UK Horse Racing Tips: Leopardstown

Several with fairly similar claims amongst those that have run, and the likes of Ebeneezer Perry, Montenotte and Flying Rock are debutants who are Group 1-entered later in the summer. NOBLE SEAL is a tentative selection, after keeping on into fourth having been badly hampered in a course and distance maiden last month. The highly-regarded second that day, Southern Cape, won at Gowran earlier this week. Meala gets all the allowances here, and her course form behind Oodnadatta last month was also boosted when the runner-up Minaun won a Group 3 next time out. Vafortino steps up a furlong having been a close fourth on debut at Navan but, along with the likes of Rebel Step and San Martino, he'll need to step forward a good bit from that initial effort to win what looks a competitive heat.
Prediction : 1st Noble Seal 2nd Meala 3rd Vafortino

No form to guide us so the market will be crucial in this newcomers' maiden. Aidan O'Brien's Van Gogh is a half-brother to a slew of winners including Horatio Nelson and Kitty Matcham, and stablemate Exuma is a full-sister to Listed winner Curly. TOSHIZOU is a half-brother to last year's Windsor Castle winner Southern Hills and, along with the Kingman colt Masen and from a smaller yard Charterhouse, holds a Group 1 entry later in the season. Joseph O'Brien's Australia colt might be forward enough to make a winning start. From powerful yards that have already had juvenile winners this term, Blue For You and Liberada are also worthy of consideration.
Prediction : 1st Toshizou 2nd Van Gogh 3rd Masen

HIGHLY APPROVED was just touched off by the fast-finishing Airgead over course and distance earlier this month (Oneroi half a length behind in third) and can go one place better. Colin Keane, who won on her at Bellewstown last summer, takes the mount again and Ado McGuinness' mare has been second three times in all over 7f at Leopardstown, so is clearly well suited by this test. Reverberation has rattled up a hat-trick but the handicapper has had his say and he may find a couple too good, while The Mpex Kid won readily in lesser company at Fairyhouse (handicap debut) and has the scope to go up the grades a bit more. Khafaaq did little wrong when second to Gee Rex at the Curragh and has headgear reapplied, and Atlas, despite a modest enough strike-rate, is always thereabouts in these big-field handicaps at this course.
Prediction : 1st Highly Approved 2nd Reverberation 3rd The Mpex Kid

ULTRA PRIDE would be a more confident selection over 10f but he might see it out well enough over this distance to gain a second career win. He was a good winner at the Curragh last season, and appeals as being still on a feasible mark, with his comeback third at Fairyhouse being franked by the subsequent win of the second Tonkinese. The hat-trick seeking Wilderness also has her stamina to prove as she tries 12f for the first time, but comes here in great fettle while Spelga ( a winner over this trip at Dundalk) has ground to make up with the selection on their running at Fairyhouse. Colin Keane is an interesting booking for Mount Jannu, a full-sister to the useful Mr Everest and likely to come into her own as she steps into handicap company.
Prediction : 1st Ultra Pride 2nd Wilderness 3rd Mount Jannu

CERBERUS can defy top weight and win. He was just useful in this sphere last year but showed good improvement when sent hurdling, culminating with a fine sixth placing in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham. He lacks a recent run and is drawn wide but will be suited to easy ground and was a close second on his latest flat start, from 3lbs lower, at Galway last October with today's rider now claiming 3lbs. Elizabethofaragon is a blue-blooded Ballydoyle runner who has yet to show any worthwhile form. She was behind the bridle throughout in her latest start in a 1m2f maiden here last month and while she clearly needs to show far more, improvement is very likely over time and she also steps up two furlongs in trip today which is surely a positive. Liars Corner seems to prefer an ease and while he lacks a recent outing, has solid claims on his handicap form from last year.
Prediction : 1st Cerberus 2nd Elizabethofaragon 3rd Liars Corner

Melbourne Cup hero Rekindling makes his eagerly awaited reappearance but comes here having suffered training issues, and the pick is tricky KASPERENKO, who brings good recent form. KASPERENKO was rated 104 at his peak, gained a Listed win on the all-weather at Kempton in 2018 and while he has a tendency to start slowly and hang in the closing stages, a reproduction of his recent Curragh run would give him solid claims against ring-rusty opponents. Rekindling is basically as ring-rusty as it gets, having had just one bout since his November 2017 Melbourne Cup heroics. That latest run was when finishing last in the Australian Cup on March 9 2019 and while he is the class horse in this race, his absence of form in the past two and a half years is a big negative. Sea The Lion is himself a smart horse who finished third in the 2018 Ebor. He would have strong claims if returning to his best form but has also suffered plenty training problems in his career and is best watched on reappearance run. The handicapper has fished out a rating of 90 for Tiger Tap Tap from his two French flat runs in May and June 2018 (winning a maiden latterly) and connections are, presumably, taking aim at the amateur handicap at Galway He has been a little disappointing on his most recent hurdle starts and while he could run a big race on a sound surface today, he isn't helped by the lack of a recent outing. Powerful Ted was a good maiden winner at Fairyhouse recently but will surely bump into a few too too strong today. Tandem ran very well in the Cork Derby recently and while rated 89, is now 11 and might struggle to win this.
Prediction : 1st Kasperenko 2nd Rekindling 3rd Sea The Lion

ANCIENT SPIRIT is a well travelled individual and can continue his excellent recent form and complete a hat-trick for Jessica Harrington. An entire, he has previously raced in Germany, France, Italy, Australia and in recent times in Ireland and comes here proven at this trip and on most ground conditions and holds Trais Flous by 1.5L on a previous meeting at the Curragh in June. Trais Flous, a E370,000 purchase last October, finished seventh at the Breeders' Cup last November before filling seventh of eight in Saudi Arabia in February. He is a smart performer and should be able to give the selection another race today. Seven-year-old Zabeel Prince is the star performer of the field being a Group 1 winner of the Prix d'Ispahan at Longchamp in May 2019. He failed to figure in the King George, Eclipse and Sussex Stakes subsequently and while there is certainly no disgrace in those defeats, he comes here following a 346-day absence today against in-form race-fit rivals which might count against him. Patrick Sarsfield in interesting in that the handicapper has now caught up with him (he started 6/5f and 5/4f on both handicap wins) and he now tries Stakes company for the first time. He clearly has more on his plate than when winning from a big weight at Navan recently and while he has plenty to prove at this grade, is nonetheless capable of a good showing.
Prediction : 1st Ancient Spirit 2nd Zabeel Prince 3rd Trais Fluors

PARKERS HILL was handed a 9lbs penalty for winning at Naas in June but could be capable of defying it and winning here. He initially showed plenty promise in his juvenile days and while he subsequently disappointed, he seems to have turned a corner since winning at Dundalk in January and looks the type to compete from his revised 83 rating, despite having a wide draw. Three-year-old Leadership Race progressed well when winning twice at Dundalk last October and proved that form was no fluke but showing improved turf form at the Curragh last month. In fairness to him, his initial turf form was on soft ground, which he appears to dislike, and he is open to some more improvement today and could go close. Sirjack Thomas ran well at Bellewstown latest and while he isn't ahead of the handicapper, should run another solid race while Prisoner's Dilemma was 12th of 18 at Navan on Thursday, having won over this trip at Naas previously. Top weight Beauchamp Bagenal has a sellable-to-foreign-markets rating of 93 having finished sixth in a Listed race at the Curragh last month but connections might be kicking themselves for running in that race, as he was hit with a 15lbs ratings hike, which leaves him with diminished prospects here.
Prediction : 1st Parkers Hill 2nd Leadership Race 3rd Sirjack Thomas