THE fillies' handicap is the feature contest at Fairyhouse on Thursday and the Dermot Weld-trained Eclat De Lumiere gets the vote in the €23,500 contest.
It's interesting that connections have kept the Sea The Stars filly in training as a four-year-old.
She is a valuable broodmare prospect as a half-sister to Hong Kong Vase winner Dominant and a full-sister to Group Two winner Listen In.
Having won on her debut at two she wasn't disgraced when pitched into Group Three company on her first outing last year and bumped into a decent sort when chasing home Voice Of Angels at Navan next time.
She made little impression in the Ulster Oaks subsequently but it wasn't a bad run to finish fourth at Dundalk after a break in October and connections obviously feel she has more to offer.
It's always notable when Weld sticks headgear on one and this filly looks to have conditions to suit on her return, and could be on a nice mark if back to the pick of her form.
Another beautifully bred filly in the race is the Ballydoyle runner Water Nymph, a Saxon Warrior half-sister to dual Group One winner Fancy Blue.
She has been knocking on the door and was a touch unlucky on her handicap debut at Leopardstown on her penultimate start.
There looks to be a race to be won with her and, getting a nice bit of weight from her elders, she could be a danger.
In the preceding three-year-old handicap over the same 10-furlong trip, Den Of Iniquity could prove the answer in another competitive heat.
Joseph O'Brien's charge was narrowly denied in two runs on the all-weather over the winter and the form of both those runs have been boosted since.
Shangrilama, who beat her on debut, followed up subsequently while Cooler, who was third behind her when she pushed La Tuplie Noire close, went on to score on her next start.
Stepping up a bit in trip now could help Den Of Iniquity and she appears to be on a nice mark for her handicap debut.
Dual Galway Hurdle winner Tudor City makes his return to action on the card and it wouldn't be a surprise if he ran a big race.
Tony Martin's charge will presumably be aiming at Ballybrit again this year but he won on his first outing last year and is on a nice mark on the Flat having eased a couple of pounds over the winter.
Gary Carson's Fairyhouse selections
(next best in brackets)
4.25 Love Mocha (Western Cape
4.55 Tudor City (Gracesolution
5.30 Den Of Iniquity (Matt Connor)
6.00 ECLAT DE LUMIERE (Water Nymph)
6.30 Kings Time (Navalny)
7.00 One For Mum (Jackie Brown)
7.35 Catherine Chroi (Jazzy Dancer)
8.05 Scarlet Dancer (Gallow Hill)
