1.45 Barronstown Stud Irish EBF Maiden 7f

Ryan Moore’s faith in Giant Sequoia could be pretty telling. The Frankel colt out of Oaks runner-up Pink Dogwood was sent off a 4/9 shot on debut here three and a half weeks ago and proved a shade disappointing, but he looked green in the process and should be a lot sharper now. The fact that Ballydoyle’s number-one rider favours him over Oklahoma (a Wootton Bassett newcomer out of multiple Group 1 winner Hydrangea, making him a brother to Group 1 winner Hawk Mountain) and Shakespeare (a 1,300,000gns yearling by Dubawi out of Group 1 winner Lady Bowthorpe) must be taken as a real positive.

Bull Shark bombed out in the Coventry Stakes but his experience and string of decent runs before that mean he could outrun his odds, while Joseph O’Brien’s St Mark’s Basilica debutant Venetian Power is worth a market check.

SELECTION: GIANT SEQUOIA

Next best: Oklahoma

2.15 Jebel Ali Racecourse And Stables Anglesey Stakes

(Group 3) 6f 63yd

Provided he’s none the worse for a rock-solid sixth in the Coventry Stakes 11 days ago, Confucius brings the best form to the table and is entitled to maximum respect. Aidan O’Brien’s sole representative here was sent off 2/1 favourite and was only beaten a length and three quarters.

The same race worked out pretty disastrously for The Harv, never able to get a clear run once the business end of the race took shape. A line can be drawn through the run and he might show much more of what he’s about now. Rider bookings for Robson de Aguiar’s duo are interesting, as Donagh O’Connor rides plenty for the yard, has ridden both Immortal Guard and Ballinea Star, and prefers the latter. The former arguably looks the more exciting based on what they’ve shown so far.

Mr Predicted is a newcomer worth watching closely for Joseph O’Brien. He joined this team from the breeze-ups at Ocala for $300,000 and O’Brien was placed with a debutant in a juvenile Group 3 here last season with one who had a similar background (The Publican’s Son).

SELECTION: CONFUCIUS

Next best: The Harv

2.45 Neville Homes Summer Fillies Handicap (Premier Handicap) 7f

Greydreambeliever has been knocking on the door without getting her head in front. While it isn’t ideal that she’s crept up 7lb for three seconds in four starts since joining Joseph O’Brien, she has been getting better and the dry conditions might play to her strengths (won on good to firm on debut but has been mostly racing on yielding and soft lately). Rion Rubette had her number in two of her last three starts and has been a revelation for the Michael Butler yard. Whether she can cope with another 6lb rise is the big challenge.

Fingerpaint hasn’t had circumstances work in her favour a couple of times but remains unexposed and has cheekpieces added now. She showed plenty of promise in the first half of last season. Meriden is on a massive roll at the moment and mightn’t have reached her limit yet.

SELECTION: GREYDREAMBELIEVER

Next best: Fingerpaint

3.20 Airlie Stud Stakes

(Group 2) 6f

After only being touched off late on in the Albany Stakes on Friday of last week, Sun Goddess has the talent to gain compensation for the Coolmore team. The concern is that she possibly had quite a hard race there but she arrives here with a standout piece of form and two of O’Brien’s last three winners of this race had been to the Royal Meeting (including Albany runner-up Matrika in 2023).

Declan McDonogh keeps his partnership with Listowel winner Beibhinn and she could be a force at this type of level. Stablemate Green Empress has changed colours since a promising second to Sun Goddess at this venue and has the assistance of Dylan Browne McMonagle. Controlla didn’t quite fire in the Windsor Castle but her trainer had spoken of her as a possible Group 1 filly prior to that.

SELECTION: SUN GODDESS

Next best: Beibhinn

4.30 Reserve Ladies Derby Handicap 1m 2f

Georgie Benson has won this race before and could well be in the mix again on Johnny Murtagh’s Fixation, who gets the help of first-time cheekpieces and has started his season in a good vein of form. This doesn’t look as competitive as the premier handicap he was seventh of 20 in at this venue on Guineas weekend and he remains lightly raced.

Clear Quartz made a bright reappearance on his first start since October when second at Leopardstown 16 days ago. He’s a Galway specialist and could be warming up for another big showing out west, but he’s still in great form at the age of nine. If Great Mover can cope with ground as quick as this, she has a squeak, while Touch The Moon, Diamond Exchange and Genoah are all shortlist material.

SELECTION: FIXATION

Next best: Clear Quartz

5.05 Fitzpatrick’s Garage Group Handicap 6f

It could be a big ask for a three-year-old to take this on his handicap debut but there’s every chance The Piper’s Call can progress beyond his initial mark of 82.

He’s been held in decent regard by connections and Ben Coen has got the green light to ride him over two Johnny Murtagh-trained runners in the same event. It was a likeable performance from Danny McLoughlin’s youngster to win a maiden here earlier this month.

This represents a big drop in class for Valiant Force and he could well be a player off top-weight. His recent form isn’t magic, but a mark of 89 for a Norfolk Stakes winner with a preference for fast surfaces looks dangerous to dismiss.

Real Encounter only narrowly missed out last time and her stable has been among the winners this week. Joyful Tidings is 1lb out of the weights but remains capable of winning races when all falls right.

SELECTION: THE PIPER’S CALL

Next best: Valiant Force

5.40 Jo Browne Luxury Skincare Irish EBF Maiden 6f

A tricky maiden to close the card. Tide Of Fortune, whose form will be tested in the previous handicap, gets a tentative vote. He had shown a good level of improvement from his debut to finish second behind The Piper’s Call last time, and Dick Brabazon’s only two runners in the last fortnight were winners so the stable could hardly be in better form.

Trek Home and Starborn Legend weren’t all that far behind the selection last time when fourth and sixth respectively. Both are open to progress.

If Solana Beach can cope with the drop in trip, she’ll be in the thick of things for the in-form Seamie Heffernan-Fozzy Stack combination.

Johnny Feane won this maiden last year and his newcomer this time around, Forza Magico, is well worth keeping an eye on in the market.

SELECTION: TIDE OF FORTUNE

Next best: Solana Beach