Racecards
20:30 Dundalk (IRE)
Crowne Plaza Hotel Dundalk Handicap
- 14 Runners
- Distance: 1m
- Going: Standard
- Surface: Polytrack
- €13,000 added
- Winner: €8,970
- 2nd: €2,080
- 3rd: €910
- 4th: €520
- Form 038-735
- Age 5
- Weight 9-13
- Official Rating 89
- Trainer R Brabazon
- Jockey Declan McDonogh
in rear early, pulled hard and rapid to chase leaders on outer halfway, 3rd entering straight, soon ridden and no impression
- Form 3-75070
- Age 6
- Weight 9-12
- Official Rating 88
- Trainer A Oliver
- Jockey C O'Donoghue
mid-division, no impression straight
- Form 911800
- Age 5
- Weight 9-10
- Official Rating 86
- Trainer E Lynam
- Jockey E J McNamara
chased leaders, 4th entering straight, ridden and kept on same pace from 2f out
- Form 479030
- Age 5
- Weight 9-10
- Official Rating 86
slowly into stride and towards rear, some progress and ridden entering straight, kept on without threatening
- Form 471-320
- Age 3
- Weight 9-8
- Official Rating 88
- Trainer D Wachman
- Jockey K J Manning
towards rear, ridden entering straight, some progress into 6th 1 1/2f out, no impression
- Form 392114
- Age 4
- Weight 9-8
- Official Rating 84
rear of mid-division, headway entering straight, ridden to lead 1 1/2f out, soon clear, stayed on well final furlong
- Form 332-171
- Age 3
- Weight 9-8
- Official Rating 88
- Trainer T Stack
- Jockey Wayne Lordan
chased leaders, ridden on inner entering straight, no impression from 2f out
- Form 3-33112
- Age 3
- Weight 9-7
- Official Rating 87
- Trainer M J Grassick
- Jockey N G McCullagh
mid-division, weakened straight
- Form 074380
- Age 3
- Weight 9-7
- Official Rating 87
- Trainer K J Condon
- Jockey S Foley
led, joined halfway, led and strongly pressed 2f out, headed 1 1/2f out, no extra
- Form 0-7142
- Age 3
- Weight 9-6
- Official Rating 86
prominent, disputed lead halfway, ridden and headed 2f out, weakened
- Form 621506
- Age 5
- Weight 9-6
- Official Rating 82
- Trainer Michael Mulvany
- Jockey Gary Carroll
always towards rear
- Form 1-5
- Age 3
- Weight 9-5
- Official Rating 85
- Trainer D K Weld
- Jockey P J Smullen
always towards rear, weakened straight
- Form 071-23
- Age 3
- Weight 9-3
- Official Rating 83
- Trainer T Collins
- Jockey M C Hussey
chased leaders, ridden entering straight, 7th 2f out, kept on to go 2nd close home
- Form 751423
- Age 3
- Weight 9-1
- Official Rating 81
- Trainer T Carmody
- Jockey Johnny Murtagh
mid-division, ridden and no impression straight
- Form 562125
- Age 3
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 80
In depth
Verdict
It's hard to know what to make of Stunned Silence, who beat the useful Wave on her debut here in October and didn't reappear until July when well beaten on heavy ground at Ballinrobe. She could be a blot on the handicap so has to be kept on the right side. No three-year-old has won this in five renewals but they are well represented this time and Tommy Stack holds a strong hand with the lightly-raced Coin Of Courage and the progressive Van Rooney, whose 5lb rise for his Killarney success shouldn't prevent a big run. ELUSIVE IN PARIS won twice here in May and didn't reappear until two weeks ago when running his best race to date behind the very progressive Brendan Bracken. Not surprisingly he's climbing the weights but he looks one to follow on Polytrack this winter and gets the vote. Russian Soul and King Of Dudes are others to keep an eye on in an open handicap.
Formwatch
Lightening Stricks (IRE) 11-2 (9-8) Chased leader in 4th, closer approaching straight, ridden and no extra under 2f out, 5th of 6, 10l behind Whipless (9-2) at Leopardstown 1m hcp in May.
