AIDAN O'Brien has his first domestic runner of the year at Dundalk on Friday evening and it looks hard to oppose the classy Cairo in the featured Patton Stakes.
Ryan Moore comes over for the one ride on the Quality Road colt who was an impressive winner of the Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown on his final start of last season.
He has to carry a penalty for his Group Three success but looks a cut above these rivals in tonight's mile contest.
Traditionally the Ballydoyle horses tend to need the run on their seasonal debuts and you'd assume Cairo won't be 100 per cent here but he should still be too good for this field.
He was beaten on his sole previous visit here, when runner-up to Spirit Gal, but that was a decent contest as he had Chesham runner-up Pearling Path in behind in third.
This looks a weaker event now and with an official mark of 107 Cairo is comfortably clear of his rivals.
Next best on the book are a pair of 91-rated horses. Tiverton was well behind Cairo in the Killavullan Stakes and he looks held on that run.
All Things Nice finished last in the Ballyhane Stakes when last seen at Naas in August but had won twice prior to that and is clearly better than that performance.
Willie Browne's charge Stormy Entry has won twice at the track already this season and could be the one to give the top-weight most to do.
He has a bit to find off his official mark of 84 but the fact that he comes here race-fit and in-form is a big plus.
With Cairo likely to be a short price punters may have to look elsewhere for a bit of value.
Heartrate makes plenty of appeal in the six-furlong maiden on his return to action.
The Kieran Cotter-trained gelding had a couple of nice runs on the turf last season and could be a bit better than these horses on his all-weather debut.
He kept on nicely, despite stumbling, when seventh on his debut at Naas and stepped forward considerably from that when runner-up at Cork on his next start.
The Dragon Pulse gelding bumped into a useful sort then in Clever And Cool, who was fourth in a couple of stakes races subsequently.
He also had recent Southwell winner Jer Batt in behind that day, so the form looks solid.
Colin Keane is back on board Tai Sing Yeh, having won on him early last month, and he looks the one to beat in the opening claimer.
Selections
4.55 Tai Sing Yeh (dbl) - Maritime Rules
5.30 Heartrate (nap) - Almendares
6.00 Dancing Tango - Burren Song
6.30 Deluca Chop - Balearic
7.00 Segomo - Alazne
7.30 Cairo - Stormy Entry
8.00 Solar Breeze - Jered Maddox
8.30 Havana Notion - Bright Dick
