1.00 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden 5f

Matter Of Fact was the subject of positive reports at a recent press morning at Jessica Harrington’s yard and may be able to get off to a winning start. The daughter of No Nay Never, and out of a Galileo mare, was bred by the Niarchos family and her trainer has started the season really well. With no Aidan O’Brien representative, this doesn’t look the strongest maiden.

Mr Saturday is an interesting newcomer for Ger Lyons, as a son of Blue Point, while Devious represents Donnacha O’Brien whose juveniles have gone well so far this term.

SELECTION: MATTER OF FACT

Next best: Mr Saturday

1.35 Danny Trundle Handicap 5f

Linger For Longer is taken to score in the hope that her seasonal debut run was as good as it looked and she can build on it now. Augustine Leahy’s filly had mostly been running over one mile and further last season but she produced a career best when dropped down to five furlongs at Tipperary, coming home strongly to finish third to Amazon Lady. She races off a mark of 66 now (a 6lb rise) but the horses that finished directly behind her off level weights were rated 79, 72 and 72.

Mymomentintime is the second selection. Susan Finn’s colt was an impressive winner at the Curragh last term off a mark of 57, and ran promisingly on seasonal debut when beaten just under four lengths by Real Force at Cork. That was a fine run, with the third and fourth upgrading the form since.

SELECTION: LINGER FOR LONGER

Next best: Mymomentintime

2.10 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race 5f 205y

With all six runners making their debut, a tentative vote goes to Johannes Brahms. The son of Siyouni cost 200,000gns at Book 1 and his trainer has started the season relatively well with his juveniles.

Tourist could put up a good show for Ger Lyons as well. A Zoustar colt, he is out of the same trainer’s classy Ainippe, who was sharp enough at the beginning of her career and may have imparted that precocity.

SELECTION: JOHANNES BRAHMS

Next best: Tourist

2.45 Declan Landy Fencing Handicap 5f 205y

Iva Batt looks ready to win again, having put up two good efforts already this season, and since joining up with Ado McGuinness. The five-year-old mare was a good fourth to the in-form Tawaazon at Bellewstown (opposes again here) before pushing Blairmayne all the way over this course and distance, the pair of them coming clear. Indeed her last two runs over this course have been very good because she was an impressive three-length winner over Teddy Boy this time last year. That was her last victory but she is racing off the same rating now (73).

Rhythm King has started the season really well, scoring impressively at Bellewstown before running third in a valuable handicap at this course off a stone higher most recently. Both those runs came over a mile so it will be interesting to see how he gets on back down in trip today.

SELECTION: IVA BATT

Next best: Rhythm King

3.20 Dillon Marshall Property Consultants Handicap 5f 205y

Lord Massusus has to concede weight all around here but he looks reasonably handicapped off a mark of 97 after a fine comeback win at Gowran Park. Joe Murphy’s gelding was progressive last term, winning twice before finishing third to Panic Alarm in the Auction Series Final here over seven furlongs. At Gowran he looked to have continued that progression, comfortably accounting for Panic Alarm in third, despite that rival having a fitness edge. He only received a 3lb rise and the drop down in trip should be okay - he won over six furlongs on yielding ground at the Currgah in September.

Something Nice has been progressing well also and his second to Immutable in the Blackwater Handicap here looks strong form. However the drop down from a mile to this trip, on potentially quicker ground, is a concern. Tough Talk is the most intriguing horse in the race, having sprang a surprise to beat Little Big Bear on debut last season and then finished second to Blackbeard in a Group 3 - this is his first run since. King Of Scotia should also run well. He was only just touched off by his race-fit stablemate Red Letter Bray at this course and distance on his seasonal debut.

SELECTION: LORD MASSUSUS

Next best: King Of Scotia

3.55 Al Shira’aa Irish EBF Blue Wind Stakes (Group 3) 1m 2f

Foniska gets another shot at an Oaks trial and may be able to take this one. Jessica Harrington’s filly led the Salsabil Stakes for most of the way at Navan, only getting tired late on when giving best to stablemate Village Voice and Jackie Oh. With race fitness now banked, and this likely better ground to suit, she might be harder to peg back now.

There are a host of interesting fillies to take her on, most notably Diamondsareforver, making her debut now for Aidan O’Brien. She is by Justify and a daughter of Diamondsandrubies, who won an Oaks trial herself before finishing fourth at Epsom. Caroline Street finished second to Auguste Rodin in the Champions Juvenile Stakes and makes her seasonal debut while Red Riding Hood should be thereabouts based on her close defeat to Jackie Oh at this course. She wears first-time blinkers after she lost concentration while winning at Dundalk on her most recent start.

SELECTION: FONISKA

Next best: Diamondsareforever

4.30 Alto Equine Building Solution Rated Race 1m 2f

Signora Bellissima might be worth siding with. Johnny Murtagh’s filly stepped forward significantly on what she achieved last season when winning a 10-furlong race at Leopardstown on seasonal debut. She just held off the runner-up Valiant King there and, while that horse was probably unlucky, it shouldn’t take away from the winning performance, given the pair came all of five lengths clear.

With race fitness on side, New Variant should run well. He was third in a good Leopardstown maiden first time up before making no mistake at Tipperary.

SELECTION: SIGNORA BELLISSIMA

Next best: New Vairant

5.10 Al Shira’aa Down Syndrome Centre Fillies Maiden 1m

Unless might be able to get off the mark belatedly. Highly touted last season, she ran well in defeat three times. So far this term she has bumped into two nice types, most notably a much improved Honey Girl, a Group 3 winner since.

Sandy Creek is an obvious rival. The daughter of Frankel hasn’t been seen since last June when she made a most promising debut when second to Never Ending Story in an 18-runner Curragh maiden.

SELECTION: UNLESS

Next best: Sandy Creek