2.15 ADARE MANOR OPPORTUNITY HANDICAP HURDLE 2M 160YDS
Ingleby Mackenzie has been making eye-catching progress over the last couple of months and there could well be more to come from him over hurdles. He would probably appreciate better ground than he will encounter here but that may not be enough to prevent him from winning. He began his winning sequence in a handicap hurdle at Tramore in June and he followed-up at Gowran several weeks later before switching codes to win nicely on the flat at Killarney.
He is preferred to Kellyiscool who looked an unlucky loser here on Monday evening when coming from well off the pace to be beaten just neck by Storm Rising. Conron has yet to add to the maiden hurdle success he recorded at Punchestown in May but he looks like one that should be able to progress from an initial mark of 116.
SELECTION: INGLEBY MACKENZIE
Next Best: Kellyiscool
2.45 KENNY GALWAY HANDICAP HURDLE (81-123) 3M 60YDS
This could provide Lizzies Champ with a deserved success following a couple of runner-up placings in recent months. He was beaten just a neck by Floramar in a 3m handicap hurdle at Roscommon in June and he again showed up well to chase home Bargy Lady over 2m6f at Killarney last month. He has climbed 5lbs in the weights for those efforts but he might still be able to see off Dont Kick Nor Bite who returns to hurdles for the first time since winning at Kilbeggan in June 2017.
Dont Kick Nor Bite has winning form at up to 2m5f and gives the impression that this trip could be within her reach. Freewheelin Dylan was a well-beaten third at Ballinrobe last time but his previous second to Ravenhill at Kilbeggan would entitle him to make his presence felt.
SELECTION: LIZZIES CHAMP
Next Best: Dont Kick Nor Bite
3.20 FORAN EQUINE IRISH EBF AUCTION MAIDEN 7F
Queen Mia can build on an encouraging debut effort at Navan last month when she was beaten just over 3½l into fifth by Sakura. On that occasion she was noted putting in some good late work and the switch from 5f to 7f looks as though it will suit her very well, while a slower surface shouldn’t be a problem either. She is drawn a little high but she the advantage of a previous run over several of her opponents.
Highway To Success didn’t run at all badly when he was beaten just over 4½l by Fulminate in a Fairyhouse maiden last month. He can progress from that run and, as a son of Fast Company, he should be quite at home switching to a slower surface.
SELECTION: QUEEN MIA
Next Best: Highway To Success
3.55 IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF AHONOORA HANDICAP 7F
A mile might well be a better trip for Bond Street but he turned in a cracking effort for a three-year-old here on Tuesday evening when he was a strong-finishing ¾l second to Riven Light. That run, and his seventh in the Britannia at Ascot, would indicate that a premier handicap victory is well within his reach and he is the choice despite having a wide draw to overcome.
Encouragingly, three of the last four winners have overcome double-digit draws.
Dream Walker is bidding for a third consecutive win in this race and he served notice that he was on the cusp of another major performance when he was beaten only 2l into fifth by Riven Light here on Tuesday.
SELECTION: BOND STREET
Next Best: Dream Walker
4.30 SCL SALES CHASE 2M 6F 111YDS
Kalondra might strike a blow for the English raiders. This seven-year-old showed a good level of form as a novice chaser in Britain last season when his form included a victory over the subsequent Cheltenham Festival hero Coo Star Sivola at Cheltenham in December. His latest 3l third to Traffic Fluide at Cheltenham in April was another good effort and he could have more to offer which makes him the choice even though he is meeting a few of these wrong at the weights.
The high-class Sub Lieutenant showed up well under a big weight when finishing fifth to Clarcam in Wednesday’s Plate and he should mount a strong challenge if turning out in similar form.
SELECTION: KALONDRA
Next Best: Sub Lieutenant
5.00 LORD HEMPHILL MEMORIAL HANDICAP CHASE 2M 2F 54YDS
Several of his efforts over fences would suggest that Blast Of Koeman is more than capable of landing a decent handicap chase and he looks the one to side with. Only for a last fence mistake he may well have defeated Patricks Park in a valuable 2m4f handicap chase at the Punchestown Festival on his most recent start and prior to that he showed up well to be placed in a couple of decent handicap chases at Leopardstown.
Bel Ami De Sivola has a good chance. He is 8lbs higher than when winning decent 2m handicap at Fairyhouse over Easter and he has since shown up well to reach the frame in two good handicaps, which include a third to Kemboy in a quality novice handicap at Punchestown.
SELECTION: BLAST OF KOEMAN
Next Best: Bel Ami De Sivola
5.30 JPK FENCING HANDICAP (50-75) 1M 5F 186YDS
Newcross can make the most of his stall two draw as he looks to follow-up a handicap success at Roscommon two months ago. The five-year-old should cope with a 7lb rise in the weights, and the slower ground will be fine for him, while he also has room for improvement as he will making just the sixth appearance of his career.
He is preferred to another low-drawn runner in Rovetta who turned in a revelatory effort to win a mares’ handicap hurdle at 33/1 on Wednesday. This will be a first flat outing in Ireland for Rovetta who showed promise in a couple of runs on the level in France.
Camlann is accorded the utmost respect but he is badly drawn and he is due to run here on Saturday.
SELECTION: NEWCROSS
Next Best: Rovetta
6.00 FR BREEN MEMORIAL (PRO-AM) FLAT RACE 2M
The week at Ballybrit can conclude with yet another Willie Mullins winner in Dorrells Pierji. He produced his best effort to date in accounting for a couple of capable types in Court Maid and Dinons in a Wexford bumper over two months ago. He could easily do better still and he is tipped in the hope that he will be able to give weight to the dual bumper winner Beautiful Citi who picked up nicely off a steady pace to land a mares winner’s affair at Killarney last month.
SELECTION: DORRELLS PIERJI
Next Best: Beautiful Citi