18:00
Bahrain Turf Club Desmond Stakes (Group 3)
Group 3, Class 1, 1m, Flat, 3yo+, €42,000, 8 runners
Winning time 1m 38.11s
- Going
- Good
- Surface
- Turf
Tip for this race
All today's tips ›Audience heads this nine-runner Class 1 at Leopardstown on good-to-firm ground rated narrowly ahead of the chasing pack, and his profile suggests he can justify that superiority over this eight-furlong trip. Chicago Critic represents the most significant threat at a six-pound deficit, while Sparan Nua and Cowardofthecounty — both rated 107 — will need to find improvement to get involved at the business end. Audience looks the class act of the field and should prove too good for his rivals here. Audience is our selection.
Result
Ryan Moore
A P O'Brien
Sat behind the front pack - third at halfway - asked for effort inside final 2f to move into second - hit the front close to the line and stayed on strongly
Tom Marquand
William Haggas
Settled midfield early - 4th at halfway - asked for effort entering the straight and pressed on inside final furlong - finished strongly to snatch second close home
Colin Keane
David O'Meara
Set the pace early - opened a big advantage by the midpoint - pressed for effort inside the final two furlongs and overtaken close to home holding no more in reserve
Declan McDonogh
J S Bolger
Sat close to the front early - disputed 2nd at halfway - asked for effort into the straight - dropped to 3rd with a furlong left then edged back to finish 4th holding on late
No. 3, stall 3
4yo, 9-9, OR 100
J: J M Sheridan · T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien
J M Sheridan
Joseph Patrick O'Brien
Held up at back of the pack - still 5th at halfway and asked for effort into the straight with little response 2f out - dropped to 6th and driven a furlong out - finished strongly inside the final 150 yards
Ben Coen
J P Murtagh
Held up towards the back - driven into contention around 2f out to sit 5th with a furlong left - held no more late
Luke McAteer
David Marnane
Held up at the back early - urged into effort entering the straight - 7th and outpaced with a furlong left - stayed on at one speed to the line without threatening
No. 6, stall 5
3yo, 9-2, OR 106
J: Dylan Browne McMonagle · T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien
Dylan Browne McMonagle
Joseph Patrick O'Brien
Settled in the pack early - held 6th at halfway - asked for effort entering straight but made no headway - eased back through the field inside final furlong and held on for eighth
Non-runners: Celtic Motif
Racecard
Colin Keane
David O'Meara 3/51
Placed on each of his last two starts — third most recently, second two back — Audience has run over today's trip and going, and his rating of 117 puts him top of the field on our figures; yet to score in recent starts, but the consistency and 18-day turnaround make him the one to side with.
- Sire
- Iffraaj (GB)
- Dam
- Ladyship (GB) by Oasis Dream
- Owner
- Hamad Rashed Bin Ghedayer
- Foaled
- 17 Mar 2019
- Stable
- Upper Helmsley, N Yorks
- Trainer last 14 days
- 3 wins from 51 runs (6%)
- Trainer running to form
- 31%
- Ratings
- Perf 117, Speed 101
Ben Coen
J P Murtagh 2/16
Chicago Critic has run over today's trip and going, rates 7 lb above his official mark on our figures, and 40 days between runs leaves him fresh enough to improve — the risk is that he's been winless in his last six starts, those three fourths suggesting he finds one or two too good.
- Sire
- Night Of Thunder (IRE)
- Dam
- Criticism (GB) by Machiavellian
- Owner
- Sam Mencoff Tony Smurfit
- Foaled
- 8 Apr 2021
- Stable
- Coolaghknock Glebe,Co Kildare
- Trainer last 14 days
- 2 wins from 16 runs (13%)
- Trainer running to form
- 39%
- Ratings
- Perf 111, Speed 101
J M Sheridan
Joseph Patrick O'Brien 13/74
Cowardofthecounty arrives with solid recent form — a winner three starts back, third two starts back, and second last time out — keeping good company on the whole, and he has experience of today's distance and going. The main risk is whether his speed rating of 94 can match the very best here.
- Sire
- Kodi Bear (IRE)
- Dam
- Hawaajib (FR) by Elusive City
- Owner
- Annus Mirabilis Syndicate
- Foaled
- 15 Mar 2022
- Stable
- Owning Hill, Co Kilkenny
- Trainer last 14 days
- 13 wins from 74 runs (18%)
- Trainer running to form
- 62%
- Ratings
- Perf 107, Speed 94
Luke McAteer
David Marnane 1/10
Tokenomics showed a second two starts back but has since disappointed with a sixth last time out, and the 39-day absence adds a fitness query; he has run over today's trip and going, and carries 135 lb from stall nine.
