IT’S moderate stuff at Fairyhouse on Wednesday, with the two most valuable races, both €15,000 median auction contests, managing to attract just seven runners between them.
The track also hosts a card on Sunday, with three nights of Bellewstown action in between.
Just the four runners go to post in in the seven-furlong maiden two-year-old opener, with Dermot Weld’s Rich Jade sporting a visor for the first time.
This daughter of Henrythenavigator ran respectably behind a couple of smart sorts at the Curragh and is likely to be fancied over her three opponents, the best of whom should be Sevenleft.
The Manduro colt showed ability at Leopardstown a month ago when beaten four-and-a-half lengths into fourth spot behind Tonkinese as a 33/1 chance.
Runner-up Brontide did the form no harm with a subsequent Naas second to the ill-fated Aca Awesome. However, Weld should have a strong line to the relative merits of this class of juvenile through Rich Jade’s Curragh fifth behind Miss Katie Mae back in May, and we may see a different filly here.
Weld also runs Tadaany in the six-furlong maiden as he bids to build on a decent reappearance effort at Gowran. Third that day behind Aerialist and Ardhoomey, he’d appear to be strong for Captain Power on the evidence of that run and should be difficult to beat.
David Wachman’s once-raced filly Prance, who is likely to improve for that first run behind Ortiga at Naas, is the possible danger.
Captain Power’s handler Eddie Lynam has two runners in the seven-furlong claiming race, with Pat Smullen booked to ride Iron Major, while Colm O’Donoghue gets the leg up on Mr Good Guy.
Iron Major is particularly well treated by the conditions of the race and should take all the beating, with maybe Methodology and Mattydillon the pair likely to follow him in.
There are two bottom-grade 47-65 handicaps to bulk out Wednesday night’s fields.
The 10-furlong version is confined to those jockeys who have not ridden more than 10 winners between January and June.
It is amazing just how many riders fall into that category, including O’Donoghue, who was the architect of Qualify’s Epsom Oaks victory. He rides Hammermann for Charles O’Brien and may prove best over Romantic.
The Fairy and Longfield Lad both filled the runner-up spot on their last starts and will be out to go one better in the 47-65 sprint. Longfield Lad got an 8lb rise on the back of his Naas second to Ask Dad but may still be capable of running to his new mark.
Top weight Three Bells is interesting, down in trip after struggling over seven furlongs at Sligo.
Last-time-out winners lock horns in the 10-furlong three-year-old handicap as Jessica Harrington’s Lake Champlain bids to build on an easy enough Down Royal success, while Social Climber looks worth his 7lb hike after winning at Gowran last time. Pat Harkin is perhaps worth another chance, however.
In the concluding three-runner contest, it isn’t easy to get away from the obvious chance of Cradle Mountain but at the same time, it isn’t easy to forget just how disappointing he was at Navan when finding absolutely nothing against Rivers Of Babylon.
