1.35 Nando Parrado At

The Irish National Stud

Irish EBF Maiden 7f

It isn’t overly common for Aidan O’Brien to use headgear on debut - registering four winners from the 21 runners he’s tried this with first time out since the beginning of 2021 - so it’s curious to see connections fitting blinkers on newcomer Igor Stravinsky here. The No Nay Never colt is the first foal out of dual 1000 Guineas heroine Hermosa, so has every chance of being useful on paper. He holds entries for the Amethyst Stakes and Irish 2000 Guineas.

Zaynab, a rare young flat runner these days for Gordon Elliott, shaped encouragingly enough when fifth in a fillies’ maiden here on the first day of the season and her pedigree suggests she should be improving with time. No Knee Never ran well on debut for Joseph O’Brien here last September, third to a couple of useful sorts.

SELECTION: IGOR STRAVINSKY

Next best: Zaynab

2.10 Download The New

Tote App Rated Race 5f

There was no matching runaway winner Take Me To Church in the Madrid Handicap last month, but the Mick Mulvany-trained Bid For Chester made a decent fist of it in second and ought to go close here if able to cope with the drop in trip. A winner over five and a half furlongs at Navan last season, he is also effective over seven furlongs but seems to be well able to cope with a cut in the ground. He remains on a reasonable mark, 1lb higher than last time, and Wesley Joyce’s 5lb claim ought to help his cause.

A fair deal of improvement is required from his five-and-a-half-length defeat on his seasonal reappearance at Cork but Jalaybee handles a cut in the ground, has run well here before and receives weight from all rivals. Sweetest never made an impact on her comeback in Group 3 company over seven furlongs last time but this is a much calmer assignment back in trip.

SELECTION: BID FOR CHESTER

Next best: Jalaybee

2.45 Hytech EQ Ultra

Handicap 1m

There wasn’t much wrong with Earls’ comeback fifth in the Lincoln here last month and he can play a leading role back at the same venue off 1lb lower in a lesser grade of race, for all that it is still competitive. Perhaps he’s at his best over a furlong shorter. However, the ground will pose no problem to him and he has the benefit of a recent run, which not all his rivals have.

It might be the case that he needs this first run in 187 days but Grey Leader is an unexposed type running over his ideal trip on ground he has handled just fine before. His form could be stronger and the layoff is a concern. That said, he might just have more upside than many of these at four. Fast Tara is an interesting stable-switcher to Joseph O’Brien from Johnny Murtagh and has a chance off her current mark on the pick of her form. Sirjack Thomas won’t be found wanting for fitness and should be in the mix too.

SELECTION: EARLS

Next best: Grey Leader

3.20 Tote Now Online At

Tote.ie Maiden 1m

A step up is required from his Dundalk form to win a Curragh maiden but State Actor has twice shown winning potential and can be right in the firing line if able to handle the testing ground on offer here. It was encouraging to see him pull well clear of the more exposed types last time over this trip and he remains open to progression.

The 87-rated Nelda is good enough to win one of these maidens but whether she wants ground as deep as this is difficult to say. She was just touched off on yielding to soft when last seen at the 2023 Galway Festival. Johanna Whitty drops back in trip after two solid runs over a mile and a half here last autumn, both on heavy ground. It’s an unknown coming back to this distance but the application of cheekpieces will help him in this assignment, and having proven stamina in these conditions is no negative.

SELECTION: STATE ACTOR

Next best: Nelda

3.55 Tote.ie Alleged Stakes (Group 3) 1m 2f

A slightly different turnout for the feature event compared to when it was initially due to be run a fortnight ago, but many of the major players stand their ground. White Birch was ready enough to win the Ballysax Stakes on his comeback last year, coping with heavy ground just fine, so he has the potential to do similar this time around in comparable conditions, though connections had warned he wasn’t quite as ready as before his seasonal bow last year when the race was due to be run earlier this month. Perhaps the extra couple of weeks will have done him no harm. Last season’s Dante second and Derby third is the highest rated runner in the line-up.

Village Voice might have a bit to find on ratings but she relishes testing ground and won the Listed Salsabil Stakes on her seasonal bow in 2023. Connections could well have been gearing her up for the early window of the campaign, given her ground preference, and a bold bid might be on the cards. Greenland is another with form on deep ground who is back from a break, Mashhoor may not appreciate the testing ground so much but has a fair deal of ability, while Crypto Force is an intriguing runner on his first start since the 2022 Beresford Stakes 574 days ago. Adding further depth to the race is the Joseph O’Brien-trained duo of Maxux and Raise You.

SELECTION: WHITE BIRCH

Next best: Village Voice

4.30 Visit The Irish National

Stud And Gardens Irish

EBF Maiden 1m 2f

Chemistry showed a bit of greenness on debut last autumn at Naas when tried in blinkers (retained here) and it’s easy to see him sharpening up for that experience. While beaten five and three quarters of a length in third, it was still a decent first start for Aidan O’Brien and he hails from an excellent blacktype family. There’s reason to believe he can be much better than he showed first time out.

Johnny Murtagh’s newcomer Bloom Vega is interesting on paper as the brother to a 97-rated performer (peak Racing Post Rating of 105), and the benefit of a run that Kaptain Bay has means he can be on the premises too. Stepping up to 10 furlongs looks a positive step for him, having looked a little raw when fifth on debut over a mile at Punchestown last September.

SELECTION:CHEMISTRY

Next best: Kaptain Bay

5.05 Tote Never Beaten By

SP Handicap 6f

Plenty in with chances here. Perhaps the drop back to six furlongs, and the return to this track, can see Merisi Diamond get back to winning ways after a second over seven furlongs at Leopardstown last week. He impressed over this course and distance on his run prior to that and these conditions appear to suit him ideally. The handicapper hasn’t missed him, though, having been nudged up another 2lb for last time when wearing a hood that has been removed here.

Coumshingaun might appreciate better ground but her last two wins came at this track and she does have some form in testing conditions. She’s entitled to improve from her last appearance at Cork, which was on the back of a 175-day absence. Secret Magician is in a similar boat in that he can step forward from his recent comeback fourth at Cork, while Tough Talk could be better than his mark of 86 but must defy a 282-day layoff.

SELECTION: MERISI DIAMOND

Next best: Coumshingaun