Ronan Groome

1.55 IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF MEDIAN AUCTION MAIDEN 5½F

The key piece of form for this race may be the maiden Hawaam and Encantador contested over this course and distance last month. On that occasion Encantador finished just over two lengths away from Kevin Prendergast’s colt, the pair finishing second and third in a race which was won by Maymine, but there is reasons for anticipating a tables-turn. Although the Sheila Lavery-trained three-year-old was well beaten on her next run, it was in the listed race won by Mrs Gallagher at Naas last Sunday and she didn’t at all disgrace herself finishing seven lengths away from the British-trained horse, in 10th place. She gets better ground today and on her third run of the season she may well be able to improve to get a lot closer to Hawaam.

A possibly longer-priced alternative is Ger Lyons’ Scream. She will have to improve but she is open to do so, having only had three runs and having shown clear progression on her previous start behind So Long Marianne at Naas.

Selection: ENCANTADOR

Next best Scream

2.30 IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF MEDIAN AUCTION MAIDEN (PLUS 10) 5F

Coral Beach will likely be all the rage on her second start for Aidan O’Brien, following an eye-catching debut behind her stablemate Fairyland at Naas. However it might be worth taking a chance on Michael Mulvany’s Silver Service. The Tough As Nails filly ran very promisingly herself first time up over this course and distance, finishing a close third to So Perfect, who takes her chance in a listed contest at Naas tomorrow.

Jim Bolger’s Vocatus warrants obvious respect while Adrian Murray’s Tony’s Rocket also performed with credit on his debut at the Curragh last week. Of the newcomers, Jessica Harrington’s Spiritual Impulse is interesting as he ‘won’ one of the first two barrier trials run at Dundalk last month.

Selection: SILVER SERVICE

Next best Coral Beach

3:05 MERIDIAN SECURITY HANDICAP 5F

Rego Park Lady may be able to take what looks to be a wide open three-year-old handicap. Adrian Murray’s filly has performed with credit chasing home two subsequent winners in Urban Beat and Golden Spell, finishing fourth in both races. In particular, her effort behind the latter reads well as she was racing from 2lbs out of the handicap and that runner has since gone on to perform admirably at listed level. She races off her true mark today and has the services of the promising Andrew Slattery, who takes 7lbs off her back and who has already ridden a winner over this course and distance this season.

Art Of Unity was the subject of sustained support for his seasonal debut here last month and although he didn’t win, he ran well enough in second.

It’s Two O Clock is also worth a second look. He was well beaten on his seasonal debut but he ran to a decent level on two runs at Dundalk last year and may well be able to do much better now on better ground and on his second run of this season.

Selection: REGO PARK LADY

Next best It’s Two O Clock

3:35 MATHEWS AGRI HANDICAP 5F

An interesting five-furlong handicap and the in form Willie McCreery may hold the key. The Kildare trainer runs two here, Snowstar and Solar Halo, and at first look, the latter holds a strong chance based on her first-time-out win off a 5lb higher mark last season. However, it may prove wise to refer to the judgement of Billy Lee, who presumably had the choice between the pair, and has opted to ride Snowstar. The Raven’s Pass filly was a consistent sort last season and after winning a Curragh handicap off a mark of 79 she took her form to a new level when finishing second to Gorane in the Listed Abergwaun Stakes.

With room for progress now as a four-year-old, she may move above handicap level now and if so, she should go very close.

Blue Uluru won twice last season including over this course and distance. His run to finish second to Red Persian at Dundalk should have left him spot on for this and it will be no surprise to see him make a bold bid for another in-form stable, in that of Ger Lyons.

Selection: SNOWSTAR

Next best Blue Uluru

4:10 IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF YEATS STAKES (LISTED) 1M 5F

Aidan O’Brien trains three of the seven runners for this listed event and jockey bookings would suggest Leopardstown maiden scorer Southern France is the ‘first string’. He backed up a debut second at this course with a comfortable win at the Dublin track and he may well be able to make the transition to listed level now. However he faces a tough task giving away weight to his stablemate Sizzling. The daughter of Galileo achieved a rating of 103 as a juvenile last season and ran close enough to that level when fourth to Mary Tudor on her comeback run at this track. She was well beaten in the 1000 Guineas but she is very interesting now coming up in trip, being by Galileo and considering her full-brother was a maiden winner over a mile and a half.

Promising British trainer Archie Watson sends over Yabass, who will have to improve to get involved in this while Whirling Dervish has performed with credit on all three of his runs but does have a little question to answer on this quick ground.

Selection: SIZZLING

Next best Southern France

4:45 IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF FILLIES HANDICAP 1M 5F

Richard O’Brien has made a fantastic start to the season and Bianca Minola has been in the middle of it. The daughter of Shakespearean will be all the rage coming into this on a hat-trick but she is racing off a 15lbs higher mark than the one she began with for the Limerick trainer and that may be enough to stop her. That said, it isn’t the strongest looking handicap and so she is the one to beat, but the two that caught the eye are Ringside Humour and Minnie Dahill. The latter, Ted Walsh’s filly, is racing from 4lbs out of the handicap which is hardly ideal but she still looks potentially well treated on her recent effort to finish second to the 69-rated Like An Open Book at Roscommon. That was just her third start on the flat, and on better ground she could progress to go close.

Ringside Humour is at the other end of the spectrum in that this will be her 52nd start on the level. However she will be competing off her lowest mark in three years by racing off 71 here and she has quite a good record at Navan, where she has raced seven times and been placed on four occasions.

Selection: MINNIE DAHILL

Next best Ringside Humour

5:20 NAVANADVENTURESPORTS.IE AND MULTIACTIVITY PACK MAIDEN 1M 2F

Rapture’s Delight ran with credit on his debut at Dundalk, chasing home the useful Bond Street at Dundalk. That sort of form first time up would see him go close to winning a lot of maidens but he may well meet a smart Dermot Weld newcomer in either Baliyad or Broad Street. Both of those are sons of Sea The Stars, out of very well-bred mares. Slight preference is for Broad Street, whom Declan McDonogh rides and whose dam Bracing Breeze, who went very close to winning on her debut.

Selection: BROAD STREET

Next best Rapture’s Delight