Moonhall Church

(Alan McIntyre)

Navan, July 13th

Sometimes it can pay to be drawn on the high side at Navan’s sprint track but the bulk of the action appeared to unfold towards the lower numbers in the opening two-year-old maiden last Saturday. The first two home were drawn in stalls one and two. In contrast, debutante Moonhall Church was drawn widest of all in stall 19 and made a fully satisfactory start to her career when outrunning odds of 66/1 to finish fourth, beaten two and a half lengths. Racing out on a wing isn’t always optimal for a newcomer and her effort tapered off a little in the closing stages, perhaps tiring after having to work slightly more than ideal to get upsides the main bunch from her draw. This €10,000 yearling buy (unsold at €34,000 at the breeze-ups) has a future on what she showed here.

Yaxchilan

(Dermot Weld)

Navan, July 13th

There was more than a hint of promise in the debut effort of Dermot Weld’s three-year-old Yaxchilan when fourth on his debut in a six-furlong maiden on the same Navan card. He was never really a threat to the returning winner Mehmar, though it was the way he finished out his race that was most pleasing about the performance. This €70,000 yearling by Mehmas was actually faster than anything else in the race through the final furlong while under a hands-and-heels ride, having briefly looked like getting a little separated from the pack at roughly halfway. There should be a fair deal of improvement in him, given how raw he looked here.

Saratoga

(Aidan O’Brien)

Killarney, July 15th

The opening mile two-year-old maiden at Killarney on Monday has been won by some smart sorts in recent years, including Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck in 2018 and Irish Derby runner-up/Ballysax Stakes winner Piz Badile in 2021. Apples And Bananas (Joseph O’Brien) made use of his experience on the front end but there was definite encouragement to be taken from how Aidan O’Brien’s two newcomers, Puppet Master and Saratoga, shaped in second and third. The latter was better fancied in the market and is bred to be high-class as a half-brother to the likes of Capri, Tower Of London, Brazil, Cypress Creek and Passion. He raced as though this experience won’t be lost on him and the run could benefit him well with a view to a Galway Festival maiden, should connections target him there. Capri won a maiden there on his second start, as did another of his half-brothers named Jamaica. Brazil won a premier handicap at the same meeting last year.

Poetic Sound

(Ger Lyons)

Killarney, July 15th

The market seemed pretty positive on the chances of Poetic Sound in a maiden over an extended mile and three furlongs at Killarney on Monday, and while the Ger Lyons-trained three-year-old was beaten four and a half lengths in third, he could still be up to winning one of these over the coming months. He appeared to lack a little tactical pace at one stage behind the first two home, who each had run twice before - and that counted for plenty. By Poet’s Word and out of a mile-and-a-half-winning mare, Poetic Sound is bred to stay well and improve with time. His dam is a sister to Yavana’s Pace, who is said to hold the distinction of being the joint-oldest Group 1 winner of all time at the age of 10.