Soldier’s Empire

(Ger Lyons)

The Curragh, September 23rd

It was interesting that when speaking to The Irish Field last Friday, Ger Lyons suggested that Soldier’s Empire would “be the one all the lads would want to ride if the ground was better” in the Goffs Million. The son of Bated Breath finished an excellent fifth in the seven-furlong contest on what was his second racecourse experience, and given his trainer’s comment, he may well have done it in spite of the slow surface. He had no chance with the winner One Look, but she could be exceptional, and if you take her out of the race, no horse finished off faster in the last four furlongs than him. A maiden win is surely a formality before the season is out, while he could yet make his mark at stakes level if allowed to keep going. (RG)

Fernao

(Willie McCreery)

The Curragh, September 23rd

Fernao posted an encouraging effort in the seven-furlong handicap won by Dagoda at the Curragh last Saturday. Coming off a 68-day break and on his first start as a gelding, the son of Frankel lacked the initial pace to keep tabs with the winner, before coming through to take a clear second. He very much caught the eye on his debut at Limerick, starting very slowly but still coming through for third. He’d go on to bolt up at Listowel, and was a non-runner for a listed contest after that. Evidently he has plenty of talent, and coming back up to a mile, or even further, should suit him. (RG)

Jesse Evans

(Noel Meade)

The Curragh, September 24th

Jesse Evans has had a fine summer/autumn period and gave his connections another brilliant effort when fourth in the Irish Cesarewitch. Noel Meade’s seven-year-old raced prominently for much of the two-mile-one-furlong trip, making his challenge down the outside of runners.

He was in there pitching all the way to the line, eventually finishing a very respectable fourth. The Galway Hurdle runner-up (again) has lots of options and ought to be running again soon in this sort of form - he won the Kingdom Gold Cup in between runs.

He’s in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket and would be 6lb well in officially for that, or he could go back over hurdles, where his rating of 150 would make him some way appealing for a good handicap hurdle. (RG)

Swiss Army Officer

(Kevin Coleman)

Cork, September 26th

Swiss Army Officer caught the eye when third to Zephron in a mile handicap at Cork on Tuesday. Racing prominently, he was clearly going well for Emma Murphy early in the straight, but may well have ended up hitting the front plenty early, with nothing to take him on. The first and second, Zephron and Breezy Zoff, both came from further back and down the outside, and once they arrived on the scene, they had all the momentum.

Swiss Army Officer was able to go with them and ended beating the horses around him initially comfortably, and he might be good value for the bare form. He was running here off a mark of 51, and he looks more than capable of scoring another win off that sort of assessment.