Ronan Groome

2.25 IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF MAIDEN 5F180y

The Tracey Collins-trained Ribbontail Way could be the answer in what looks a wide-open maiden. The daughter of Kheleyf only ran once as a juvenile last season, finishing eighth in what turned out to be a good Leopardstown maiden won by Michael O’Callaghan’s filly Holy Cat. She reappeared at Limerick at the end of last month and performed with credit, leading for a long way before getting understandably tired and finishing third behind two race-fit and in-form rivals in Dandys Gold and Malibu Magic. Ribbontail Way is entitled to improve now, with that run behind her, and Kevin Manning has been booked to ride.

Willie McCreery has been in good form this season and he has two Godolphin-owned horses in this, Snowstar and Beaming. Both are of interest but it may be significant that Billy Lee has chosen to ride Snowstar, a daughter of Raven’s Pass, who ran okay on her debut at Dundalk in November.

Selection: RIBBONTAIL WAY

Next best: Snowstar

3:00 IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF MAIDEN 5F

Although only seventh on her debut over this course and distance, Himmah showed plenty of promise in her run and she may improve enough to win this.

The daughter of Intikhab was slowly away in the fillies maiden won by Too Familiar. It took a while for her to pick up but, when she did, she kept on really nicely for Chris Hayes and was never nearer to the lead than when she hit the line.

Guessthebill is the obvious danger. A son of Reckless Abandon, he finished second to T For Tango on his debut at Naas and a replication of that effort would see him involved at the business end again.

Selection: HIMMAH

Next best: Guessthebill

3:35 NAVANRACECOURSE.IE HANDICAP 5F

Miss Power may not be up to the standard of her owner’s illustrious namesake sprinters but she has two wins from three runs and she has a progressive profile now. She did well to win on her reappearance at Naas at the beginning of this month, when she was bounced into early and then she had plenty to do from just over a furlong out. She has a 5lb penalty for that but this is only her fourth ever run and only her second start of the season.

Ostatnia is a big danger. She has performed with real credit in listed races for her trainer Willie McCreery. She wasn’t beaten far by Kings Stand Stakes favourite Acapulco on her latest run at the Curragh and a replication of that sort of effort would see her involved back here in handicap company.

Selection: MISS POWER

Next best: Ostatnia

4:10 IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF YEATS STAKES (LISTED) 1M5F

It was a fair performance from John Oxx’s Naughty Or Nice to win on her debut at Gowran Park and she could prove a tough nut to crack here, receiving weight from all six of her rivals. The form of her maiden win looked good at the time but it has since been copper-fastened by runner-up Bean Feasa’s 1000 Guineas Trial win at Leopardstown. The daughter of Fastnet Rock is stepping up in trip now but that should hold no fears and could actually improve her as she is a half sister to one-mile six-furlong scorer Dark Crusader and the same owner’s Cailini Alainn, who finished third in a good handicap over this exact course and distance.

Jessica Harrington’s Grandee struggled to get involved in the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes on her reappearance but she is entitled to improve from that. She is another who could well benefit from this stamina test as she is half sister to Weather Watch, who was also trained by Harrington and who is a winner over a mile and six furlongs.

Selection: NAUGHTY OR NICE

Next best: Grandee

4:45 MATHEWS AGRI MAIDEN 1M2F

Clongowes has run into some very useful horses, notably Dermot Weld’s exciting filly Tocco D’Amore at Naas and Chester Vase winner Venice Beach at Tipperary, and he has done enough to suggest he can at least win a maiden. He faces a field of mostly unexposed horses who are open to improvement but there would have to be a fairly smart type in there to put it up to him . Should the son of New Approach, sporting a first-time tongue tie, run to his level, he will be very difficult to beat.

Spiral Galaxy, in the Sean Jones colours for Ger Lyons, could give the selection most to do. He ran promisingly when fourth on his debut at Dundalk and is open to improvement now on his second ever start and his first on turf.

Selection: CLONGOWES

Next best: Spiral Galaxy

5:15 NAVANADVENTURESPORTS.IE AND MULTIACTIVITY PARK HANDICAP 1M2F

A chance is taken on top weight Pepperminty who hasn’t shown a great deal of promise so far but whose best performance came at this track when fourth to Impart in a five-furlong maiden last season. This is his first run of the season and he starts from a mark of 62, which connections would hope he should be competitive off given he is a half brother to their own Canary Row who competes off 82. The excellent Ronan Whelan takes the ride and a first-time hood has also been applied. Lambikin should run well for local trainer Pat Martin. He wasn’t disgraced on his first start of the season in a handicap at Roscommon. He can improve now, on only his fifth ever run.

Selection: PEPPERMINTY

Next best: Lambikin

5:45 IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF FILLIES HANDICAP 1M

Take a chance on Elusive Approach for Kevin Manning and Jim Bolger. She has been progressive of late, winning twice at Dundalk and then getting to within a neck of Shannon Soul at Limerick. She was a little disappointing when well beaten behind Elusive Beauty at Gowran Park but that may have been on account of the soft ground. She looked back to her consistent best when a close seventh to another of today’s rivals Coreczka at Dundalk and she should run another solid race.

Midnitemudcrabs finished a close second to Elusive Beauty at Gowran Park (same race Elusive Approach was in) and she may be able to go one better today. Considering she was competitive in a valuable handicap won by Penny Pepper at the Curragh last year off a mark of 80, she has a bit of leeway on a rating of 75 now, coming into this after one of her best performances.

Selection: ELUSIVE APPROACH

Next best: Midnitemudcrabs