Kevin Blake
3.35 BALLYLINCH STUD EBF FILLIES MAIDEN 7F
This has been won by such horses as My Titania, Big Break and Chinese White in the last decade and this looks to be a typically strong renewal on paper. Of those with form in the book, the Jessie Harrington-trained Bocca Baciata appeals. The daughter of Big Bad Bob was a €230,000 yearling purchase and attracted significant market support before making a promising debut behind Found over a mile at the Curragh last month. She was hindered by a poor draw on that occasion, but has an excellent stall here and could well improve enough to win. The most interesting newcomer is the Aidan O’Brien-trained Wedding Vow, with the daughter of Galileo being the first foal out of a mare that was third to Snow Fairy in the Oaks at Epsom.
Selection: BOCCA BACIATA
Next best: Wedding Vow
4.05 JOHN DEERE JUVENILE TURF STAKES (GROUP 3) 1M
Aidan O’Brien produced Australia to get the better of the highly-touted Free Eagle in this race last year, and this year he saddles the hyped horse in the shape of John F Kennedy. A full-brother to Tapestry, he met with defeat on his debut at this track when too colty for his own good, but he produced a performance that was much more like it when bolting up in a maiden at the Curragh on ground that was softer than ideal. He still showed signs of immaturity on that occasion and with this sounder surface to suit, he can consolidate his reputation as one of the most promising juveniles in the country here. He perhaps has the most to fear from the Dermot Weld-trained Tombelaine who finished just ¾l behind the exciting Gleneagles in an admittedly muddling renewal of the Tyros Stakes in July.
Selection: JOHN F KENNEDY
Next best: Tombelaine
4.40 IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF ‘PETINGO’ HANDICAP 1M 6F
Fiercely-competitive fare and the selection is the Jim Bolger-trained Wexford Town. The full-brother to Trading Leather has taken a big step forward with each of his runs this year, winning valuable handicaps at Down Royal and the Curragh before finishing a solid fifth in listed company over this course and distance. He has been freshened up since then and could well take another step forward here. Another one that appeals is the Tony Martin-trained Spacious Sky. The five-year-old has shaped quite a bit better than the result in his last two starts on the flat, finishing never nearer in the Connacht Hotel Handicap at the Galway Festival and in a valuable handicap at York last time. He is well drawn and provided the race is run at a solid pace, he seems sure to be finishing fast.
Selection: WEXFORD TOWN
Next best: Spacious Sky
5.15 KPMG ENTERPRISE STAKES (GROUP 3) 1M 2F
While much of the focus will be on the returning Free Eagle, he will need to produce a career-best effort to beat the Aidan O’Brien-trained Hall Of Mirrors. The four-year-old missed the entire 2013 season, but has been making up for lost time this year and delivered on previous promise when making all to win the Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh last time. There was no fluke about that and that form sets the standard here. The Dermot Weld-trained Free Eagle had a sky-high reputation until being beaten by no less than Australia on this card last year, but given the winner’s subsequent exploits and the fact that it transpired that Weld has an excellent crop of three-year-olds on his hands, he remains a top-class prospect and is an intriguing contender.
Selection: HALL OF MIRRORS
Next best: Free Eagle
6.15 CLIPPER BOOMERANG MILE (GROUP 2) 1M
This is a proper Group 2 that is very much worthy of the grade and the one that makes the most appeal is the Dermot Weld-trained Mustajeeb. The son of Nayef has been much improved this year, making an impressive winning return in the Amethyst Stakes over this course and distance before getting bogged down in the testing conditions in the Irish 2000 Guineas, but he showed himself to be better than ever when winning the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot. Given a break since then, the return to this trip will suit and he is the one to beat. Three-time Group 1 winner Gordon Lord Byron is an obvious danger on paper but whether trips this long really suit him remains open to question.
Selection: MUSTAJEEB
Next best: Gordon Lord Byron
7.20 IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF ‘SOVEREIGN PATH’ HANDICAP 7F
Another fiercely-competitive handicap and Ger Lyons could well have the answer with Burn The Boats. The five-year-old is lightly raced and while he has won over both six furlongs and a mile, this trip could well prove to be his optimum. He shaped very well indeed in the Irish Cambridgeshire last time, not getting a clear run until a furlong and a half from home, then getting checked just inside the final furlong as he was beginning to run on strongly. He has a good draw and, granted some luck in running, he is likely to make a bold bid. The least exposed runner in the field is the Dermot Weld-trained Stay De Night and the unbeaten three-year-old is very interesting indeed on what is his handicap debut.
Selection: BURN THE BOATS
Next best: Stay De Night