RICK Dalton looks to have found a winnable opportunity at Dundalk on Friday on his return to action.
Ger Lyons’ charge was narrowly denied on a couple of occasions last year and wouldn’t be winning out of turn now.
He could be pegged as a bit frustrating but didn’t do a lot wrong when headed in the shadow of the post at Tipperary in August.
That came after he had looked set to score at Naas previously, when making the running, but was chased down close home by Big Baby Bull in handicap company.
He has been placed on six of his eight starts and connections haven’t been tempted to try him in headgear so that would be an encouraging sign that they aren’t doubting his honesty.
Relevant Range, who has been tried in several different combinations of headgear, is becoming very frustrating and is one to be wary of.
He would appear to be the main danger on official ratings but looks the type that everything will need to drop perfectly for.
Rick Dalton probably won’t find many better opportunities than this in maiden company.
A couple of races later, Aidan O’Brien saddles two in the 10-furlong maiden and San Antonio gets the vote.
The well-bred Dubawi colt ran with promise in a couple of strong maidens on soft ground last October and may be better suited now by a sounder surface.
The form of his third-placed effort at Gowran got a boost at the weekend when the fourth horse Sprewell won a decent conditions event at Naas.
Earlier on the card, the mission to get a win into the well-bred Sea Oscar in the two-mile handicap may come to fruition.
She has run well on her last couple of outings here, since joining Joseph O’Brien, and it’s interesting that she takes another step up in trip now.
The in-form Celtic Revival collared her in the closing stages over a mile-and-a-half a week ago and the handicapper has left her on the same mark for that effort.
Her sire tends to be a stamina influence and there has to be a chance she could be good enough to strike now off a lowly mark.
The second two-year-old race of the season opens the card and it’s a bit of a guessing game.
Adrian Murray landed the first event of the year for AMO Racing and Lightening Army has to be a leading contender here.
His sire Soldier’s Call was a sharp sprinting two-year-old and is expected to get plenty of early types judging by his prominent position in the betting for the leading first season sire.
GARY CARSON’S DUNDALK SELECTIONS
(next best in brackets)
5.30 Lightening Army (Dandy Lichious)
6.00 Rocky Dreams (Inflection Point)
6.30 Sea Oscar (Vee Dancer)
7.00 Rick Dalton (nap) (Relevant Range)
7.30 Feature This (Royal Tribute)
8.00 San Antonio (dbl) (Just An Hour)
8.30 Emeric (Evening Verse)
