Bank on Princess Highway
Disappointing when favourite for her debut at Leopardstown last October, the Dermot Weld-trained Street Cry filly looked a potential star when getting off the mark in a fillies maiden at Leopardstown six weeks ago.
On that occasion, Princess Highway outpointed front-running Betterbetterbetter, which went on to land her maiden in Dundalk before being narrowly beaten in the Cheshire Oaks in Chester last week.
Open to plenty of improvement, Pat Smullen’s mount is proven over today’s trip, which might give her the edge over the John Oxx-trained Shebella, which impressed when getting up late to beat subsequent winner Ahaaly in a seven-furlong Limerick maiden.
Shebella should be more effective over today’s trip and is a serious threat to Princess Highway.
Also in the field are David Wachman’s impressive Dundalk winner Aloof, Ballydoyle filly Was, which won her maiden at the Curragh last August, plus Aaraas (Kevin Prendergast) and Cleofila (Jim Bolger) , second and third respectively to the impressive, Oaks-bound Kissed in the Salsabil at Navan.
The Jim Bolger-trained Dawn Approach, winner of the opening two-year-old event of the season at the Curragh, make plenty of appeal in the Fishery Lane Race.
A breakthrough winner for his sire New Approach, Dawn Approach’s form has been boosted by the subsequent wins of the three horses that chased him home on that occasion — Canary Row (reopposes tonight), Forester and Dylanboru.
Kevin Manning’s mount knew his job first time and, with further improvement expected, he should be tough to beat.
In the maiden action, note should be made of Michael Halford’s Mizani, a Bachelor Duke colt, in the Kill Maiden.
This fellow made an encouraging debut at Navan when fourth to Karatash, a nose behind subsequent Cork winner Montebll and almost five lengths clear of Aidan O’Brien’s Father Of Science, which triumphed in Chester last week.
