour him here and he should be up to the task. He regularly beat Noble Prince as a novice and shouldn't have much to fear from him while the remainder will need to show improvement to get into the action.
Formwatch
Quito De La Roque (FR) 8-1 (11-10) Tracked leaders, dropped to 4th and ridden 4 out, no impression in a dispute of 5th when fell 2 out, in a race won by Sizing Europe (11-10) at Gowran Park 2m 4f chs Grd 2 (1) gd in Oct, 8 ran.
Fosters Cross (IRE) 7-1 (11-10) Prominent, 2nd for much, not entirely fluent 2 out and no extra, 5th of 8, 25l behind Nearly Nama'd (10-10) at Galway 2m hcp hdl hvy in Oct.
Playtime Ben (IRE) 8-1 (11-0) Held up towards rear, closer in 6th 5 out, 4th next, close up 2nd 3 out, ridden in 3rd entering straight, no extra in 4th 2 out, kept on same pace, 5th of 9, 15l behind King Vuvuzela (10-0) at Punchestown 2m 4f hcp chs 0-130 gf in Oct.
Armaramak (IRE) 33-1 (10-1) Chased leaders, slow jumping early, lost place when hampered 4th, last and no extra from 3 out, 12th of 14, 38l behind Liberty's Gift (10-11) at Tipperary 2m hcp hdl gd in Oct.
Noble Prince (GER) 8-1 (11-6) Tracked leaders mainly 4th, closer 4 out but ridden early straight and no impression before last, no extra, 4th of 5, 14l behind Toner D'Oudairies (11-6) at Punchestown 2m 7f chs Grade 3 (1) gd in Oct.
Realt Dubh (IRE) 7-2 (11-12) Tracked leaders in 3rd, went 2nd before 2 out, improved to dispute lead with every chance when blundered at last, unable to recover and kept on for 2nd run-in, 2nd of 4, 6l behind Days Hotel (11-10) at Naas 2m chs Grd 2 (1) in Feb.