12.10 Sobac Healthy Soil soil.ie Maiden 5f 205yds

Cavallo Pazzo has been progressing nicely with racing and could find this race within his reach. He showed good improvement from his first run to finish fourth in a Down Royal maiden in September and did better again at Navan recently when beaten just a head by Magical Vision.

He gets the vote over Vadiana who looks good enough to win a maiden on the evidence of her two starts to date, the more recent of which yielded a second to Native Queen at Bellewstown in September. She could be vulnerable at this trip but her pedigree gives grounds for optimism on that front.

SELECTION: CAVALLO PAZZO

Next Best: Vadiana

12.40 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Birdcatcher Premier Nursery Handicap 5f 205yds

This could go the way of Tooprofitable who looks at home over sprint trips and soft ground. She ran very well in the final of the auction race series here last month before eventually fading into fifth behind Panic Alarm and confirmed the merit of that effort when landing a 6f Curragh maiden a couple of weeks ago.

With conditions in her favour a strong showing is likely and she is preferred to the hat-trick-chasing Mile End who has gone up 20lbs in the weights for nursery wins at the Curragh and Navan. A strong showing should be forthcoming from her once more.

Wave Machine takes a huge drop in class from the Cheveley Park Stakes and could easily make her presence felt.

SELECTION: TOOPROFITABLE

Next Best: Mile End

1.15 awardsandgifts.ie Handicap 5f

Earls lines up in the form of his life as he looks to record his fifth handicap win in a row. He has won this race in 2020 and 2021 but finds himself much higher in the weights. However, he has looked better than ever lately after winning a series of handicaps ranging from 1m back to 6f.

He looks to have everything in his favour and can deal with the ultra-consistent Curraheen Princess who lines up off a couple of commendable placed efforts in Curragh handicaps.

SELECTION: EARLS

Next Best: Curraheen Princess

1.50 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden 1m

The 101-rated Sierra Blanca is hard to oppose. He chased home the subsequent Group 1 runner-up Espionage in a Curragh maiden in September and then ran a good second to Cairo in the Group 3 Killavallan Stakes at Leopardstown a few weeks ago. He sets a high standard.

Sprewell is a very interesting rival. He looked green on his debut at Gowran Park last month but finished off well when becoming attuned to what was required of him to be beaten less than 2l into fourth by Immutable. He could give the selection plenty to do.

Selection: SIERRA BLANCA

Next Best: Sprewell

2.25 Christmas Party Raceday on December 15th Race 1m

Current Option can end another good season on a high. He shrugged off a mark of 97 to win the Ahonoora Handicap for the third year in succession at the Galway Festival and followed that with an excellent third in the Sovereign Path on Irish Champions Weekend.

On his most recent start, he filled the runner-up spot in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes and he is clearly as good as ever.

He has yet to win at this distance but he is worth siding with over Emporio who was a place behind him at Leopardstown and has since run well to chase home Power Under Me in the Knockaire Stakes over this trip.

SELECTION: CURRENT OPTION

Next Best: Emporio

2.57 Finale Stakes (Listed) 1m 3f 180yds

He has to carry a Group 3 penalty but Duke De Sessa looks equal to the task at hand on ground he will enjoy.

This colt turned in a cracking effort to edge out Thunder Kiss in a 1m 4f Group 3 on Irish Champions Weekend and he followed that with a third in a 1m 7f Group 2 in France where he finished well to be beaten less than 1l. He can be rated better than the bare result.

He is preferred to the ultra-reliable Yaxeni who is bidding for her fourth listed success of the season. She also won the November Handicap on this card last year.

SELECTION: DUKE DE SESSA

Next Best: Yaxeni

3.27 Colm White Bookmaker November Handicap (Premier Handicap) 2m 25yds

The Shunter is a speculative choice to add to his big-race haul. He won a Sligo maiden during the summer but hasn’t been able to build on that since. However, this former Cheltenham Festival winner is taking a significant step up in trip following a run over 1m 1f at Punchestown a couple of months ago and apprentice Jamie Powell, who has done so well in premier handicaps this season, is a very notable booking.

He is chosen ahead of Jesse Evans who won a Grade 3 hurdle at Tipperary last time having previously finished a fine third to Moracana in the Petingo Handicap at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend. My Mate Mozzie and Zoffman are two other contenders.

SELECTION: THE SHUNTER

Next Best: Jesse Evans

3.57 Congratulations To The 2022 Flat Champions Handicap 1m 2f

He lines up in fine heart and San Aer might be able to add to his handicap win at Galway on Monday where he defeat Excuzio Joe by ½l.

That win followed a creditable second to Coins Cross at the Curragh and it is worth taking the chance that this heavy ground loving son of Vocalised will be quite at home on his first try at this trip.

Team Of Firsts has been out of sorts this season but he enjoys this ground and he won this race last year. He is only 1lb higher this time and must have a good chance once again.

SELECTION: SAN AER

Next Best: Team Of Firsts