1.25 Dubawi Legend Irish EBF Fillies Maiden 1m

Harbour Gem may be able to go one better on her first start for Dermot Weld. She showed her ability to handle heavy ground when finding only her now stablemate Azada too good in a maiden at Leopardstown in October. That was one of two starts she had for Barry Fitzgerald, improving from her debut third at Thurles to Je Zous. A daughter of Zoffany and half-sister to her current trainer’s smart stayer Harbour Wind, she looks well capable of landing a maiden of this calibre.

Wendla showed enough in two starts to suggest she has the ability to win a maiden as well. Ger Lyons’ filly was second first time up at Cork and went well for much of the journey on her second start over seven furlongs at the Curragh, only to fade late on. She is easily excused and may well have improved over the winter. Mo Ghille Mar gives the maiden a useful form standard, having run five times last season, and placing on three occasions, earning herself a mark of 79.

SELECTION: HARBOUR GEM

Next best: Wendla

2.00 TRM Equine Nutrition Race 1m

Just a five-runner contest but there is a reasonable chance you could see a classic contender emerge, namely via Portland and Purple Lily. The pair of contrasting profiles, the former racing six times last season, improving as he went and only receiving Derby entries, while the latter has one win from one run, and has 1000 Guineas entries. Purple Lily, Paddy Twomey’s filly, might be the one to take long term but in likely testing conditions, perhaps experience and stamina could win the day for the 108-rated Portland. His form to finish third in the Critérium International sets the standard here and he has also shown an ability to handle this type of surface.

Purple Lily has eyecatching form, having turned over Tannola in a usually hot Galway fillies’ maiden and she should give another good account of herself here with her stable getting off the mark right away with a debutant scorer on Monday. Both Chicago Critic and Orderofthephoenix are interesting off good performances to win their maidens, with slight preference for the former, who got off the mark over this course and distance.

SELECTION: PORTLAND

Next best: PURPLE LILY

2.35 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Devoy Stakes (Listed) 1m 2f 98y

This could be a good opportunity for Serious Challenge to get back on the score sheet. Jim Bolger’s four-year-old came home well in the Irish Lincoln on Monday, finishing seventh there to Chazzesmee and he can use that race fitness to his advantage now. He’s rock solid off a mark of 102 because although he didn’t win last season, he never dipped 5lb below that assessment with a number of good efforts in defeat.

Sunchart is officially the best at the weights here but is a little more inconsistent and also may not be as effective coming down to this trip. With that in mind, La Filomena gets the second vote. Joseph O’Brien has a well established reputation for improving older fillies and mares that come into his care and this could be the latest one. She has a rating of 95 after five starts for Jean Claude Rouget and has shown an ability to handle soft ground.

SELECTION: SERIOUS CHALLENGE

Next best: La Filomena

3.10 Irish Racing Writers Cliff Noone Memorial Madrid Handicap 7f

This contest is always an intriguing affair, not least last season’s renewal which saw Paddington launch his star studded classic year with a win. Military is Aidan O’Brien’s representative this time and has a somewhat similar profile, with just three runs. He was well held by Atlantic Coast in a Group 3 at Leopardstown last October so there may be more of a limit to his potential progression.

Heavenly Being struck as one who could well find plenty of improvement from two to three, and for coming up to this trip. It took her four starts to get off the mark last season but she was an emphatic winner at Navan when last seen, showing her ability to handle heavy ground. A daughter of Night Of Thunder and half-sister to Matron winner No Speak Alexander, coming up to seven furlongs should suit her well.

The Ger Lyons-trained pair My Mate Alfie and Duplantis are interesting having shown good form in big sales races. There may not have been that much to choose from them so the latter could be value in the market, with James Ryan taking off 5lbs. He produced his best form when just touched off by King Cuan in the Irish EBF Auction Series Final over this course and distance.

SELECTION: HEAVENLY BEING

Next best: Duplantis

3.45 Far Above At Compas Stallions Handicap 7f

It might be worth taking a chance on the attractively handicapped Hurricane Ivor. Jessica Harrington’s seven-year-old did most of his best work this time last season, scoring at the Curragh after a seasonal/stable debut third. His form tailed off as the season went on but he is 8lb below that previous winning mark now and freshened up off a break, he could strip a different proposition now.

Janoobi is an interesting runner for Ger Lyons off a long break. He missed all of last season but had some notable form the previous term, most notably when running with credit in the Irish Cambridgeshire, and he remains lightly raced with scope to improve further.

SELECTION: HURRICANE IVOR

Next best: Janoobi

4.20 King Of Change At Compas Stallions Handicap 7f

If racing gets the go ahead at Naas, it’s likely to be extremely testing conditions and race fitness will be at a premium. That hands an advantage to Dark Viper who shows up here just six days off a much improved effort on seasonal debut at the Curragh when second to the very well handicapped Merisi Diamond. Jessica Harrington’s three-year-old was no match for the winner, who is going places fast, but he still beat 18 other rivals home, and off the back of that effort he looks the one to beat here.

Apollo Prince can give him most to do. He ran four times last season and was best on his final effort when two lengths off I’ve Been Dreaming at Galway, having run keen early in the race. That was heavy ground so should handle the surface and he looks competitively handicapped off a mark of 66.

SELECTION: DARK VIPER

Next best: Apollo Prince

4.55 NSL Investments Handicap 7f

Chicago Storm was mentioned in the Horses To Follow column on page 33 so he gets the vote here to build on a promising effort at the Curragh on Monday. On his second start for Chris Timmons, the five-year-old did well to hold his position on the front end in the mile handicap won by Global Energy, a race in which it seemed advantageous to have been ridden from off the pace. That was just his second start for Timmons and he looks competitively handicapped having been rated 10lb higher this time last season.

If Dark Viper takes the opener, it will be a little form boost for Master Garvey who was just behind him in the six-furlong contest won by Merisi Diamond. He should show the benefit of that effort and the step up to this trip. Atbay is another who could use race fitness to his advantage, having finished fourth at Dundalk on his seasonal debut earlier this month, though his ability to handle testing ground is a question.

SELECTION: CHICAGO STORM

Next best: Master Garvey