1.30 IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF MAIDEN 5F

Red Epaulette is no more than a speculative choice. His yard has won this race in the past and this son of Epaulette is a half-brother to several winners out of an unraced half-sister to the Group 1-winning Confidential Lady.

Value Chain is another likely contender. It is interesting that Kevin Manning rides him ahead of another Jackie Bolger-owned runner, and this son of Garswood is a half-brother to a winner from a family that goes back to some classy juveniles. The King Of Kells and Capel At Dawn are others that appeal as likely contenders.

SELECTION: RED EPAULETTE

Next best: Value Chain

2.00 KILDARE POST & KILDARE NOW MAIDEN 6F

A chance is taken on Empire State even though his yard’s runners do tend to progress well from their first runs of the season. The 85-rated son of Scat Daddy showed enough last year to suggest that he would have no trouble winning a maiden, and he showed that he could handle an ease in the ground when he was second to Albuquerque in a 7f maiden at Gowran Park last October.

He is chosen ahead of Baladiya who showed promise on both her starts last season, the second of which saw her finish fourth to Turnberry Isle in a 1m maiden at this track. Philipine Cobra (by Showcasing) and Wondrous Scene, an Acclamation own-sister to the very smart Justice Day, are two newcomers to note.

SELECTION: EMPIRE STATE

Next best: Baladiya

2.35 NAAS RACECOURSE LAUNCHES THE 2019 IRISH FLAT SEASON HANDICAP 6F

Enter The Red didn’t have his ground for most of last season but he was able to record a win at Navan in mid-October and he is now just a couple of pounds higher. He didn’t run anywhere near his best on his final run last season but that effort is easily forgiven and he is generally a very reliable type on his favoured easy ground.

T For Tango won on slow ground at this track during his two-year-old days and struck on heavy ground at Ayr last October. Aurora Eclipse is interesting as she is 4lbs lower than when chasing home the classy Urban Beat in a decent three-year-old handicap at the Curragh last May.

SELECTION: ENTER THE RED

Next best: T For Tango

3.05 NAAS RACECOURSE BUSINESS CLUB MADRID HANDICAP 7F

This could fall to Zander whose yard has done well on the opening day of the season for the last few years. This son of Oasis Dream showed that he could tolerate soft ground when he was second to Mount Tabora in a nursery at Listowel in September and before that he defeated a couple of useful types in a 7f maiden at the Galway Festival. There could easily be more to come from him, and he is taken to see off Third World.

The latter was almost 6l behind Zander at Galway but he is in receipt of 14lbs and doesn’t look too badly treated on the pick of his form last season. Chicas Amigas is interesting as she progressed into quite a decent filly over the course of last season.

SELECTION: ZANDER

Next best: Third World

3.40 LODGE PARK STUD IRISH EBF PARK EXPRESS STAKES (GROUP 3) 1M

Yulong Gold Fairy has a good opportunity to notch up a second victory at this level. She ended last season with a triumph in the Concorde Stakes at Tipperary and even though she has a 3lb penalty to shoulder for that success she should take beating. On her only previous try at a mile she showed up well to finish fifth to Alpha Centauri in last year’s Irish 1000 Guineas.

Delphinia, whose dam excelled on soft ground, took a marked step forward on the form of her first two runs when she encountered slow ground last October. On that occasion she produced a nice effort to win a 1m maiden at Galway and the substantial weight allowance received by the three-year-olds in this race makes her quite interesting.

The soft ground loving Drombeg Dream is interesting, while the former Group 3 scorer Ellthea also commands respect.

SELECTION: YULONG GOLD FAIRY

Next best: Delphinia

4.10 TOTE IRISH LINCOLNSHIRE 1M

A hopeful vote is given to Fastar. At his best he was a very capable sort on the flat in Britain and he was rated as high as 90 at one stage. Admittedly he hasn’t won since the 2017 season but he is a son of Fast Company, whose progeny excel on soft ground, and it is worth noting that his best effort to date came when he won on heavy ground over 1m at Haydock in September 2017. He has a reasonable draw to aid his cause and he can deal with the Lincoln regular Aussie Valentine who is drawn widest of all.

Aussie Valentine has finished second in this race on three occasions and he was third last year at the outset of a season which saw him reach the frame in several other premier handicaps. He has a couple of recent runs and his rider’s 7lb claim should help.

Warnaq, Shatharaat and Karawaan are others for the short list.

SELECTION: FASTAR

Next best: Aussie Valentine

4.45 DEVOY STAKES (LISTED) 1M 2F

Still Standing can make a successful transition to stakes level. This colt, who won on testing ground at this track as a juvenile, won three of his four outings last season and progressed from a rating of 81 to 97. After just seven outings there could easily be more to come from him and he doesn’t have huge improvement to find to make an impact at this level.

Amedeo Modigliani looked a potentially top-notch colt when he ran out an impressive winner of a Galway maiden in August 2017. He has been off the track since then and is likely to be vulnerable even though he remains a horse of huge potential.

Hazel Bay’s first run last season, which saw her finish second in a superb edition of the Salsabil Stakes, makes her a likely contender.

SELECTION: STILL STANDING

Next best: Amedeo Modigliani

5.20 IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF MAIDEN 7F

Georgeville should launch a strong challenge for victory. He ran quite a nice race on his sole outing last October when he was beaten 1l into third by Albuquerque in a maiden over this trip at Gowran Park. He should be all the better for that initial experience and he can make up into a decent three-year-old.

He is chosen to see off the 97-rated Wargrave whose form last season included a third to Christmas in a Tipperary listed race and a neck second to Could Be King in a Limerick maiden in October. Both of those runs would give him compelling claims.

Nor’easter is another to keep in mind having shown plenty on his debut outing here last September.

SELECTION: GEORGEVILLE

Next best: Wargrave