Sport

Clown can cash in on Rock rust

DERMOT WELD has a strong team heading to Royal Ascot this week but will have his eyes on Sligo on Monday as 10-year-old Rock Critic returns to action.

The stable veteran tends to come to life at Galway so may be using the 10-and-a-half-furlong  rated race as a springboard to next month’s Ballybrit meeting.

He’s a four-time winner around there, but his last success was back in August of 2012 and it may be that age is creeping up. He hasn’t raced since Listowel last September.

This descent into rated class might suggest that the old horse isn’t as good as he was and if that is the case, the one to beat him could be I’ll Be Your Clown, who hasn’t been far away in some competitive handicaps, although of the six runners none could really be ruled out with confidence.

I’ll Be Your Clown was beaten less than three-and-a-half lengths when seventh behind Hasanour in a €50k Curragh handicap in May, was dropped 2lb and this could be the stepping stone to a profitable summer for him.

Weld applies a visor to Harasava for the €13k median auction maiden. The daughter of Azamour stepped forward from her debut when second on her Tipperary return and should improve again in the headgear. Of those that have raced  Renea is top-rated over Azamesse and B Cosmos. I suspect the latter might offer most opposition to Harasava.

Mick Tynan’s Maontri made a successful visit to Leicester last month and is just 4lb higher for the seven-furlong fillies’ handicap.

She does have to shoulder top weight but 7lb claimer Ian  Queally reduces her burden and she looks capable of going in again, possibly at the expense of Kevin Prendergast’s Natural Woman, which won her maiden here last month in easy fashion.

She had the re-opposing Belezza Oscura over 13 lengths behind her in third that night and in the meantime Mick Halford’s filly has run an improved Navan second to a very progressive 94-rated Ardhoomey who surpassed that mark in Cork yesterday when second to Line Of Reason in a Listed sprint there.

Halford, fresh from a Navan double on Saturday, will be hoping that Miss Phillyjinks can build on her two promising performances when she lines up in the two-year-old auction maiden. But the pair to concentrate on here are Johnny Murtagh’s  Stanley Daley and Patrick Prendergast’s Greyscape which concedes 6lb. I’d prefer Stanley Daley, fourth behind Auld Enemy at Navan a month ago

The Kildare handler saddles Temasek Star with a chance in the apprentice handicap, although he has ground to make up on Flowing Air from their recent Fairyhouse encounter. A 4lb swing in the poundage gives him a right chance.

The action gets under way with the Guinness Claiming Race at 6.00, and Park Ranger is suited by race conditions in the opening claimer as he reverts to the Flat from hurdles. Gun Smoke is a big danger and might be the more reliable.