2.00 Kerry Group 3-Y-O Hurdle 2m
This has the potential to be a good opportunity for Nurburgring to make it two wins from two starts over hurdles, though he does face some unknown quantities having their first starts over hurdles. The Joseph O’Brien-trained selection won pretty nicely on his introduction to this sphere at Killarney and should be up to defying a 6lb penalty for that success.
Spinning Web has delivered two decent runs over hurdles, winning at Tipperary and second at Down Royal. He’s entitled to be on the premises again but Wodhooh, a 50,000gns recruit from Sir Michael Stoute’s yard by Le Havre, is of obvious interest on debut for Gordon Elliott. Any significant market support for Hands On, trained by Enda Bolger for J.P. McManus, would have to be noted.
SELECTION: NURBURGRING
Next best: Wodhooh
2.35 Kerry Group Irish EBF Mares Hurdle 2m 4f
An absence of 478 days since her last run is off-putting but the Gordon Elliott-trained Say Goodbye looked pretty useful in her couple of wins over fences prior to that spell on the sidelines and could be worth chancing. This will be her first start over hurdles since pulled up in Grade 1 company at Fairyhouse in April 2022, but she was previously runner-up in the Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Space Tourist, with race sharpness on her side, might give the Robcour mare most to think about. She was beginning to come under pressure when making a bad mistake at the second last in a listed novice hurdle at the Galway Festival, but the timing of the error at a stage when the tempo of the race was lifting left her with no chance. This race shouldn’t be as demanding.
SELECTION: SAY GOODBYE
Next best: Space Tourist
3.10 Kerry Group Irish EBF Mares Handicap Hurdle 2m 4f
Atimetodream doesn’t have many miles on the clock and posted a decent effort when second on handicap debut at Limerick last time so is worth a look in an open-looking mares’ event. There was no denying the front-running winner last time but she fared well in the circumstances and the third-placed Rathnaleen Kal (reopposes here) has won and been second since. The potential for slower ground would probably suit the selection too, though she is back from a 114-day break since that Limerick showing.
Buttons And Bows was disappointing last time at Kilbeggan but fired a bit of a warning shot when second on her previous start. She’s probably on a reasonable mark when all falls right. No Fussing never really got involved at Tramore last month but has a chance on her best form and hails from a stable in excellent form.
SELECTION: ATIMETODREAM
Next best: No Fussing
3.45 Dairygold Maiden Hurdle 3m
A weak affair in which a chance is taken on the Ross O’Sullivan-trained Atacanter, who ran well when second to the well-treated Wa Wa in a handicap hurdle at Leopardstown in March. He travelled with every chance when unlucky to unseat his rider at the third last in another three-mile contest at Cork two starts ago and perhaps the combination of a long season, mixed with potentially quicker than ideal ground and his first trip across the water counted against him when down the field at Ayr on his last run in April. He’s bound to be a player if on his ‘A’ game after a 149-day break.
The Empty Kettel ran well when fourth on his rules debut in a Tramore maiden hurdle and is open to improvement, though this is a significant step up in trip from two miles. Signora Di Milano might be one who benefits from the much longer distance too, having been a safely-held fourth over two miles and two furlongs at Downpatrick last month.
SELECTION: ATACANTER
Next best: Signora Di Milano
4.20 Strings & Things Rated Novice Chase 2m 1f
A trappy affair in which narrow preference is for the Gordon Elliott-trained Riaan, who looked a potentially improved performer for the switch to fences when winning readily at Wexford five weeks ago. He is pretty evenly matched on hurdles form with Joseph O’Brien’s Gracchus De Balme, with only a pound separating the pair on official ratings in that sphere.
The form of the latter-named runner’s recent win at Roscommon doesn’t look anything out of the ordinary but he did win pretty well and looks the biggest threat to the selection. Uncle Phil hasn’t been convincing and arrives here with questions to answer. Of the remainder, The Dasher Conway makes more appeal than that rival and has an experience edge over the top two, having been contesting handicap chases lately.
SELECTION: RIAAN
Next best: Gracchus De Balme
4.55 Kerry Group Chase 2m 4f
Just four runners but a smart €40,000 contest nonetheless. Saint Sam has been very well placed by connections and arrives here seeking a fourth win on the bounce over fences. It’s fully understandable why Paul Townend has sided with him over Easy Game given the anticipated rain, but the slight concern with Saint Sam is that he has been beaten at evens or shorter three times in his career and has not built up the same level of CV as Easy Game in recent seasons. He simply looks the horse best suited to this race, though, and has won on easy ground.
Getting back into a more favourable small-field event than was the case last time in the Galway Plate will suit Easy Game. He is seeking a hat-trick in this race, and his victory here 12 months ago came on the back of finishing down the field in the Plate too. His form figures when running in chases with six or less runners reads 112151U31111111, with the fifth-placing coming when out of his class in the Punchestown Gold Cup. By and large, he is reliable in this type of race. There is little to separate Visionarian and Dancing On My Own on ratings, and neither will probably want overly soft ground.
SELECTION: SAINT SAM
Next best: Easy Game
5.30 Kerry Group (Pro/Am)
INH Flat Race 2m
With Willie Mullins having won with 30 of his 48 bumper runners in Ireland this season, it’s difficult to look beyond his newcomer Glowing Account, ridden by Patrick Mullins.
This will be the Ballylinch Stud gelding’s first appearance at the age of six and he had been declared as a reserve for a bumper at the 2021 Punchestown Festival, so this has been a long time coming for connections. He is a half-brother to a listed second over a mile and three furlongs in France.
Locorotondo took a step in the right direction when last seen a year ago finishing second in a moderate enough Roscommon bumper and could be placed again if sharp enough on his return for Martin Brassil.
Any market confidence behind John McConnell’s £30,000 point-to-point recruit Never Present would be interesting. He was sent off 2/1 favourite for a five-year-old geldings’ maiden on his only start at Grennan in May 2023 and was in the lead when falling heavily at the second last.
SELECTION: GLOWING ACCOUNT
Next best: Never Present
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