Powerful Nation

(Andy Slattery)

Cork, May 10th

There should be a maiden to be won with Sioux Nation two-year-old Powerful Nation, who was narrowly denied on his Cork debut for Andy Slattery last week. The 20/1 shot, who vendored for €40,000 at the Goffs Orby Book 2 Sale last year, was hard on himself in the early stages and showed a fair level of ability to still be able to finish off as well as he did here. He was actually 0.01 seconds off being the fastest in the race over the last two furlongs. Expect him to benefit plenty from this experience.

Twinkling Toes

(Charles Weld)

Naas, May 11th

It was a pleasing start to the career of Twinkling Toes when third in a two-year-old maiden over just shy of six furlongs at Naas last Saturday. Niall McCullagh rode the Ten Sovereigns filly from off the pace and she raced a little more keenly than ideal. However, when asked to quicken up - despite never quite getting on terms - she clocked the fastest sectionals of any horse in the race for the third last and second last furlongs. The winner, One Smack Mac, appears to be held in decent regard and came home too strongly for his rivals. Perhaps the early keenness of Twinkling Toes counted against her late on, but she looks to have ability.

Eternal Reign

(Mick Halford and Tracey Collins)

Naas, May 11th

Connections of the well-bred Eternal Reign have been patient with the Invincible Spirit filly and she ought to repay them this summer on the basis of her introductory fifth at Naas in a fillies’ mile maiden. There was no catching front-running winner Duckadilly, but it was eyecatching to see how well the Michael Enright homebred finished out her race - clocking the fastest sectionals in the third last and last furlongs of the race. This ride would have educated her plenty too. Out of Alwaysandforever, who was listed-placed over a mile and a half, she has every chance of staying further on the dam’s side of her pedigree.

Derryville

(Sam Curling)

Killarney, May 12th

Sam Curling has won with four of the 12 runners he has saddled in bumpers at Killarney, including with subsequent Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Summerville Boy back in 2017, so his young runners at the Kerry track are always worthy of a second look. His representative in a four-year-old bumper at Killarney on Sunday, Derryville, had no answer to the highly impressive 19-length winner Kalium but the way the race unfolded, she probably was always going to be up against it and fared best of the rest from well off the pace to claim second. She’s bred to stay further as a half-sister to Becher Chase third Checkitout.

Keeper’s Heart

(Ger Lyons)

Leopardstown, May 12th

For all that it would have been a frustrating watch for his supporters, Keeper’s Heart showed plenty of ability when finishing fourth in a bunched finish to the Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial at Leopardstown last Sunday. A Dundalk maiden winner over a mile last October, he stepped up plenty on that effort here and lacked daylight as he travelled with purpose into the race under Colin Keane. He came up short by only a length and three quarters by the unbeaten Los Angeles and should be capable of making his presence felt at this type of level with normal improvement from his first run in 198 days. He didn’t get the rub of the green on this occasion but showed ability and the experience won’t be lost on him.