FOUR ‘straight-ups’ over the six-furlong sprint track comprise the first half of this evening’s Naas programme.
But the opening maiden might just involve a colt with real potential as Jim Bolger uses the five-runner contest for Herald The Dawn’s debut.
Bred to be top-class, being a brother to his trainer’s star miler Dawn Approach he is already owned by Godolphin and also holds a National Stakes entry.
Bolger favours introducing his better horses at this venue and one can assume he is likely to have shown plenty of ability. It would be disapointing if he didn’t stand out over these.
Aidan O’Brien’s Lieutenant General is the form horse, having run a cracker when an unfancied second behind Bolger’s Sanus Per Aquam on his debut at the Curragh 10 days ago.
Lieutenant General holds multiple big-race entries and while he undoubtably has plenty of ability, it is interesting that Sanus Per Aquam doesn’t hold any classy entries, in contrast to Herald the Dawn.
Godolphin’s Toscanini bids to regain the winning thread in the three-runner conditions sprint for three-year-olds.
Mick Halford’s colt, who chased home Gleneagles in the National Stakes last September, has gone well in defeat in Group Three company on both starts since returning with a win here.
He was only beaten a length-and-a-half when fifth to Dutch Connection in Ascot’s Group Three Jersey Stakes, spoiling his chance by hanging left from two furlongs out.
He drops in class here and will be odds-on, but he should win easily enough.
Queen Of Sicily, bred by Darley and running in their Godolphin colours, is another very notable newcomer who Bolger has chosen to run this evening, in the two-year-old fillies’ maiden.
She is a daughter of Sea The Stars’ sire Cape Cross and is out of Wesley Ward’s 2009 Queen Mary winner Jealous Again and it is notable she currently holds a Group One Moyglare entry.
David Wachman’s The Yellow Bus shaped with plenty of promise in the four-runner maiden at Leopardstown a fortnight ago won by Minding and looks likely to improve.
Now Or Never shaped similarly well at Fairyhouse last month and should be able to again place.
The mile three-year-old handicap is the most valuable race of the night, in which Back On Top and Shannon Soul are closely-matched on Curragh form, but they could have their work cut out taking on Algonquin.
Bolger’s lightly-raced Dundalk winner shaped like there was plenty more to come when landing a 10-furlong Curragh handicap on his seasonal bow and a 6lb rise in the ratings may not be enough to stem his progress.
Bolger’s Brightly Shining has Pullman Brown and Masterchippy to beat in the concluding 10-furlong handicap, while Diamond Rio aims to improve on an encouraging debut third at Gowran in the mile fillies’ maiden.
Apache Gold is sure to be popular in the apprentice handicap after returning to form with a good second at Fairyhouse last week.