Super Say (IRE) 10-1 (9-8) Mid-division, 9th halfway, no extra from 2f out, weakened, 14th of 15, 22l behind Brendan Brackan (9-2) at Curragh 1m hcp 60-100.
Akasaka (IRE) 16-1 (9-7) Led, ridden and headed under 2f out, soon weakened, 13th of 14, 11l behind Muck 'N' Brass (9-3) at Dundalk 1m 3f hcp pol in Aug.
Iron Major (IRE) 16-1 (9-1) Mid-division, 10th halfway, no extra from 2f out, 12th of 15, 19l behind Brendan Brackan (9-2) at Curragh 1m hcp 60-100.
Hot Bed (IRE) 11-4fav (9-1) Chased leaders, 7th halfway, soon driven along and no extra from well over 1f out, 10th of 15, 16l behind Brendan Brackan (9-2) at Curragh 1m hcp 60-100.
Russian Soul (IRE) 10-1 (8-5) Mid-division, 9th entering straight, ridden and went 6th inside final furlong, kept on same pace, 4th of 17, 2 3/4l behind Lily's Angel (9-4) at Leopardstown 7f hcp gd.
Van Rooney (USA) 5-1fav (9-9) Held up, 8th and driven entering straight, 5th and headway 2f out, 2nd and challenged under 1f out, kept on well to lead close home, won at Killarney 1m hcap beating Matjar (8-11) by nk, 12 ran.
Elusive In Paris (IRE) 12-1 (8-8) Rear of mid-division, 7th 3f out, headway to go 2nd over 1f out, kept on same pace but no impression on winner final furlong, 2nd of 15, 3 1/2l behind Brendan Brackan (9-2) at Curragh 1m hcp 60-100.
Strait Of Zanzibar (USA) 16-1 (8-9) Never a factor, 15th of 17, 11l behind Lily's Angel (9-4) at Leopardstown 7f hcp gd.
Coin Of Courage (IRE) 7-1 (9-9) Raced in moderate 3rd, kept on without threatening under pressure on outer without troubling winner final furlong, 2nd of 5, 3l behind Tandem (9-9) at Killarney 1m stks sft.
Jembatt (IRE) 14-1 (9-1) In rear, driven along and kept on from over 1f out, never a factor, 6th of 15, 13l behind Brendan Brackan (9-2) at Curragh 1m hcp 60-100.
Stunned Silence (USA) 3-1 (9-2) Held up, 4th halfway, ridden over 2f out, no extra over 1f out, last of 5, 19l behind Snap Alam (9-6) at Ballinrobe 1m 1f stks gd in Jul.
Captain Joy (IRE) 7-2 (9-4) Chased leaders in 4th, ridden 2f out and went 3rd over 1f out, no impression and kept on one pace, 3rd of 7, 5l behind Sadler's Mark (10-0) at Naas 1m app hcp 50-85 in Aug.
King of Dudes 6-4fav (9-2) Chased leaders, 4th halfway, ridden 2f out, no impression over 1f out, kept on same pace to 3rd close home, 3rd of 9, 10l behind Phantom Of Plenty (8-6) at Leopardstown 1m 2f App hcp gs in Aug.
Jimtown 4-1 (9-2) Held up in touch, close 5th 4f out, headway into 2nd early straight, soon ridden and no impression, kept on same pace, no chance with winner, 2nd of 6, 5l behind Encrypted Message (9-1) at Killarney 1m 3f hcp.
Kedleston (IRE) 7-1 (9-7) Prominent, no extra under pressure and kept on same pace from over 1f out, 5th of 8, 5l behind Stuccodor (9-3) at Killarney 1m 3yo hcp 60-90 sft.
Tarrsille (IRE) 14-1 (9-6) Soon led, ridden and headed 1 1/2f out, no extra in 3rd 1f out, weakened final furlong, 9th of 14, 2 1/4l behind If Per Chance (9-5) at Dundalk 1m hcap pol in Feb.