Firm Handshake

(Willie McCreery)

Cork, April 21st

There was plenty of encouragement to take from how Firm Handshake came home for third on debut in a mile maiden at Cork. The Kodi Bear gelding raced down the inner and had to wait for daylight when the winner had clear space to make his challenge. The Willie McCreery-trained three-year-old was eighth approaching the final furlong and did some fine late work to come home best of all for third. His pedigree suggests he should have little trouble dropping in trip but he can win a similar event next time over this distance. (MB)

Laughifuwant

(Gerry Keane)

Limerick, April 22nd

Laughifuwant continues to look dangerous in handicaps, having come right down the weights. Held up at Limerick last Saturday, he came through late on to finish fifth to Dunum, and would have finished closer but for meeting traffic. He is now rated 84, having been rated a stone higher this time last season. He can definitely win again and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he did so at Galway, where he won an Ahonoora Handicap before and where he will have plenty of options. (RG)

Fernao

(Willie McCreery)

Limerick, April 22nd

There appeared to be lots of market confidence behind Fernao ahead of his debut in a mile maiden at Limerick and his eyecatching third marked him out as a promising type for the future. Bred to be classy as a half-brother to Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois winner Al Wukair, the Frankel colt was making his first start at the age of four for owner-breeders Ballylinch Stud. He did his chances no favours when missing the kick and sitting in last, with Nathan Crosse opting to go wide around the field down the outer in the straight. He was still last with two furlongs to go - and was 12th just before the leaders reached the furlong-pole - but Willie McCreery’s newcomer finished with a real flourish to be beaten just three and three quarters of a length in third. He has the potential to be above average. (MB)

Foniska

(Jessica Harrington)

Navan, April 22nd

Given she was said to have boiled over a little beforehand on a wet afternoon at Navan, it was a fully satisfactory seasonal reappearance from the Niarchos Family’s Foniska, who faded to third in the closing stages after attempting to make all in testing conditions. The Jessica Harrington-trained three-year-old was the choice of stable jockey Shane Foley in a race won by stablemate Village Voice, and connections expect the third-placed filly to improve plenty for the comeback run. Her pedigree suggests her best days are ahead of her, being by Galileo and out of the stable’s Bocca Baciata, whose sole Group 2 win and Group 1 second came as a four-year-old. (MB)

Back Down Under

(Padraig Roche)

Naas, April 24th

The speed shown by two-year-old filly Back Down Under on debut in a six-furlong maiden was noteworthy given her pedigree. By Australia and out of a winner over a mile, the Padraig Roche-trained juvenile is a sister to one-mile premier handicap winner Music To My Ears and a half-sister to Champion Green, who won over hurdles and on the flat over a mile and a furlong. Ridden patiently on Monday at Naas, she proved too keen for her own good and pulled her way to the front to throw down a serious challenge. However, those exertions took their toll late on and she faded to third, beaten five lengths. This possibly wasn’t the strongest of maidens but she should give the Back Down Under Syndicate some fun over the summer (leased from J.P. McManus) if improving for this experience. (MB)

Farland

(Sean Doyle)

Punchestown, April 25th

There was plenty of pre-race chat and market support for Farland ahead of his debut in the Goffs Defender Bumper, where he was beaten five lengths in fourth but shaped like arguably the best prospect in the race. Not much went right for the Getaway gelding, who is a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Minella Cocooner, as he raced too keenly in the pack and got tight for room on occasions. The race had gotten away from him turning in - sat in roughly 10th when the leaders reached the two-furlong pole - but he still managed to show plenty of natural ability to pick up from off the pace. He showed his greeness late on when hanging left in the straight but there is surely a sizeable engine there. (MB)

Da Capo Glory

(Padraig Butler)

Punchestown, April 26th

Da Capo Glory put a poor run behind him when chasing home Grangeclare West on his first try over two and a half miles at Punchestown on Wednesday. The winner is a talented sort and looked a strong stayer here, but this was much better from Padraig Butler’s gelding, who looks favourably handicapped in the mid 130s. Earlier in the season he ran a huge race when fourth to Fil Dor in a Grade 3 at Gowran Park. That was his seasonal debut, so it seems likely he will be kept going now. He only has five starts over hurdles, so lots of scope to improve further. (RG)

Camino Rock

(Mouse Morris)

Punchestown, April 26th

In the end Camino Rock might have been flattered to get to within one and a half lengths of Ballybawn Belter at Punchestown on Wednesday, but he still ran a fine race in third. Mouse Morris’s gelding was having his first run in 119 days and this was a clear step in the right direction, having mostly struggled to land a blow in maiden and novice hurdles. The better ground might have helped him and he will be interesting if kept going now through the summer. (RG)

Brookie

(Tony Martin)

Punchestown, April 27th

Brookie did well to finish as close to Broomfield Bijou as he did when fourth in the opening two-mile handicap hurdle at Punchestown on Thursday. Held up by Liam McKenna, he was knocked back at a crucial stage by the error of Gentleman Joe, and it just left him on the back foot when others around him had started to make ground. McKenna didn’t panic, let his horse make his ground back up and eventually brought him through for fourth, five lengths off the leaders. It was a good run in the circumstances and more evidence that there is a race in him off a mark of 114. (RG)

Grozni

(Charles Byrnes)

Punchestown, April 27th

The three-mile handicap hurdle won by Kilbeg King on Thursday was over three seconds faster than the Champion Stayers Hurdle and the form could be very strong. Lets Go Champ is the obvious one to take out after he was badly knocked into twice, but Grozni might go a little more under the radar. On his first start in 82 days, he set the fractions in front and although passed in the straight, he kept on well for fourth. This was his second solid effort in a three-mile handicap and he looks up to landing one off a mark of 125. He could be one for the staying handicap hurdle at Galway or potentially might prove a Pertemps horse for next season. (RG)