Racecards
14:35 Thurles (IRE)
Thurles Handicap Chase (0-109)
- 12 Runners
- Distance: 2m 2f
- Going: Good (Good to Yielding in places)
- Surface: Turf
- €12,001 added
- Winner: €7,379
- 2nd: €2,279
- 3rd: €1,080
- 4th: €480
- Form 296P45
- Age 10
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 108
- Trainer J R Finn
- Jockey K C Sexton
led and disputed, chased leaders from 3rd, 6th halfway, weakened to rear 5 out, soon no extra
- Form 081741
- Age 7
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 108
towards rear, ridden and no impression before 3 out, moderate 8th 2 out, kept on one pace
- Form 87U484
- Age 8
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 104
- Trainer P M Cloke
- Jockey S W Flanagan
mid-division early, chased leaders from 5th, 5th halfway, closer in 3rd 5 out, challenged and slight mistake 4 out, ridden in 2nd entering straight, under pressure in 5th 2 out, kept on one pace
- Form P87015
- Age 10
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 104
- Trainer P Neville
- Jockey Mr R W Barron
chased leaders, disputed briefly 5th, 3rd halfway, led and disputed from before 9th, ridden entering straight, disputed 2 out, under pressure in 2nd before last, kept on same pace
- Form 8535F0
- Age 7
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 100
- Trainer D H Kelly
- Jockey P E Corbett
chased leaders, led and disputed from 3rd, slight mistake 4th, led after 7th, slightly slow 8th, headed before next, slight mistake in 4th 5 out, ridden and no extra next
- Form 6-73177
- Age 7
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 97
- Trainer G Keane
- Jockey L P Dempsey
held up, progress into 5th 4 out, ridden in 3rd entering straight, challenged before 2 out, no extra in 3rd before last, kept on same pace
- Form 5/67P0-4
- Age 13
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 95
- Trainer John Hayes
- Jockey D E Mullins
held up, progress into 6th entering straight, mistake 2 out, soon ridden and no impression before last, kept on one pace
- Form 790S37
- Age 7
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 94
- Trainer J Morrison
- Jockey R Loughran
held up, closer in 6th 5 out, 4th entering straight, improved to dispute 2 out, ridden to lead before last, kept on strongly run-in
- Form 57P960
- Age 9
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 92
- Trainer F Costello
- Jockey M P Fogarty
soon led and disputed, headed after 7th, disputed again 9th, ridden in 2nd before 4 out, no extra 3 out
- Form 0/0P00-9
- Age 6
- Weight 10-6
- Official Rating 88
- Trainer A J Martin
- Jockey D F O'Regan
towards rear, closer in 8th 4 out, ridden and no impression entering straight, soon no extra
- Form 4-P2P02
- Age 8
- Weight 10-2
- Official Rating 84
- Trainer R Tyner
- Jockey P T Enright
disputed briefly early, soon chased leaders, 4th halfway, ridden in 5th entering straight, under pressure and slight mistake 2 out, no extra before last, kept on one pace
- Form 0-86876
- Age 6
- Weight 9-10
- Official Rating 73
- Trainer Arthur Goulding
- Jockey S J Crimin
mid-division, fell 9th
Verdict
Denis Hogan places his horses well and looks to have found another opportunity for EIRI NA CASCA (NAP). A winner over 2m7f at Ballinrobe in August, he dropped back to this trip at Galway last week and produced another winning performance for which a 5lb rise doesn't look enough to prevent a quick double. Rockshandy, who had scored at Listowel on his previous start, could only finish 5l behind the selection at Galway and looks held despite the pull in the weights. Massinis Adventure ran his best race for a long time at Clonmel last month but was well beaten behind the selection at Ballinrobe previously. Ballyfinboy pops up every now and then but has been badly out of form in recent weeks while Bellgrove will need first-time blinkers to work if he's to get involved.
Formwatch
Ballyfinboy (IRE) 14-1 (11-8) Led, joined 4th, headed after 3 out and soon pushed along, no impression in 5th from before last, 5th of 10, 21 1/2l behind Shek O Lad (11-5) at Downpatrick 2m 2f hcp Good - Yielding in Oct.
Eiri Na Casca (IRE) 7-1 (10-4) Towards rear, 11th halfway, 8th approaching 2 out, pushed along to go 4th on inner entering straight and ridden in 2nd 1f out, under pressure and kept on well to lead close home, won at Galway 2m 2f hcp gd in Oct beating Bashful Beauty (11-10) by 1/2l, 13 ran.
Bellgrove (IRE) 7-1 (11-6) Soon tracked leaders, 4th at 6th, ridden straight, 3rd 2 out, no extra and jumped right at last, one pace, 4th of 9, 7 3/4l behind Samanntom (11-7) at Tipperary 2m 1f hcp Yielding - Soft in Oct.
Rockshandy (IRE) 16-1 (10-5) Tracked leader, 2nd halfway, pushed along and no impression on leader approaching 2 out, under pressure in 4th 1f out, kept on one pace, 5th of 13, 5l behind Eiri Na Casca (10-4) at Galway 2m 2f hcp gd in Oct.
Meldrum Lad (IRE) 10-1 (10-3) Held up, slight mistake 3rd, not fluent 5th, 10th at 7th, mistake 11th, no impression from before 4 out, soon no extra, 11th of 12, dist behind Cecil Corbett (10-12) at Punchestown 2m 6f hcp gd in Oct.
Effernock Lad (IRE) 7-1 (11-12) Chased leaders and 4th after 6 out, not fluent 5 out and 4 out, ridden after next and weakened, no extra in 6th from last, 7th of 15, 29 1/2l behind Show And Go (11-12) at Downpatrick 2m 2f gd in Sep.
Kilmurry Kid (IRE) 6-1 (12-1) Ld, clr from 8out, reduced ld 5out, hdd app 2out, dropped to 4th & no extra str, 4th of 9, dist behind Ourmanmassini (11-10) at Castletown-Geoghegan 3m gs in Oct.
Shouband (IRE) 20-1 (10-10) Soon mid-division, progress from 7th, close up before straight, not fluent 2 out, one pace from before last, 7th of 17, 5 3/4l behind The Fitz Lady (10-12) at Cork 2m 3f hcp Yielding in Oct.
Diamondgeezer Luke (IRE) 33-1 (9-10) Mid-division, 10th halfway, pushed along and no extra 4 out, weakened, tailed off, 10th of 13, dist behind Eiri Na Casca (10-4) at Galway 2m 2f hcp gd in Oct.
Blackwater Bridge (IRE) 6-1 (11-3) Mid-division, progress into 6th after 3 out, ridden and no extra before 2 out, 9th of 16, 28 1/4l behind Miss Faithful (11-10) at Sligo 2m hcp Good - Yielding in May.
Massinis Adventure (IRE) 7-1 (10-6) Disputed early, soon chased leaders, improved to dispute 5 out, ridden n 2nd before 2 out, no extra from last, kept on same pace, 2nd of 14, 5l behind Dark Outsider (10-3) at Clonmel 2m 2f hcp gd in Sep.
Is That Marmalade (IRE) 40-1 (11-12) Prominent early, disputed lead 5th, headed before 7th, 4th 3 out, soon ridden and weakened, 6th of 8, 26 1/4l behind Lip Service (11-12) at Tramore 2m 6f gd in Oct.