August 08 / 18.22 Leopardstown

18.22

Good

Xin Gin Ballyroan Stakes (Group 3)

  • Prize money: £26934.78
  • 1m 4f 0y
  • 4 runners
RTV
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Xin Gin Ballyroan Stakes (Group 3)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

5/4 (Won)

  • Win: £2.10

Form: 31-111 D

Last run: 48 days

W: 9st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
Has never run in a stakes race and yet heads into Pattern company as the highest-rated runner in the race; winner of five of his last six starts; rated 77 when scoring over 1m at the Curragh 12 months ago, promoted to 111 after a handsome win in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes on his first run over this trip; small-field will be a novelty, and could make him vulnerable.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

3

(1)

14th Sep 2025

Good To Yielding

1m 6f 0y

16:25 Curragh

Crystal Black

9st 10lb

J: Colin Keane

T: Gerard Keane

Highly progressive in winning all four starts last year, including twice in Curragh handicaps and Group 3 at Leopardstown (1m4f); very light campaign this year, inadequate trip on return before close second to an all-the-way winner in Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown last month; first attempt at 1m6f here.

12/1

1

(3)

7th Aug 2025

Good

1m 4f 0y

18:53 Leopardstown

Crystal Black

9st 9lb

J: Colin Keane

T: Gerard Keane

Highly progressive in winning all four starts last year, starting in Curragh handicaps at 1m and 1m2f; even better at 1m4f, landing Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot and taking this race by 5l from subsequent Irish Cesarewitch winner The Euphrates; should be sharper than when one place behind Sons And Lovers over 1m2f at the Curragh in April.

5/4

4th

4

(1)

12th Apr 2025

Good

1m 2f 0y

16:35 Curragh

Crystal Black

9st 8lb

J: Colin Keane

T: Gerard Keane

raced in fourth, brief headway and went third under 2f out, no extra and lost third towards finish

5/2

11/8

Form: -24561 D

Last run: 12 days

W: 8st 13lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 105

Form & Verdict
Heavy-ground maiden winner at two; highly-tried this year, fifth in Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Ascot; beaten 8l in sixth in Irish Derby; exploited drop in class when making almost all to win a Listed race over this trip at Gowran 12 days ago; decent chance now with confidence boosted.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

9

(3)

19th Oct 2024

Soft

1m 7f 127y

Class 1

13:20 Ascot

The Euphrates

9st 1lb

J: Christophe Soumillon

T: A P O’Brien

Won a heavy-ground maiden as 2yo but unraced on softer than good since reappearance; fifth in the 1m4f King Edward VII at Royal Ascot; raised his game markedly when stepped up in trip on his last two outings, finishing fourth to stablemate Kyprios in the 1m6f Irish St Leger and justifying favouritism in the extremely valuable 2m1f Irish Cesarewitch (handicap); blinkered latest outing, replacing visor; may well try to make the running and, given recent form, he'd be much better than a mere pacemaker.

28/1

1st

18

(27)

29th Sep 2024

Yielding

2m 0f 170y

16:25 Curragh

The Euphrates

9st 2lb

J: Ryan Moore

T: A P O’Brien

prominent on outer, went second after 6f, led 4f out, pushed along and clear 2f out, pushed out inside final furlong, reduced lead towards finish

8/1

4th

8

(8)

15th Sep 2024

Good

1m 6f 0y

16:45 Curragh

The Euphrates

9st 2lb

J: Wayne Lordan

T: A P O’Brien

soon led, much reduced lead 6f out, headed under 3f out, weakened and lost two places inside final furlong

25/1

OUR TIP

11/2

Form: 17-502 D

Last run: 39 days

W: 9st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 101

Form & Verdict
3-23, runner-up on eight occasions, including under a big weight in a premier handicap over this trip at the Curragh on latest; two previous appearances this season were in races won by Crystal Black, not beaten far on the first occasion and now 3lb better off.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

3

(1)

8th Aug 2024

Good

1m 4f 0y

18:22 Leopardstown

Safecracker

9st 9lb

J: Ben Coen

T: J P Murtagh

raced in third, outpaced and dropped to rear over 2f out, kept on final furlong

11/2

2nd

1

(6)

30th Jun 2024

Good

1m 4f 0y

17:50 Curragh

Safecracker

10st 1lb

J: Ben Coen

T: J P Murtagh

Beat Zoffman (rec 6lb) under top-weight in this race last year when recording career-best RPR; promising reappearance here over 1m2f last month behind Crystal Black but never landed a blow behind same rival at Ascot nine days ago; respected nonetheless.

6/1

13th

5

(11)

21st Jun 2024

Good To Firm

1m 3f 211y

Class 2

16:25 Ascot

Safecracker

9st 8lb

J: William Buick

T: J P Murtagh

never better than midfield

12/1

Form: 1/6736

Last run: 47 days

W: 9st 9lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 105

Form & Verdict
Beresford Stakes winner in 2022 for Michael O'Callaghan; never ran when trained by the Gosdens; not disgraced in seventh in the Prix Ganay; soundly beaten in third behind White Birch and Auguste Rodin in the Tattersalls Gold Cup; stamina concern now following Hardwicke Stakes run.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

13th

2

(7)

25th Apr 2026

Yielding To Soft

1m 0f 50y

16:25 Limerick

Crypto Force

10st 0lb

J: Jack Kearney

T: Robson De Aguiar

Classy 2yo won a three runner race Gowran last July, his third win on turf; has failed to fire since and was never sighted in the Irish Lincolnshire last time, although heavy ground may not have suited; sliding mark but others appeal more.

16/1

13th

9

(25)

15th Mar 2026

Heavy

1m 0f 0y

16:20 Curragh

Crypto Force

9st 0lb

J: Rowan Scott

T: Robson De Aguiar

Smart juvenile in 2022, winner of the Group 2 Beresford Stakes; has come down in the world in recent seasons and has been competing over longer trips on AW; makes little appeal despite career-low mark.

25/1

5th

2

(3)

27th Feb 2026

Standard

1m 2f 150y

19:00 Dundalk (AW)

Crypto Force

9st 6lb

J: Mikey Sheehy

T: Robson De Aguiar

One of two for yard; sole win last season came in three-runner Gowran conditions race (9.5f); two middling efforts in handicaps since joining this yard, including a fourth behind Gaucher in December; last year's winner Dallas Star has better claims.

12/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €2.10
Straight Forecast €2.79
Trifecta €6.00

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

The Euphrates

RP RATINGS (IRE):

Crystal Black

POSTDATA:

The Euphrates

The Irish Sun:

The Euphrates

TOPSPEED:

Crystal Black