Kandoo
(Jack Davison)
Fairyhouse, June 16th
It will be interesting to see how the handicapper assesses Jack Davison-trained juvenile Kandoo, as she appeals as one who could be up to winning a sprint nursery this season. It had looked as though this daughter of Kessaar would take a bit of catching when kicking clear on the front end in a Fairyhouse maiden but there was no shame in being run down in the final half furlong by barrier trial winner Ms Brightside. She weakened out of it to finish third, but she had more use made of her than the rivals she finished behind. The form of her previous Navan third behind Givemethebeatboys and Jalaybee looks solid and she looks to have the pace to be able to drop back to five furlongs. (MB)
Humtaza
(Pat O’Rourke)
Fairyhouse, June 16th
An opening mark of 68 looks pretty fair for unexposed maiden Humtaza, who bounced back from a no-show at Roscommon to finish fourth against the boys in a mile-and-a-half maiden at Fairyhouse. Pat O’Rourke’s Cotai Glory filly has picked up a fair deal of experience since making her debut in April, followed by another run in every month since. She weakened late on and it’s possible a strongly-run mile and a quarter in handicap company could prove her optimum set of circumstances. Switching to handicap company is likely to bring out the best in her. (MB)
West Of Wichita
(Kevin Coleman)
Cork, June 16th
There are some maidens on the horizon for two-year-olds who were bought at public auction for €30,000 or less, and West Of Wichita could be quite appealing in that sort of company after her staying-on third at Cork. The Donnacha O’Brien-trained winner, Mysteries, appears to be held in high regard and Kevin Coleman’s €25,000 yearling purchase ran on well to be beaten by three lengths, without ever looking a serious threat. That run was probably of a similar standard to her debut, with her only other start coming when down the field in Group 3 company at Naas - a step too far at this stage of her career. This Sioux Nation filly could be one to keep improving through the season and should be good enough to win a maiden somewhere along the way. (MB)
Thunder Roll
(Joseph O’Brien)
Cork, June 16th
Thunder Roll is yet to win from three starts but connections will surely be delighted with her efforts so far, attaining blacktype on each of her last two starts, firstly finishing third to Tower Of London in the Listed King George V Cup and then filling that position again in the Munster Oaks at Cork last Friday. That most recent effort was a fine performance, trying to chase down a far more experienced mare in Rosscarbery, who will be aiming for Group 1 wins this season, and the talented Azazat, who finished just ahead of her in second. For a filly having just her third start and facing her elders for the first time, she really equipped herself well, and it is worth mentioning that she was probably inconvenienced by an extremely sedate pace previously at Leopardstown. She should win a maiden easily but connections will be hopeful of a blacktype win, and that seems very realistic given her lightly raced profile. (RG)
Feathertop
(Jessica Harrington)
Gowran Park, June 17th
Well-bred filly Maxux created an excellent impression when making a winning debut in an extended-nine-furlong maiden at Gowran Park, and there was surely substance to that form with Sandy Creek (likely a mid-to-high 80s filly at present) finishing second. One to take out of the fillies-only event was third-placed Feathertop, trained by Jessica Harrington. It was a pleasing first run from the Australia debutante and she hit the line nicely to only finish a neck behind the runner-up. She shaped as though she’d be more streetwise for this initial experience and there’s every chance she’ll win a maiden before long. (MB)
Prioritise
(John McConnell)
Downpatrick, June 18th
Prioritise has hit form for John McConnell, backing up her recent win at Roscommon with a stronger effort in defeat at Downpatrick on Sunday. She raced in midfield for Thomas Reilly, but might just have been caught for toe when the leading protagonists Charlie Luciano and Sequoiaspirit kicked off the turn. Both those runners had very strong claims on the day - both were well backed for their return to hurdles having shown useful form on the flat. She managed to close the gap on this pair, and pulled well clear of the fourth. She was racing off a 10lb higher mark compared to her Roscommon win, so it showed she can be competitive still, which isn’t a surprise given her lightly raced profile on the flat. Her owners (Northeast Syndicate) feature in The Owner column in today’s paper (page 16), where they’ve mentioned Galway as a possible target. (RG)
Touching Clouds
(Dermot Weld)
Gowran Park, June 18th
Touching Clouds looked like a bit of a sitting duck in a seven-furlong fillies’ handicap at Gowran Park last Sunday, but she knuckled down strongly on the inside rail and, in the end, she only lost out by a head to Plume Noire. This was a step forward from her comeback run, when she finished in mid-division over the same distance, but running on a straight course, behind Verhoyen at the Curragh. A step up in trip could be the order of the day for her now, especially when you consider she began her career over a a mile, and her third run was over 10 furlongs. She is out of Princess Highway, who did all of her best work at 10 furlongs plus, notably bolting up in the Ribblesdale. She has only had six starts altogether, so has loads of scope to progress and it will be very disappointing if she cannot at least win a handicap off a mark of 76. (RG)
Weston
(Gordon Elliott)
Royal Ascot, June 20th
He didn’t come cheaply at a cost of €240,000 last November but Weston looks a smart recruit to the Gordon Elliott team from Germany, as advertised by his fine fifth in Tuesday’s Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot. A Baden-Baden maiden winner who followed up with an eight-length handicap debut strike at Cologne in September, this four-year-old by Soldier Hollow joined the Cullentra camp after finishing fourth in an eight-runner Group 3 at Baden-Baden over a mile and a half in October. There was definite promise to be taken from his stable bow when staying on nicely into mid-field in a big-field Leopardstown handicap and he stepped up on that effort to do some decent work in the straight over an extreme trip at the Royal Meeting. Connections could easily have an eye on hurdling but he shouldn’t be discounted if tackling something like the Connacht Hotel Qualified Riders’ Handicap at the Galway Festival, especially if there’s an ease underfoot. (MB)
Adelaise
(Joseph O’Brien)
Royal Ascot, June 21st
The Kensington Palace Fillies Handicap was one of the rougher races run at Ascot this week due to the moderate pace leading to a crowd-up in the straight. Fourth home Adelaise didn’t suffer too badly, but she did get a knock at one stage. In spite of that minor setback, she saw out her race very strongly, closing right up to the leaders in the final furlong, backing up her previous very good run to finish second to Rahmi in the Emerald Mile. This was just her third start for Joseph O’Brien, who has shown again this year his ability to improve the form of fillies that come into his yard (e.g: Honey Girl, Indian Wish, American Sonja, Goldana). Given the way Adelaise stayed on, she could well benefit from stepping up in trip to nine or 10 furlongs and while her trainer will likely be targeting blacktype at some point, a big handicap pot off a mark below 90 is surely a more attractive proposition in the short term. (RG)
Alalcance
(Jessica Harrington)
Leopardstown, June 22nd
Sugaree was a good winner of the opening mile-and-a-half three-year-old fillies’ maiden at Leopardstown on Thursday but the runner-up Alalcance was very much the one to take out of the race. The Kirsten Rausing-owned and bred filly was making her debut and came off the bridle relatively early in a well-run race, but all she did was stay on in the straight, gradually picking up momentum, and it will a big surprise if she cannot build on this effort next time out. (RG)
Cnodian
(Willie McCreery)
Leopardstown, June 22nd
Willie McCreery’s mare Cnodian has hit form, winning at Limerick earlier this month and backing that effort up off a 5lb higher mark when a closing-in second to Overheer at Leopardstown on Thursday evening. Significantly this was the five-year-old’s first start over a mile on her 27th start and there was no doubt about her ability to stay the trip. This will open up more options for her, and she may be able to get another win if maintaining her current form. (RG)