1:50 IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF RACE 5F

A fascinating contest featuring the first Aidan O’Brien-trained two-year-old by American Pharoah. Monarch Of Egypt is also O’Brien’s first juvenile runner of the year and the trainer reported him in good form ahead of his debut here during the week. He could easily make a winning start but he does face two potentially more forward types in Ming Warrior and Paso Doble. The former-mentioned is a Michael O’Callaghan-trained son of No Nay Never and can give the trainer another first-time-out winner, following his success with Red Epaulette here on the first day of the season.

SELECTION: MING WARRIOR

Next best: Monarch Of Egypt

2:20 FORAN EQUINE IRISH EBF AUCTION MAIDEN 5F

A chance is take on Adrian Keatley’s Capel At Dawn who has the advantage of a racecourse experience having finished fifth to Red Epaulette over this course and distance on the first day of the season. He was beaten eight lengths on that occasion but he stayed on once the penny dropped and he is better treated in this race, the first of the excellent Foran Equine series.

Liar Liar catches the eye as a Jessica Harrington-trained colt by Bated Breath while the Johnny Murtagh-trained pair of Yolo Aris and Hot Dakota are also noted.

SELECTION: CAPEL AT DAWN

Next best: Hot Dakota

2:50 IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF MAIDEN 6F

Clashaniska ran to a decent level on each of his three maiden starts last season and a replication of that should see him go close, however there is lots of potential in this 20-runner field. We’ll Go Again and Arabeska caught the eye but it may be worth taking a chance on the Ger Lyons-trained filly My Laureate. She ran roughly to the same level as Clashaniska during her four starts last season but interestingly her best effort was her first, when second to the useful Joseph O’Brien-trained filly Cava at Fairyhouse. It might be that she is best fresh.

SELECTION: MY LAUREATE

Next best: Clashaniska

3:25 ROYAL ASCOT TRIALS DAY 19TH MAY HANDICAP 6F

Mokhalad gets a tentative vote in this highly competitive handicap. Damian English’s six-year-old got his season off to a positive note when finishing second to Madam Seamstress at Navan. He received a 3lb raise for that effort but he is still 5lbs below his previous winning mark and may well improve from his seasonal debut.

At a likely bigger price, Ben Alexander is worth monitoring in the market. He makes his handicap debut here for Harry Rogers who has booked Chris Hayes for the ride. He has a mark of 66 but there is fair chance he ran beyond that on his final start as a juvenile when seventh to San Andreas over this course and distance.

SELECTION: MOKHALAD

Next best: Ben Alexander

4:00 GLADNESS STAKES (GROUP 3) 7F

The first of two intriguing feature races is notable through both Irish 2000 Guineas winner Romanised and Le Brivido, the 2017 Jersey Stakes winner who makes his debut for Ryan Moore. The former is hugely respected back at this level, having struggled but not disgraced at the top level after his Guineas success, however he needed his first run of the campaign last season and may do so again here. That may also apply to Le Brivido, who has only been seen once since that Jersey Stakes win and is bound to improve from this race.

The selection is Psychedelic Funk, Ger Lyons’s consistent five-year-old who won this last season. In fact, the son of Choisir has recorded four wins from five runs at Naas, with Caravaggio the only horse able to turn him over. Both Smash Williams and Imaging are closely matched and can make their fitness count.

SELECTION: PSYCHEDELIC FUNK

Next best: Imaging

4:35 ALLEGED STAKES (GROUP 3) 1M 2F

Magical progressed right through last season, most creditably giving Enable a real scare in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. She’ll probably come on for her first run of the season but she still ought to have too much for Irish St Leger one-two Flag Of Honour and Latrobe. That pair may well be seen to best effect over further, although Latrobe went very close to winning a Group 1 in Australia over 10 furlongs, and has the scope to improve as a four-year-old. The remainder of the field are a bit unlucky to find themselves racing against three separate Group 1 winners. Mustajeer could do the best of them. His two wins came at this course last season, including his seasonal debut.

SELECTION: MAGICAL

Next best: Latrobe

5:10 IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF MAIDEN 1M 2F

South Pacific should go close to winning this. He ran to a fair level on four starts last season, finishing second three times. Significantly he was well supported in the market off a mark of 85 at Leopardstown last Saturday, only to unseat Donnacha O’Brien after a couple of furlongs. He can gain compensation in this maiden which doesn’t appear to hold much depth.

His stablemate Barbados is the most obvious danger, with Ryan Moore on board. He finished sixth on his debut in a Curragh maiden last year and can improve now. Halimi makes his debut for the in-form Jim Bolger team while Bodak showed a little bit when seventh in the Gowran Park maiden won by Chablis last October.

SELECTION: SOUTH PACIFIC

Next best: Barbados

5:45 RACING NEXT ON APRIL 29TH HANDICAP 1M 3F

Future Proof could be nicely treated off a mark of 81. Some of his flat form, when trained by Ger Lyons last season, reads well, most notably a third to Still Standing at Ballinrobe. He has since joined Noel Meade and run really respectable as a juvenile hurdler over the winter, finishing close to the likes of Coeur Sublime and Band Of Outlaws. He should be fit for this given he has been jumping and can go well.

Stormy Tale is another who has come back on the flat and he showed he can be more than competitive when a good third off a mark of 67 at Navan. He is 2lbs higher here but can progress again under Chris Hayes.

SELECTION: FUTURE PROOF

Next best: Stormy Tale