Hotazhell

(Jessica Harrington)

Leopardstown, May 17th

There was plenty of market confidence behind the Jessica Harrington-trained Hotazhell on his debut at Leopardstown in a seven-furlong maiden, and the two-year-old showed lots of ability despite failing to reach the frame. The 5/2 favourite, a colt by Too Darn Hot who cost 200,000gns at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale, had little luck in running and was boxed up at key stages in the straight. He gave a glimpse of what might have happened if getting a clear run when finishing off nicely for fourth behind Scorthy Champ, who looks bound for blacktype company. Hotazhell looks well up to winning a maiden in the coming weeks and appeared to act fine on the good ground.

? Inncourt

(Gavin Cromwell)

Leopardstown, May 17th

Gavin Cromwell’s string has been in outstanding form of late. Across the first 21 days of May, the dual-purpose trainer saddled a whopping 17 winners and seven seconds. There’s every chance he has another future winner from his runners during that period in the shape of Inncourt. A €52,000 purchase from last year’s Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze Up Sale, connections have had to be patient with the Inns Of Court gelding and it wasn’t an ideal start to his debut that he needed to be reshod behind the stalls beforehand. He also wasn’t the quickest away from a wide draw but will have learned plenty from this experience, coming home with real purpose in fifth of 13 runners (beaten two and three quarters of a length). In fact, nothing finished quicker in the final two furlongs and his closing sectional for the final furlong was considerably faster than his rivals. He clocked 11.86 seconds, compared to 12.20, 12.31, 12.51 and 12.45 seconds for the four runners who finished ahead of him. He looks capable of winning a median auction maiden.

? Enthralling

(Donnacha O’Brien)

Leopardstown, May 17th

There was the unusual occurrence of a horse finishing first past the post before being demoted to sixth in a fillies’ and mares’ handicap at Leopardstown last week. Mo Ghille Mar caused serious interference to her rivals and could easily have put Enthralling on the deck. Thankfully she managed to stay upright and finished sixth before the first past the post was demoted to behind her (therefore promoting Enthralling to fifth). This would have been the second solid run in succession this season for the Donnacha O’Brien-trained three-year-old, who suffered with the interference. She may not have won here but was going to be placed at least and decent ground didn’t appear to do her any harm. Rated 80, she can win a maiden this summer at around 10 furlongs as a Galileo mare with plenty of experience under her belt.

?Reina Del Mar

(Joseph O’Brien)

Leopardstown, May 17th

It was difficult to get involved from off the pace in the Women’s Irish Network For Racing Lady Riders Handicap at Leopardstown over a mile and a half, with impressive winner A Piece Of Heaven making all under Aine O’Connor. That made the task quite difficult for the patiently-ridden Reina Del Mar, who missed the kick and had a significant amount of work to do turning in. She never quite looked like getting on terms but went into the notebook for future reference in fourth, beaten six and a half lengths. Making her first start for Joseph O’Brien after joining from Ed Walker’s yard for 40,000gns last October, she clocked considerably faster sectional times in the final three furlongs than the rest of the field - finishing in 37.76 seconds compared to the first three home, who clocked 38.60, 39.14 and 39.14 seconds. There are certainly races to be won with her this season.

Saratoga Special

(Jessica Harrington)

Naas, May 19th

Aidan O’Brien described Naas winner Treasure Isle as “one for Royal Ascot”, so it can be considered a fair effort from debutante Saratoga Special to have given him such a race in the five-furlong opener - especially given the winner had the advantage of a previous run against a field of newcomers. Jessica Harrington’s Mehmas filly cost €110,000 as a yearling at the Goffs Orby Book 1 Sale and is bred to be smart as a sister to Turn On The Jets, a blacktype sprinter in America who was previously trained by Jack Davison. Her dam, Chiclet, was also a classy sprinter who reached a peak Racing Post Rating of 103. That all points to speed in Saratoga Special’s pedigree, and she showed plenty of it here. In fact, she posted the fastest furlong of any horse in the race between the three-and-two-furlong poles, 10.71 seconds, followed by another brisk 10.81 seconds to the final-furlong marker. She couldn’t quite get the better of the argument with the winning colt, failing by half a length, but certainly advertised her potential as a smart juvenile for the coming months.

?Siege Of Troy

(Johnny Murtagh)

Naas, May 19th

The concluding seven-furlong fillies’ maiden at Naas last Sunday was very steadily run, and the winner, Serialise, was in the ideal position to capitalise on that pace scenario by making all. The first and third both had the benefit of racecourse experience, which would have been an asset in how the race unfolded, so the effort of runner-up Siege Of Troy is worth rating quite nicely for Johnny Murtagh and Qatar Racing. Bred on the smart Siyouni-Galileo cross, the daughter of listed winner/Group 2-placed Roheryn showed plenty here to suggest she can get off the mark in due course. She hit the line stronger than anything else in the race and only failed by a neck. She’s got every chance of being useful as a half-sister to Group 1-placed Buckaroo, Group 3 winner at Newbury last week, Middle Earth, and capable handicapper Kihavah (peak Racing Post Rating of 104 on the flat).

Presenting Max

(Ger Keane)

Punchestown, May 21st

Presenting Max held a slight advantage at the third last on his point-to-point debut when making a bad mistake and unseating his rider, and his jumping still has a little scope for improvement on the basis of his hurdling debut at Punchestown. Previously registered in training with the currently sidelined Tony Martin but making his rules debut for Ger Keane, the Malinas five-year-old made a pleasing introduction when fourth to the useful Fenway Park in a maiden hurdle over an extended two and a half miles, beaten 15 and three quarters of a length. Racing down the inner initially and then in the middle of the pack behind the leaders, he would have received a good education here and ought to be better for the experience. With improvement likely as he continues to race, he might be one to keep in mind when handicapping.

Fiery Lucy

(Gavin Cromwell)

Cork, May 21st

Gavin Cromwell and Gary Carroll had considerable success in 2021 with the Dunphy family-owned Quick Suzy as a two-year-old, and the same trainer-jockey-ownership combination could now be onto another smart juvenile in the shape of Fiery Lucy. Becoming the stable’s first two-year-old runner of the season, she went down as an eyecatching second to well-regarded winner Powerful Nation in the opening five-furlong maiden at Cork on Tuesday, and the third-placed Shamrock Breeze (bought for £100,000 at last month’s Goffs UK Breeze Up Sale) had also been the subject of positive whispers before her track debut. This 38,000gns yearling by Without Parole didn’t hit top gear immediately when the tempo lifted, but it was highly encouraging to see how she finished out her race once the penny dropped. She clocked a faster final-furlong sectional than anything else in the race and has every chance of staying further too. Her half-sister, Mukaddamah, won a 10-furlong listed race on her last start in October, while her Dubawi dam was also campaigned at 10 furlongs.