HISTORY suggets Jim Bolger may supply 2023’s first Irish juvenile winner.

He has won the opening two-year-old maiden of the year 11 times since 1982, scoring with triple Group 1 winner Dawn Approach in 2012, and his classic-winning son Poetic Flare in 2020.

Speaking about his 2023 Alkumait Standing At Capital Stallions Irish EBF Maiden (1.40) runners, Bolger told The Irish Field: “Spanish Cara will be our first runner by Raven’s Pass. Time will tell as to whether she’s up the level of some of our other winners but she shows a bit of boot at home. Expecto is also the first horse we’ve run by Profitable. This will be a bit of a fact-finding mission for her too.”

Michael O’Callaghan, who has won this race twice since 2015, has booked Colin Keane for Mehmas colt Prince XJ.

“He’s a nice, forward, sharp type,” said O’Callaghan. “He has plenty of speed to start off over five furlongs and has been one of our first to come to hand.

“He’s been showing us a little bit so we’re looking forward to running him.”

Kieran Cotter is no stranger to juvenile success and is looking forward to running €42,000 yearling Sturlasson.

“We’ve always been very happy with him,” said Cotter. “ He’s by Invincible Army, so we think he’ll handle it soft. We don’t know what he’s up against but we think he’ll run a very solid race.”

Mick Mulvany saw Tough As Nails finish first past the post in this race in 2011 only to be demoted to second. He runs Ribchester colt Bid For Chester this weekend, and said: “We’re hoping he’ll run a big race. He’s forward enough, but you never know until they run. He’ll probably handle easy ground.”

On his trio of runners, Adrian Murray said: “Bucanero Fuerte, Capall Donn, and Guns And Flowers are nice horses with chances. They’re pretty forward.”

Willie McCreery runs homebred gelding Charles Atlas, by Cotai Glory, and said: “He’s a grand horse out of a tough mare [Sweetest Taboo] who won five times for us. There seems to be talk that some of the others could be very smart but a lot will depend on who acts on the ground. Fingers crossed he will.”

One Cool Cookie’s trainer Denis Hogan said: “He’s doing everything nicely but I’m not sure he’ll want these conditions. We’ll get him started and see.”