- Sire
- The Grey Gatsby (IRE)
- Dam
- Danni Samuel (IRE) by Elusive City
- Owner
- N Molloy
- Foaled
- 18 Apr 2021
- Stable
- Bansha, Co Tipperary
- Trainer last 14 days
- 1 wins from 10 runs (10%)
- Trainer running to form
- 41%
- Ratings
- Perf 106, Speed 87
Celtic Motif t D
23 days, Non-runner
4yo, 9-6, OR 92 202-31
J: J M Sheridan · T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien
J M Sheridan
Joseph Patrick O'Brien 13/74
Celtic Motif won last time out and has run over today's trip and going, but she ranks eighth of nine on our figures with a speed rating of 76, making her hard to fancy at this level despite the recent winning form.
- Sire
- Saxon Warrior (JPN)
- Dam
- Art Institute (USA) by Arch
- Owner
- Wells Watson
- Foaled
- 1 Jan 2022
- Stable
- Owning Hill, Co Kilkenny
- Trainer last 14 days
- 13 wins from 74 runs (18%)
- Trainer running to form
- 62%
- Ratings
- Perf 92, Speed 76
Al Haarith t D
26 days
3yo, 9-2, OR 106 343-01
J: Dylan Browne McMonagle · T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien
Dylan Browne McMonagle
Joseph Patrick O'Brien 13/74
Ranked bottom of nine on our figures, Al Haarith faces a stiff ask, and his patchy recent form — unplaced second time back before winning last time out — offers mixed signals. He has run over today's trip and returns on a handy 26-day break, but the rating gap is hard to overlook.
- Sire
- Lope De Vega (IRE)
- Dam
- Witches Brew (IRE) by Duke Of Marmalade
- Owner
- Alwasmiyahballylinchumm Al Shukhout
- Foaled
- 19 Apr 2023
- Stable
- Owning Hill, Co Kilkenny
- Trainer last 14 days
- 13 wins from 74 runs (18%)
- Trainer running to form
- 62%
- Ratings
- Perf 89, Speed 73
Ryan Moore
A P O'Brien 6/37
A winner three starts back but sixth two starts back and only third last time out, Isaac Newton arrives with patchy recent form that makes him hard to fancy ranked seventh of nine. He has run over today's distance and going, and 21 days between runs suggests he's ready.
- Sire
- Camelot (GB)
- Dam
- Etive (USA) by Elusive Quality
- Owner
- Derrick Smithmrs John Magniermichael Taborwesterberg
- Foaled
- 19 Feb 2023
- Stable
- Cashel, Co Tipperary
- Trainer last 14 days
- 6 wins from 37 runs (16%)
- Trainer running to form
- 57%
- Ratings
- Perf 104, Speed 100
Tom Marquand
William Haggas 10/50
Needle Match landed a win three starts back but has since gone unplaced, and 96 days off the track raises fitness questions; he has run over today's trip and going, and carries 128 lb from stall six.
- Sire
- Night Of Thunder (IRE)
- Dam
- Cleopatra's Gift (USA) by American Pharoah
- Owner
- Saeed Suhail
- Foaled
- 4 Mar 2023
- Stable
- Newmarket, Suffolk
- Trainer last 14 days
- 10 wins from 50 runs (20%)
- Trainer running to form
- 54%
- Ratings
- Perf 106, Speed 93
Declan McDonogh
J S Bolger 2/3
Sparan Nua arrives in cracking form, winning three of her last four starts, and she has experience of today's trip and conditions — the main question is whether that third last time out signals any vulnerability at the top of the weights carrying 128 lb.
- Sire
- Dawn Approach (IRE)
- Dam
- Sparanai (USA) by Leroidesanimaux
- Owner
- Newtown Anner Stud Farm Ltd
- Foaled
- 10 Mar 2023
- Stable
- Coolcullen, Co Carlow
- Trainer last 14 days
- 2 wins from 3 runs (67%)
- Trainer running to form
- 34%
- Ratings
- Perf 107, Speed 99
Draw in brackets. Headgear: b blinkers, v visor, h hood, t tongue strap, p cheekpieces, e/s eye shield; ¹ first time. C course winner, D distance winner, CD course and distance winner. Form reads oldest to newest.