A competitive seven-race card at Roscommon on Monday, with the opener going to post at 13:30.
ROSCOMMON TIPS
- 13:30 Karrygrant
- 14:00 Mercurial
- 14:30 Zarenakarena
- 15:00 Mowgli
- 15:30 Nustty
- 16:00 Neo Smart
- 16:30 Rakki
- 17:07 Among The Pines
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13:30 7½f (7f111y) Roscommon Racecourse (C & G) Maiden (3yo+)
Johnny Murtagh and Ben Coen have hit a rich vein of form in the last number of weeks, and KARRYGRANT will look to finally get off the mark at the eleventh time of asking. This gelding has been placed on eight occasions, and the blinkers are reached for here to change the fortunes. He has a habit of being keen, and if the blinkers work the oracle, he could finally get home in front.
Selection: Karrygrant
14:00 7½f (7f111y) Guinness Handicap (3yo+)
A chance is taken with MERCURIAL, where Jimmy Dalton will take seven pounds off his back. He was second at Listowel in May time before third at this venue on the 31st of August off a mark of 70. He was slightly below par last time but was a winner off this mark in 2024, and any rain would certainly be in his favour. He is only a two-time winner from forty-five starts but has been placed eighteen times in that time. Another consistent run could be on the way for John Nallens’ representative.
Selection: Mercurial
14:30 7½f (7f111y) Roscommon Racecourse On Facebook Handicap (Div I) (3yo+ 0-60)
The booking of Colin Keane aboard ZARENAKARENA for the Eddie & Patrick Harty team catches the eye as this filly makes her handicap debut. She has been high-priced on her three qualifying runs in maidens and gets in here off an opening mark of 48. Colin has only taken eight mounts for this team, and while he hasn’t had a winner for them yet, he has had runners who have finished placed.
Selection: Zarenakarena
15:00 7½f (7f111y) Roscommon Racecourse On Facebook Handicap (Div II) (3yo+ 0-60)
Willie McCreery and Leigh Roche team up with MOWGLI, who only ran at Thurles on Thursday last when slightly unlucky behind the Henry De Bromhead-trained Starflow. Mowgli won this time last year at Bellewstown and looked like he was back in form when staying on from off the pace and looking to challenge two furlongs down. He was short of room and ran on strongly to be beaten three lengths in the end. He is a nine-year-old, and while there shouldn’t be improvement forthcoming, he has won off much higher marks in the past.
Selection: Mowgli
15:30 1m2½f (1m2f95y) Boyle Maiden (3yo+)
This isn’t the strongest maiden in terms of form, and the Gavin Cromwell team have slowly but surely found their feet in terms of winners in the last couple of weeks. Their French recruit NUSTTY looks potentially interesting in the colours of Patrick Sheanon, who also owns Hello Neighbour. Hello Neighbour won on his second start on this card in 2024, and maybe another plan has been put in place.
Nustty will have the blinkers on for the first time, and following a run at Vichy on the 24th of May 2026, you can maybe see why. “Veered right to rail start, stood still for few seconds and 20 lengths adrift after 1f, closed to rear of field after 3 1/2f, minor progress on inner 5f out, well in touch 3f out, asked for effort 2f out, switched to outer and ran on well final furlong” were the post-race comments, and he was beaten three lengths in the end.
The market will likely tell us plenty on Irish debut, but he looks one to keep a close eye on.
Selection: Nustty
16:00 1m2½f (1m2f95y) Roscommon Rated Race (3yo+)
Jim Bolger has had two winners and two seconds from his last six runners at the time of writing (Saturday 10th). NEO SMART will be his runner here with Seamie Heffernan in the saddle, and this mare has been consistent in her last two starts. She was second in the Pat Smullen Cancer Trials Ireland Charity Race and then followed that with a second to Sanctijude at Punchestown when last seen. She has only been raised a pound for that run, and another solid run could be in the offing with the stable in form.
Selection: Neo Smart
16:30 1m4f (1m4f46y) On-Course Vets Handicap (3yo+)
It’s great to see Dylan Browne McMonagle back in the saddle after several weeks off following that fall at Bellewstown. He will team up with Willie Mullins and the chestnut gelding RAKKI, who is owned by the Act D Wagg Syndicate. Aine Casey & Gillian Walsh, wives of David Casey and Ruby Walsh, are involved in the ownership, and they could get a chance to lead in a winner here. A recent winner at Tramore in August; he was slightly below par last time out at Down Royal. He is a maiden hurdle winner at Roscommon, so a return here is certainly no negative.
Selection: Rakki
17:07 1m4f (1m4f46y) Thank You For Your Support Handicap (3yo+ 0-60)
Kieran Callaghan is searching for his first winner as a trainer since the switch from being a jockey, where he rode 33 winners from 363 mounts in the last five years. AMONG THE PINES will have Rory Mulligan in the saddle as he did at Bellewstown last time out. He ran a cracker to finish second to Autocrat and was handy most of the way around. He is drawn in stall fifteen here, and if Rory can get an early position, then you could see this runner go close with some luck.
Selection: Among The Pines
MONDAY’S ROSCOMMON TIPS
- 13:30 Karrygrant
- 14:00 Mercurial
- 14:30 Zarenakarena
- 15:00 Mowgli
- 15:30 Nustty
- 16:00 Neo Smart
- 16:30 Rakki
- 17:07 Among The Pines
