1.25 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden 7f

There was encouragement to take from the debut effort of Aidan O’Brien’s Latin when a front-running fifth at Leopardstown last month and he may be able to get off the mark with the benefit of that experience under his girth. The form of that maiden hasn’t been seriously tested yet but Spanish Flame, who finished a place in front of the selection in fourth, bolted up on his next start at Roscommon.

Joseph O’Brien has won the last two runnings of this race and he relies this time on Oligopoly, who ran well when beaten six lengths in second behind Spanish Flame at Roscommon on his only start.

He is also open to progression, as is the Johnny Murtagh-trained Mariner, who didn’t run badly behind Latin on his sole outing at Leopardstown.

SELECTION: LATIN

Next best: Oligopoly

1.55 Golf At Gowran Park Handicap 7f

Alfarida proved extremely gutsy in making a successful return to turf on her last start at Roscommon and should be bang there again from a low draw in stall five, despite stepping up slightly in class. She wasn’t hit hard by the handicapper for that win, even before factoring in the overall reduction of handicap ratings across the pool of horses in training recently, and remains in her own age category with the ground in her favour.

Kaydees Magic ran well at a big price here last time for Robbie Colgan and Sheila Lavery, and she should give another decent account, with similar comments applying to the Jim Bolger-trained Snowdonia Song. Bataan could post an improved display for the application of first-time blinkers.

SELECTION: ALFARIDA

Next best: Kaydees Magic

2.30 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies & Mares Handicap 7f

Her lack of a recent run is off-putting but a tentative vote goes to the Johnny Murtagh-trained Sheyya, who looked a smart type when winning a Leopardstown maiden on debut last June but failed to progress as hoped. She beat rivals who have since achieved ratings of 95, 89, 87 and 89, so her mark of 86 is one that could leave her some scope to work with. Concerns are raised by the fact she was tailed off in the Listed Star Appeal Stakes at Dundalk when last seen in September, though.

Red Heel, down in class following a respectable run here last time, shouldn’t be underestimated in the first-time cheekpieces from a solid draw in stall five. In an extremely open race, cases can also be made for the likes of Not Even Close, Marsa, Touching Clouds and Many Tears.

SELECTION: SHEYYA

Next best: Red Heel

3.05 Packages On gowranpark.ie Handicap (Div 1) 1m

Princess Rajj couldn’t be described as a bombproof candidate, with two wins from a total of 24 starts, but she didn’t run badly last time at Listowel when without any headgear over a mile. Now the cheekpieces and tongue-tie she sported in both her wins are back on, and she has run well at Gowran before. Arguably, seven furlongs could be her optimum trip but she hit top form around this time last year and is down to an attractive mark if able to put it all together in the basement grade.

No Patience is back from a 230-day break so could need the run but he’s a contender on his best form off this mark for John McConnell. Barnhill Rose is in excellent form but her draw in stall 15 is a real negative given she likes to race handily, while Kodiac Prince has been running consistently and should be on the premises again.

Old Peculier is also shortlist material for a Mark Fahey team among the winners this week.

SELECTION: PRINCESS RAJJ

Next best: Kodiac Prince

3.40 Packages On gowranpark.ie Handicap (Div 2) 1m

Provided she is none the worse for her fine Leopardstown fifth over a trip too far on Thursday evening, Shona Mea should have a part to play at the business end for Scott McCullagh and Jessica Harrington. The four-time winner is better at Gowran than anywhere else, with three wins, a second, third, fourth and fifth from nine course appearances, and she just manages to remain in this bottom-tier class of handicap with a mark of 64.

Nyla Rua, third here last time, has place claims again for Jack Davison, the long-absent Bardo Contiguo, trained locally by Eoin Doyle, is certainly worth a second look if market support arrives and Two Metres Apart was an eyecatcher last time after blowing the start completely - she could go well at an each-way price.

SELECTION: SHONA MEA

Next best: Two Metres Apart

4.15 Ladies Day July 29th Apprentice Handicap 1m 1f 100yds

The Ger Lyons-trained Semantics got back on track with last week’s fourth in a Navan maiden over 10 furlongs, probably not quite lasting home up the stiff finish there. A slight drop in distance and switch to this venue could suit her well, though, and it’s possible she’ll put her best foot forward in the first-time blinkers.

Sea Spray failed to land a telling blow when better was seemingly expected on his handicap debut at Killarney (well backed into 7/2 joint-favourite late on). He doesn’t have many miles on the clock and has cheekpieces added for the first time.

Sixpack is in a similar boat on his second handicap start, having failed to catch fire when solid in the market at 7/2 at Leopardstown last time. The lightly raced gelding represents last year’s winning combination in this race, Johnny Murtagh and Danny Sheehy.

SELECTION: SEMANTICS

Next best: Sea Spray

4.50 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies & Mares Maiden 1m 1f 100yds

Sandy Creek has bumped into quality sorts on both her starts and this could represent her best chance yet to get off the mark. Time has shown there was no shame in coming up short against dual Group 3 winner/Group 1-placed Never Ending Story in a Curragh maiden last June and the form of her return from a 316-day absence at Naas last month also looks solid, with the winner, Mashia, rated 93 and the runner-up, Unless, entering the race with a mark of 89 and winning on her next start. Defying a tough draw in stall 19 is arguably her biggest challenge.

Stablemate Maxux is making her debut and may be best watched next time, but any market support for her could be interesting given her excellent pedigree, being a daughter of Frankel and dual Group 3 winner Chrysanthemum. Velvet And Vine, representing Ger Lyons, showed some promise on her debut at Naas and looked bound to improve for the experience. Hazalaya ran respectably when third here last time and should be thereabouts again.

SELECTION: SANDY CREEK

Next best: Maxux

5.25 Thomastown Race 1m 1f 100yds

A tough contest to conclude proceedings. Vellner, trained by Paddy Twomey, was unable to reward favourite-backers on his Cork comeback in April and isn’t ideally treated at the weights with some of these, including course winner Sunset Shiraz. However, he might have more upside for improvement as a lightly raced four-year-old wearing blinkers for the first time. His Curragh maiden win last season marked him out as a smart sort.

Shane Crosse has his first ride since early April when partnering the Joseph O’Brien-trained Good Too, who was beaten a short-head by French Oaks third Rosacea when last seen running for Jean-Claude Rouget in September 2021. An absence of 634 days is unhelpful but he has only had two runs and could be useful. Trustyourinstinct, from the same stable, impressed when winning a maiden on Irish Guineas weekend and is worth a second look but his lack of experience against some hardened sorts isn’t ideal. Saltonstall and Casanova might be getting up to concert pitch for Galway, though the latter would be a player if repeating his first two turf runs of the season.

SELECTION: VELLNER

Next best: Good Too