Leopardstown 10 September 2016

Going: Good (Good to Yielding in places)
 
 
Sunny spells

Forecast: Sunny spells
Temperature: 9.6° - 16.9°
Rainfall: none
Wind: 12.4 mph SW

All Racecards within one PDF

Instructions

1

15:30 Leopardstown (IRE) (2YO only)

Ballylinch Stud EBF Fillies Maiden (Plus 10)

7f

Winner €18,450 - 18 ran

No.
(Draw)
Form
Horse
Age / Wt / OR
Jockey / Trainer
Form Snapshot

KEY TO MY HEART showed tremendous improvement from his debut outing to finish third over a mile at the Curragh last time. The way she ran on there suggests that this drop in trip is a slight concern, but she looks classy enough to land the spoils. Holiday Girl was a fair third on her debut here and is in with a shout, while Tradfest ran well over this trip at the Curragh on debut and is respected. A host of newcomers make this a compelling contest, with Aneen, a half-sister to Irish 2000 Guineas winner Awtaad, arguably the pick.

2

16:00 Leopardstown (IRE) (Class 1) (2YO only)

Willis Towers Watson Champions Juvenile Stakes (Group 3)

1m

Winner €59,000 - 5 ran

No.
(Draw)
Form
Horse
Age / Wt / OR
Jockey / Trainer
Form Snapshot

Aidan O'Brien has farmed this race in recent years and could keep his winning run going with DOUGLAS MACARTHUR. The Galileo colt left his debut flop behind when bolting up by five lengths over C&D last time and he is likely to be a skinny price to follow up. Firey Speech made it two wins on the bounce in a nursery at Galway but this will require another step forward, so a bigger danger could be Radio Silence. Jim Bolger was fairly ebullient in his praise of the War Front colt when winning on debut and a two-length defeat at the hands of Churchill last time is no disgrace.

3

16:35 Leopardstown (IRE) (Class 1) (3YO plus)

Irish Stallion Farms E.B.F. 'Petingo' Handicap (Premier Handicap)

1m 6f

Winner €88,501 - 16 ran

No.
(Draw)
Form
Horse
Age / Wt / OR
Jockey / Trainer
Form Snapshot

Quick Jack took third behind stablemate Heartbreak City in the Ebor at York and is only 2lb higher here, while Intense Tango has been raised just 2lb for her success at Haydock, though she's unlikely to be allowed to slip the field here. The booking of Ryan Moore to ride Botany Bay is interesting, while Renneti has to be considered for Willie Mullins, but RADANPOUR gets the vote. Dermot Weld's charge was a Listed winner last term and landed a small event at Bellewstown last time, which could put him in perfect shape for his handicap bow.

4

17:05 Leopardstown (IRE) (Class 1) (3YO plus)

KPMG Enterprise Stakes (Group 3)

1m 4f

Winner €59,000 - 5 ran

No.
(Draw)
Form
Horse
Age / Wt / OR
Jockey / Trainer
Form Snapshot

Although many will be expecting Derby runner-up Us Army Ranger to return to that Epsom form and land this, he was disappointing at the Curragh last time and could be worth taking on. STELLAR MASS has taken a rather wayward route to this grade, having landed a Down Royal handicap before stepping up to the Irish Derby and finishing well in third. Victories in a Down Royal Listed race and a Group 3 here (with Bondi Beach third) have followed, so he cannot be underestimated. Tree Of Knowledge is unexposed and gives Aidan O'Brien a strong hand, while Zhukova is improving rapidly and cannot be dismissed.

5

17:35 Leopardstown (IRE) (Class 1) (3YO plus)

Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes (Group 1)

1m

Winner €206,500 - 8 ran

No.
(Draw)
Form
Horse
Age / Wt / OR
Jockey / Trainer
Form Snapshot

QEMAH could cement herself as Europe's leading mile filly in this contest. Third in the French 1000 Guineas in May when encountering trouble in running, she has blossomed since, beating Alice Springs (third), Now Or Never Fourth and Jet Setting (sixth) in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot before following up with an impressive success in the Prix Rothschild, where Alice Springs was left even further behind. German 1000 Guineas winner Hawksmoor was not disgraced over a furlong further at the Curragh, while Persuasive jumps up in class for this but has been progressing rapidly of late.

6

18:10 Leopardstown (IRE) (Class 1) (3YO plus)

Clipper Logistics Boomerang Stakes (Group 2)

1m

Winner €118,000 - 7 ran

No.
(Draw)
Form
Horse
Age / Wt / OR
Jockey / Trainer
Form Snapshot

AWTAAD faded away in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood last time, but he cannot be dismissed for that one outing, having won the Irish 2000 Guineas and finished third in the St James's Palace prior to that. Hit It A Bomb was a classy juvenile, winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, and could improve past Tribal Beat after finishing third to that rival on his reappearance over C&D. Custom Cut and Dream Walker are veteran British raiders who have a squeak, while Gordon Lord Byron is even older than those two but could have a shout if rolling back the years.

7

18:45 Leopardstown (IRE) (Class 1) (3YO plus)

Qipco Irish Champion Stakes (Group 1)

1m 2f

Winner €712,500 - 12 ran

No.
(Draw)
Form
Horse
Age / Wt / OR
Jockey / Trainer
Form Snapshot

MINDING has been outstanding in the fillies' division this season, winning the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, the Oaks at Epsom and the Pretty Polly and Nassau Stakes over this trip. Though she has yet to prove her mettle against the boys, this could be her chance to shine over what looks her optimum trip. Dual Derby winner Harzand has to be given a serious chance here, but the suspicion remains that he may just be better over 1m4f, a comment that also applies to Highland Reel. Almanzor is a rather unheralded French raider, but he showed his shock French Derby success was no fluke when winning at Deauville last time. The hugely consistent Found and Andre Fabre's Deauville winner New Bay ensure this is a champion race in name and nature.

8

19:20 Leopardstown (IRE) (Class 1) (3YO plus)

Irish Stallion Farms E.B.F. 'Sovereign Path' Handicap

7f

Winner €88,501 - 17 ran

No.
(Draw)
Form
Horse
Age / Wt / OR
Jockey / Trainer
Form Snapshot

British-based trainers have won this the last twice, including with today's top weight Kelinni last year, and look to have another opportunity with Kevin Ryan's BIG TIME. A winner of a claimer in July, he ran on strongly for third despite not having much room at Goodwood last time and Donnacha O'Brien's handy 3lb claim negates the handicapper's intervention. Sikarandabad sports blinkers for the first time after missing out by half a length at the Curragh latest, while Reckless Endeavour has been a model of consistency of late, winning at Gowran before losing narrowly at Gowran and Galway the last twice. Time To Reason and Mizaah are two of a number of other potential candidates in an open contest.

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