1.25 Mongey Communications Irish EBF Maiden 1m 1f

Harsh may be able to get off the mark. He caught the eye on his debut at Galway, breaking slowly and thereafter running greenly until staying on late in the day. That maiden was useful, won by the impressive Alexandroupolis and the runner-up Espionage has won since. Harsh should shape better now and this doesn’t look the strongest heat.

With that in mind, it might be worth considering the newcomer North Dorset also. Jessica Harrington trained his half-sister Willesee, who was a useful filly and an impressive winner on her very first run, which came at this track.

SELECTION: HARSH

Next best: North Dorset

2.00 Staffordstown Stud Stakes (Group 3) 1m

This looks like it could be a very informative contest and may go to Gozen, the Michael O’Callaghan-trained filly who did very well to win from an unpromising position on her debut at Punchestown. Keen early in that seven-furlong contest, she was in the midst of running an acceptable race when fourth or fifth for much of the straight but she fairly powered through the final furlong to nab a subsequent Group 3 winner in Basil Martini on the line. The run suggests the penny dropped late, so she should be a different proposition with the experience, and that this step up to a mile will suit her well.

Plenty of these have put up eye-catching runs but one who could be underrated is Perfect Portrait. Joseph O’Brien’s filly put a big performance to finish third on her debut at Galway where she started slowly, raced very wide around the final bend, but finished off her race very well. She should improve plenty from it.

SELECTION: GOZEN

Next best: Perfect Portrait

2.35 Born Na Mona Recycling Brigid’s Pastures Stakes (Listed) 6f

This can go to My Eyes Adore You, who comes out just about best at the weights and returns to the scene of her course-and-distance maiden win earlier in the season. She had been running well enough in fillies’ handicaps since that but took her form to a completely different level when fourth to Perfect News in a Naas Group 3. That run was out of the blue but she confirmed she is up to that level when a very respectable sixth in a listed contest at Ayr on her next and latest start. Provided she handles the ground here - it was yielding when she won - she looks the one to beat.

The top-rated fillies have a few questions to answer. Pirate Jenny was behind the selection at Naas, Lustown Baba has been out of form and Pretty Rebel was a disappointing beaten favourite last time out and makes her first start in a listed race now. Beautiful Sunshine makes some appeal as one who could improve now, having recorded her first win of the season when conceding weight all around in a fillies handicap at Fairyhouse. She comes back to six furlongs but has some decent form over that distance and soft ground shouldn’t be a problem.

SELECTION: MY EYES ADORE YOU

Next best: Beautiful Sunshine

3.10 RFL Steels Supporting The IRFU Charitable Trust Handicap 5f

There was a lot to like about Urban Beat’s run here in the Joe McGrath Handicap and he could take advantage of a falling mark now. Johnny Murtagh’s seven-year-old travelled strongly over this course and distance two weeks ago, but just failed to see out his race, having chased a strong gallop set by the fast-starting Strong Johnson. He races off a mark of 95 here, had been rated 107 at the beginning of the season, so is getting a real chance from the handicapper. The fact Jamie Powell takes 7lbs off his back is also a real positive.

Curraheen Princess has had a really good season with four second and three wins for Nick Stokes, again running a valiant race here in the Joe McGrath. She will be right on the scene again, while it may be worth allowing Strong Johnson his slightly disappointing effort in the same race, given he may have exerted himself too much too early.

SELECTION: URBAN BEAT

Next best: Curraheen Princess

3.45 Friends Of The Curragh Pollardstown Handicap 2m 141yds

Powerful Aggie is the only horse here to represent the Irish Cesarewitch form and she can show that her 10th-place finish there was a fine effort by going much closer today. Joseph O’Brien’s filly has had a stop-start season but ran promisingly off a break when ninth in the Connacht Hotel Handicap before her decent effort in the Irish Cesarewitch. It was around this time last season when she really hit form and she is 1lb lower now than when just beaten by the very useful Yaxeni in the November Handicap at Naas. Jake Coen also takes 5lbs off her back and she has blinkers applied for the first time.

Autumn Evening shouldn’t be discounted either. He ran a fine race when just touched off by Flying Scotsman in a good mile-and-a-half feature race at Listowel. His hurdles mark of 140 suggests he should be able to win off 81 on the level and this step in trip could also suit him.

SELECTION: POWERFUL AGGIE

Next best: Autumn Evening

4.20 Tesoro Vita Ladies Trophy (Q.R.) Handicap 1m 4f

Firstman has been progressive and consistent of late and he can add his third win of the summer. Tony Martin’s five-year-old has won two of his previous four starts, finishing second twice in between, and though he is up to a mark of 72 now, plenty of his rivals today are searching for form and he also has the valuable services of Maxine O’Sullivan.

Blackpoint might give him most to do. John Kiely’s gelding was a little disappointing when well held in fifth at Listowel last time but if you excuse him that, he had run well twice previously at Tipperary.

SELECTION: FIRSTMAN

Next best: Blackpoint

4.55 O’Reilly Consulting Group Supporting The IRFU Charitable Trust Apprentice Handicap 1m

San Aer looks a good option. Since he finished a good third in a one-mile handicap at Leopardstown in June, he has prospered, running an eye-catching fourth in a seven-furlong handicap at Galway and then winning over the same distance here at the end of August. He was eighth last time, again over seven furlongs, but that only tells half the story as he got left behind coming out of the stalls and came from an unpromising position to be beaten just three lengths by the winner Half Nutz. The step up back to a mile today should suit him and he should be involved in the finish again.

Notforalongtime gets the second vote. Laura Hourigan’s five-year-old caught the eye when fifth to French Rescue over this course and distance. If he can step forward from that, he has a reasonable chance.

SELECTION: SAN AER

Next best: Notforalongtime

5.30 IRFU Charitable Trust Handicap 6f

A tentative vote in such a competitive handicap goes to Heavenly Power. He is a lightly raced four-year-old for Eddie Lynam who looks reasonably handicapped off a mark of 70, considering he started the season 6lbs higher and ran reasonably well when second in a 18-runner seven-furlong handicap at this course two runs back. He was a little disappointing here on his previous run when 10th to Half Nutz, but that was his first run in 90 days.

A similar kind of case can be made for Sounds Of Spring, who actually ran a lot better off a 123-day break when returning to action at Cork last month. He was fourth there to Pretty Boy Floyd and looks reasonably handicapped now off a mark of 68. First-time cheekpieces could also help.

SELECTION: HEAVENLY POWER

Next best: Sounds Of Spring