Frazil

(Jim Bolger)

Curragh, March 25th

Bred to be useful as a brother to dual Group 1-winning miler Poetic Flare, Frazil showed a fair deal of promise on his belated debut at the age of four, despite being beaten seven and three quarters of a length in fifth (of 20 runners). It was an effort that can be marked up considering how he appeared to be on his toes in the preliminaries and expended unnecessary energy before his first start. He travelled like a useful type before his effort petered out slightly, but he should be given the benefit of the doubt next time. (MB)

Star Girls Aalmal

(Henry de Bromhead)

Curragh, March 25th

It is well worth watching back the run of Star Girls Aalmal when staying on into fourth on her comeback in the Group 3 Lodge Park Stud Irish EBF Park Express Stakes behind Insinuendo. It was quite the effort to finish where she did given how she lacked daylight at crucial stages of the contest when travelling strongly. She could have given winner Insinuendo something to think about if getting into the clear earlier. This four-year-old has some solid form to her name and handles an ease in the ground so there could be another opportunity for her to make amends in the early stages of the season. (MB)

Semblance Of Order

(Andy Oliver)

Naas, March 26th

Semblance Of Order was in the process of running very well on his seasonal debut in the Madrid Handicap at Naas when he was completely stopped in his tracks just inside the final furlong. Trying to make ground in between Panic Alarm and Duke Of Leggagh, he collided with the former and lost all momentum. He wouldn’t have won, but looked set to fight it out for the minor placings, which should be seen as a very positive first run at three. On his penultimate start at two, he was second to Panic Alarm in a maiden at Down Royal, and there was enough here to suggest he can win a race off his mark of 81. (RG)

Hey Whatever

(Noel Meade)

Naas, March 26th

There’s every chance the first two Ballydoyle-trained fillies in the mile fillies’ maiden at Naas could be blacktype class, and the debut effort of fourth-placed Hey Whatever caught the eye for Noel Meade. This three-year-old daughter of El Kabeir showed some greenness on her introduction and stayed on well from off the pace, coming from a good deal further back than the first three home. She should be much sharper next time and could be versatile in terms of trip if her pedigree is anything to go by. (MB)

Emotivo

(Henry de Bromhead)

Naas, March 26th

Emotivo is a filly worth following after a fine effort in defeat on her turf and seasonal debut at Naas. Henry de Bromhead’s filly took the lead of this one-mile fillies’ maiden early in the straight and though headed by Aidan O’Brien’s pair Jackie Oh and Red Riding Hood, she fought on well to stay in a group of three, finishing well clear of the remainder. She had finished sixth on both of her starts at Dundalk late last year but this was a step up in performance. An opening mark of 78 should allow her to go close in a handicap but she also looks capable of winning a maiden. (RG)

Falco Blitz

(Eric McNamara)

Limerick, March 26th

Falco Blitz looks capable of winning now after a pleasing effort to finish a closing in third on Happy Dreams in an extended two-mile-three-furlong handicap chase at Limerick. This was his second good run over the course and distance, having finished fourth to Maskada in the Tim Duggan, and having started the season off a mark of 136, he is down to 123 now, which looks attractive, not least when you consider he won off marks of 132 and 139 over fences in Britain. He handles decent ground well enough also, so may have options of connecitons keep him going through the summer.

The well bred Time Tells All (left) just got touched off by Drumroll (right) at Navan \ Healy Racing

Time Tells All

(Dermot Weld)

Navan, March 29th

There were some tall reputations entering the concluding mile maiden for colts and geldings at Navan on Wednesday, and Time Tells All was one of those who attracted decent support when the markets first opened. He travelled smoothly and won a number of battles with his rivals before eventually losing the war close home to Saxon Warrior’s brother Drumroll by just half a length. This Dermot Weld-trained three-year-old holds plenty of high-profile entries and is bred to be talented as a half-brother to the stable’s Homeless Songs. He should be able to go one better before long for owner-breeders Moyglare Stud. (MB)

Baile Locha Riach

(Johnny Murtagh)

Navan, March 29th

In the same Navan maiden there was also encouragement to be taken from Baile Locha Riach, who will be very interesting when stepping into handicap company after this third maiden run. A 200,000gns yearling by Siyouni out of a well-bred, Group 3-winning mare, he is bred to be better than he has shown so far but looks open to improvement and ran promisingly enough when sixth on his latest appearance. Stepping up to a mile and a quarter may also suit him at some stage. (MB)

Heather Bear

(Andrew Slattery)

Limerick, March 30th

There was a lot to like about the hurdles debut of Heather Bear at Limerick on Wednesday. She was no match for the odds-on favourite Media Naranja in the end, but she kept on well for second, on what was her first start in 194 days. Andrew Slattery’s filly put up a hat-trick of wins last season, and it seems like she has progressed again now. She will have plenty of options this summer, over hurdles and back on the flat. (RG)

Danesfort Mayfly

(William Lanigan)

Naas, March 30th

Memory Of Youth and Danesfort Mayfly were the two to take out of the eventful two-mile-three-furlong handicap hurdle won by Miss Tempo at Naas on Thursday, with slight preference for the latter. William Lanigan’s mare, like Memory Of Youth, was held up in the field when it probably paid to race closer to the pace - the winner led from start to finish.

She had to jink around a double fall at the last but to her credit she regain momentum and made significant ground to get up for second on the run-in. This was her first real sign of winning potential, notably coming on only her second start over this sort of trip, and so has the scope to improve further now.