UK Horse Racing Tips: Gowran Park

LORD MASSUSUS progressed well when encountering soft ground last year. winning at Listowel and the Curragh before being placed behind Panic Alarm in the valuable final of the auction race series over this trip at Naas. He may have improved enough after a winter break to turn around the form with Panic Alarm, although the latter shaped well on his comeback when third in the Madrid Handicap back at Naas. Shadowed opened his account on testing ground at the Curragh last month and three winners have already come out of that 20-runner maiden. Spirit Genie won a maiden at Roscommon last summer and probably put up his best performance in defeat when going down narrowly on heavy ground at Cork. Dundalk winner Not Even Close holds plenty of stakes entries and is an interesting addition to this rescheduled contest.
Prediction : 1st Lord Massusus 2nd Panic Alarm 3rd Shadowed

BARNHILL ROSE won over this trip at Naas last summer and appears versatile in terms of ground conditions having made a pleasing reappearance when third to Asisaid at Leopardstown last week. The Denis Hogan-trained mare should appreciate this step back up to a mile and can improve past the winner on these revised terms. Narlita also brings recent placed form to the table having kept on into third at Bellewstown, and Harry Rogers now fits a hood on the German-bred filly. Everylittlestep was placed three times over C&D last year and probably found 10 furlongs on heavy ground just too far when making a highly creditable return at Navan a fortnight ago.
Prediction : 1st Barnhill Rose 2nd Asisaid 3rd Narlita

HARRY'S LEGACY started off last season in promising fashion when runner-up over C&D before winning his next two starts. He never ran a bad race thereafter and although better ground would be preferable, showed he could handle testing conditions when a running-on fifth in the Naas November Handicap. Grecian Slipper had three runs in stakes company after winning a 1m2f Navan maiden last May. She ran a decent race on soft ground at Galway when last seen and merits respect dropping in grade. Molly's Gamble was a progressive three-year-old who handled soft ground well when winning over 1m3f at Killarney. Second over a furlong further at Galway when last seen in October, there could be more to come from her this term but she still has to prove her stamina for this distance.
Prediction : 1st Harrys Legacy 2nd Grecian Slipper 3rd Mollys Gamble

ASTROPHYSICIST was a five-length winner of a C&D handicap as a three-year-old and was placed a couple of times over further last autumn. He's a modest enough performer over hurdles but will be fully fit from a few recent runs in that sphere and soft ground is what he wants. Jazz Dreamers is a capable sort at this level and was twice placed at this venue last May. He ran a couple of decent races on the all-weather earlier in the spring and any drying of the ground will boost his prospects. Zaghraf is a well-bred sort who has shown a few glimmers of ability over shorter trips on the Flat and when sixth over hurdles at Naas last month. That came after an eight-month layoff and, out of a Nayef mare, he may be capable of improvement as he steps up in trip.
Prediction : 1st Astrophysicist 2nd Jazz Dreamers 3rd Zaghraf

Irish Oaks entry ASTAR handled heavy ground when second at Galway on her final start at two and her run at this venue the time before was even better form. Fifth over 1m on that occasion, the first two home both struck at Group 3 level subsequently and the third and fourth have also got on the scoresheet. This longer trip should be no problem for Dermot Weld's filly. Hazalaya should be all the better for her return at Leopardstown, where she kept on into fourth over a mile. Both Ballydoyle fillies step up in trip, with Lambada starting out for the season having been third over 7f at Leopardstown last term and Water Nymph, second over 7f here at two, bidding to leave behind a poor reappearance effort at the Curragh. Sugaree made 200,000 euros as a yearling at the Goffs Orby Sale and is also engaged in the Irish Oaks.
Prediction : 1st Astar 2nd Hazalaya 3rd Lambada

Joseph O'Brien's CARLO BIANCONI has a sporting chance of making a winning debut. He is by a sire who was more than proficient on rain-softened ground during his racing career, so he may handle this ground better than most. Johnny Murtagh takes the wraps off Goldenstatewarrior. He is by Golden Horn and plenty of cut in the ground isn't proving to be a negative for his progeny. Nathaniel's progeny are showing a fondness for deep ground, so Cormac T is worth checking in the market ahead of his debut for Denis Hogan. Joey Sheridan takes a handy 3lb off his back. Jim Bolger's Parish Star kept on without threatening for sixth on debut on attritional ground in Naas. That experience will be a big help to her, although she has the widest draw. Jessica Harrington's Youcrackmeup has the best draw in stall one and is well worth a market check ahead of her first start.
Prediction : 1st Carlo Bianconi 2nd Goldenstatewarrior 3rd Cormac T

MOST WANTED ran an absolute cracker for a 100/1 outsider when a close third on debut at Leopardstown in October. The form looks particularly solid. The winner went on to land a maiden hurdle in Taunton, while the runner-up snagged a Curragh maiden by a comfortable margin. Most Wanted holds a Group 2 entry for next month, so expectations are high this season. The 85-rated Esculenta has plenty of good placed form in the book. She has switched to Ray Cody for her four-year-old season and has to rate a danger. Riverina Charm showed plenty of ability on her debut at Dundalk, where she was caught close home before finishing third over 1m. She is a half-sister to a four-time winner who was successful on soft ground. Party Central is a high-quality National Hunt mare who hasn't been seen since winning at Punchestown in April last year. In all likelihood, this is preparation for another crack at the Festival there.
Prediction : 1st Most Wanted 2nd Esculenta 3rd Riverina Charm