Last year’s Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas winner Homeless Songs is the star name to appear among Saturday’s entries for the Curragh.
The Dermot Weld-trained four-year-old is set to make an early seasonal debut in the Group 3 Lodge Park Stud EBF Park Express Stakes.
Homeless Song could possibly meet the Joseph O’Brien-trained Agartha who was fifth in the Irish 1000 Guineas and was a Group 2 winning juvenile at the Curragh.
A total of 17 fillies stood their ground at Tuesday's entry stage for the one mile contest that also includes the 110-rated Insinuendo for local trainer Willie McCreery.
Lincoln entries
British representation is likely on the opening weekend of the season with ambitious classic winning trainer George Boughey leaving Totally Charming among the 45 remaining entries for the Paddy Power Irish Lincolnshire.
Lattam and Perseverants are also possibilities for William Haggas and Scott Dixon respectively.
The prestigious €100,000 handicap may also see Cosmic Vega and Inchturk line up for new training partnership Michael Halford and Tracey Collins.
Top weight in the Paddy Power Irish Lincolnshire is the Michael O’Callaghan-trained I Am Superman who returns to Ireland having been sent to be trained in Australia under the watchful eye of Peter and Paul Snowden before re-joining O’Callaghan where he began this year campaigned in Dubai.
Johnny Murtagh won the race last year with Raadobarg and may saddle three runners in the latest renewal as Carrytheone, Miss Mirabell and Mashhoor all remain in the mix.
The Donnacha O’Brien-trained Emporio is 10/1 joint-favourite with the sponsors and is a likely runner, according to the trainer.
"I might wait for the Listed Heritage Stakes at Leopardstown," O'Brien said. "If I were to guess, I’d say probably the Curragh, but it’s not 100%.
“He handles soft ground and is quite a high-class horse, probably a stakes horse, but a mile on soft ground is no problem and there are no problems with the conditions.
“Gavin Ryan will possibly ride him although I’m not sure – it will either be Gavin or possibly claim off him. I suppose to win a Lincoln, you probably have to be a stakes horse – I think he’s listed class and we’ll find out more after he runs.”
A total of 13 juveniles have been entered for the Alkumait Capital Stallions Irish EBF Maiden which will begin the new season at 1.40pm on Saturday.
Naas on Sunday
On Sunday at Naas the Jessica Harrington-trained Panic Alarm may attempt to snare another valuable prize at the venue. The course and distance winner is a standout entry in the Irish Racing Writers Madrid Handicap having won the lucrative Irish EBF Auction Series Race Final last October.
Aidan O’Brien last won the Madrid Handicap with Never No More in 2019 and the champion trainer has a typically strong entry for Sunday’s edition. Age Of Kings, Carracci, Londoner, Mohawk Chief and Paddington were all maiden winners for O’Brien last year and all hold classic entries for the coming months.
The Plusvital Devoy Stakes is a highly competitive early season target for some of Ireland’s leading middle-distance and staying horses and has once again attracted a strong entry.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Martinstown, who won his only start impressively last season, may make his eagerly awaited return to action in the 10-furlong contest where the Willie McCreery’s Self Belief and the Joseph O’Brien-trained Visualisation are notable inclusions, as is the Andrew Slattery-trained Sunchart who has been busy over hurdles during the winter.
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Paddy Power Irish Lincolnshire
Paddy Power bets: 10 Emporio, Totally Charming, 12 Cosmic Vega, Lattam, 14 Carrytheone, Dunum, Flame Of Eire, Good Heavens, Visualisation, 16 Comfort Line, Dha Leath, Finans Bay, I Am Superman, Mashhoor, No More Porter, Saltonstall, 20 Big Gossey, Casanova, Cold Steel, Corduan, Current Option, Maud Gonne Spirit, Star Harbour, 25 Celtic Crown, Fastnet Crown, Joe Masseria, Miss Mirabell, Secret Magician, Vocal Studies, 33 Facethepuckout, Inchturk, Loingseoir, San Aer, Smooth Tom, The Organiser, 50 Laelaps, New Hill, Rick Dalton, Solar Breeze, 66 Eskimo Comet, Perserverants, Sirjack Thomas, 100 Desert Wind, Eastern Wind, Quizical