CLADACH is among the lesser lights in the yard of Joseph O’Brien, but he’s worth monitoring at a low level after an eye-catching handicap debut over six furlongs at the Curragh last weekend, writes Andy Stephens.

The three-year-old gelding had offered little in his first three starts, all in the space of a month, and was an easy-to-back 16/1 chance in the 27-runner contest.

Those who had a punt on him knew their fate by halfway. He was only 20th quickest to 20mph (2.99sec) and was languishing in 24th after the first furlong, which he completed in a “slow” 15.44sec.

Cladach was also among the slowest to complete the second and third furlongs but, from then on, it was all positive, especially in the last quarter of a mile. He was third fastest through the penultimate furlong (11.24sec) and only the winner, Clonmacash, was a smidgeon swifter in the last 220 yards. That enabled him to pass 10 rivals in the final furlong and he ended up finishing eighth.

Cladach’s Finishing Speed Percentage of 102.57% was best of the whole field, under sympathetic handling, and he is capable of better yet, especially when reverting to 7f, a trip that suits his useful brother, Dark Tornado.

On the same card, The Austrian again caught the eye when runner-up at 20/1 in the mile-and-two-furlong maiden.

He featured in this column in early June after finishing seventh on his debut at Gowran, and this effort was even more taking as he flew through the final furlong in a “very fast” 11.81sec to grab second.

None of his 11 rivals managed anything better than 12.44sec in a race run 3.26sec quicker than the RaceiQ Par.

The pity is that we will not get such chunky odds about The Austrian wherever he turns up next.