Rest of the card

1.40 KILLASHEE EBF FILLIES MAIDEN 6F

Aidan O’Brien will saddle three well-bred fillies for this and with limited racecourse evidence to go on, the eye is immediately drawn to Ballydoyle. The `they wouldn’t give a good name to a bad horse’ theory often gets rolled out in such circumstances and while the wisdom of it is questionable, this filly’s pedigree (full-sister to the four-time Group 1 winner Misty For Me) certainly makes her stand out and market support for her would be very encouraging. Of the other newcomers, the Jim Bolger-trained Mrs King is also worth noting, being a half-sister to the useful middle-distance performer Shared Dreams.

Selection: BALLYDOYLE

Next best: Mrs King

2.15 COLD MOVE EBF MARBLE HILL STAKES (LISTED) 5F

The best recent winner of this contest was the subsequent Irish 2000 Guineas winner Power and this year’s renewal looks to be well up to scratch. Perhaps the pick of them is the Jim Bolger-trained Round Two, with the son of Teofilo having made a very taking winning debut against more experienced rivals in a winners’ race at Naas last week. This sounder surface will suit and improvement can be expected. His main rival looks to be the Michael O’Callaghan-trained State Of Emergency, with the son of Dandy Man having showed a fine attitude in winning both his starts to date. This sounder surface will suit and he has to be strongly considered.

Selection: ROUND TWO

Next best: State Of Emergency

2.45 WEATHERBYS IRELAND GREENLANDS STAKES (GROUP 2) 6F

This contest is most notable for seeing the return of the top-class globetrotting sprinter Sole Power to an Irish track for the first time since 2011 but he faces a far from easy task. He has to carry a Group 1 penalty, has always seemed more effective at five furlong than six furlongs and has to cope with a tricky draw. Without doubt his most interesting rival is the Dermot Weld-trained Mustajeeb, with last year’s Jersey Stakes winner dropping to six furlongs for his seasonal reappearance. It could well suit him but marginal preference is given to an established sprinter in the shape of the sole British raider, the Kevin Ryan-trained Astaire.

Selection: ASTAIRE

Next best: Mustajeeb

3.55 LANWADES STUD STAKES (GROUP 2) 1M

Without question the most exciting prospect in this race is the Dermot Weld-trained Brooch. The rangy daughter of Empire Maker won all three of her starts last season, including a listed race at Killarney and a Group 3 at Gowran Park. While she looked more of a mile and a quarter filly than a miler last season, she should prove effective over this shorter trip on this more galloping track. She promises to have improved from three to four and it will be disappointing if she fails to collect. The pick of her rivals could well be the Marco Botti-trained Pelerin, with the progressive daughter of Shamardal having won a listed race at Dundalk when last seen in October.

Selection: BROOCH

Next best: Pelerin

4.30 HANLON CONCRETE HANDICAP 1M 2F

Fiercely-competitive fare and the one certainty is that the David Wachman-trained Back On Top is sure to be very popular. The daughter of Lope De Vega shaped nicely in her two starts last season, most notably when a close third in a red-hot maiden won by Found (Together Forever in second, Bocca Baciata in fourth). And she built on that when making a winning return in a maiden at Limerick, beating the subsequent Group 3 winner Kissed By Angels.

While those form lines shouldn’t be read too strictly, an initial mark of 86 still seems very attractive and with her pedigree suggesting she will stay this longer trip, she is likely to put up a bold show. At the bottom end of the weights, the Arthur Moore-trained One Cool Poet made an impressive winning handicap debut at Limerick last month and while this is a big step up in class, he could well be up to it.

Selection: BACK ON TOP

Next best: One Cool Poet

5.05 IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF ‘HABITAT’ HANDICAP 1M

This is another wildly competitive handicap and very marginal preference is given to the Michael Halford-trained Hasanour. The five-year-old progressed last season and shaped well for a long way on his return in the Irish Lincoln considering the ground was much softer than ideal. This firmer surface will suit and he is likely to run strongly. An old rival of the selections who could well get involved again is the Tony Martin-trained Shalamzar.

Selection: HASANOUR

Next best: Shalamzar