Mid-October brought with it the start of the 2019/20 UAE racing season and consequently the return of Cork jockey Tadhg O’Shea to Dubai after a five-month hiatus in his homeland.

Aidan O’Brien is triple-handed as he bids to extend his tremendous record in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown tomorrow.

“The faster the ground the better” is how Harry Dunlop views Early Morning’s chance in the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot.

Trainer Martyn Meade is confident Aclaim will rise to the challenge of the Bar One Racing Lacken Stakes at Naas tomorrow.

Sunday’s action takes place at the Curragh, where the Group 2 Juddmonte Beresford Stakes is the feature. The nap selection comes in the finale, in which Silwana can make the most of favourable race conditions to take the Listed Loughbrown Stakes for Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen.

The Mick Halford-trained Rayisa caught the eye in defeat in what looked a pretty hot maiden at the Curragh recently, and can be expected to improve enough to land the third race on this evening’s card at Galway.

The valuable Irish Stallion Farms EBF Premier Nursery tops the bill on today’s card at Navan, and Birdcage can make the most of the drop back to five furlongs to land the spoils for trainer Ger Lyons.

Herald The Dawn, impressive when winning his maiden at Naas earlier this month, produced a sustained and very game effort to overcome soft ground and exciting filly Now Or Never in the Group 2 Galileo EBF Futurity Stakes yesterday afternoon at the Curragh.

Three meetings across the weekend, and plenty of top-class racing to savour. At the Curragh this afternoon, Toscanini gets the nap to take the Group 3 Renaissance Stakes for trainer Mick Halford and jockey Shane Foley.

Golden Horn and Gleneagles have been declared for the Juddmonte International Stakes at York on Wednesday in what could be the race of the season.

Cougar Mountain benefited from a drop in class when winning the Invesco Pension Consultants Desmond Stakes at Leopardstown last night.

The stoutly-bred Herald The Dawn looks bound for bigger and better things after opening his account in style in at Naas yesterday.

Two good meetings this afternoon, and the best bet comes in the shape of Roconga, who will take beating in the Mallow Hospital Maiden Hurdle.

Ger Lyons is looking to the future with Ainippe after she relished the step up to seven furlongs to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Brownstown Stakes at Fairyhouse yesterday.

Saturday round-up

Brian Hayes made a daring move up the inside to deliver a winning challenge on the Shark Hanlon-trained Abolitionist in the featured Belvedere House Gardens & Park Handicap Chase in Kilbbegan last night, second leg of a double for the rider, successful earlier on Aunt Alice for the Bowe family.

Several possible Classic contenders were in winning action at Leopardstown yesterday with leading trainers Jim Bolger and Dermot Weld making positive noises in regard to next season.

Gold Cup hero Leading Light made the perfect return to action in the Palmerstown House Estate Irish St Leger Trial Stakes on another fine afternoon for Aidan O’Brien at the Curragh yesterday.

Willie McCreery is optimistic Colour Blue can further showcase her consistent streak when she runs in the Listed Vincent O’Brien Ruby Stakes at Killarney today.

JP McManus claimed another significant landmark in an esteemed racing career when Thomas Edison gave the powerful owner a first victory in the Guinness Galway Hurdle.

Mick Halford is charting a possible path to the Palmerstown House Estate Irish St Leger with his two smart stayers Certerach and Dabadiyan.

Regulation will look to get a running start upon his return to domestic action in the www.thetote.com Irish Lincolnshire on the opening day of the Irish Flat season at the Curragh on Sunday.

Trainer-jockey Johnny Murtagh believes Royal Diamond is in even better form now than he was a year ago as the admirable stayer prepares to defend his crown in tomorrow's GAIN Irish St Leger at the Curragh.

Aidan O’Brien has supplemented Tapestry for the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

Qewy bids to enhance John Oxx’s excellent record as he lines up in the Listed Lenebane Stakes at Roscommon tomorrow evening.

Mick Halford is looking forward to a trip to Royal Ascot with Mizzava following her excellent run in defeat in the Etihad Airways Irish 1,000 Guineas.

Aidan O’Brien has mapped out an early-season plan for his dual Derby winner Camelot that will culminate with an appearance at Royal Ascot.

John Oxx says there is no hurry to find a replacement for Johnny Murtagh as retained rider for the Aga Khan’s Irish-trained horses.

The Turf Club announced yesterday that, following a course inspection at Tipperary, the sprint course was unfit for racing due to waterlogging.

Multiple Group One winner Starspangledbanner could attempt to get his career back on track in the www.bettor.com Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

Joseph O’Brien is not expecting any fireworks from Starspangledbanner as he makes his first start since coming out of retirement in tomorrow’s P. O’´Leary Memorial Phoenix Sprint Stakes at the Curragh.

Dibayani confirmed the favourable impression he had made on his debut when winning the Darley EBF Maiden at the Curragh.

Mick Halford is looking forward to testing the water at a higher level with Blue Corner following his impressive debut at the Curragh on Sunday.

THE David Marnane trained Seanie proved a shock 40/1 winner of the valuable Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sale 2-Y-0 Race at Fairyhouse yesterday.

YOU or your other half enjoys horseracing; you’d like to visit a trainer’s yard without actually having to pay to train, house and feed half a tonne of horse; and you’re looking for a different weekend away.

THE Stars Go Racing episode in which my apprentice Alan Quinlan and I were involved in a battle with Mick Halford and Ella McSweeney, was aired this week and we all got a little over-excited when Dundrum, ridden by Kate, won. I have to say I’m delighted with how it all went. It was a great experience and Alan has been a great sport.

CONOR O’Dwyer registered his second double at Wexford last night when Ninth Legion (Davy Russell) out-pointed favourite Winston Churchill in the Ferrycarraig Maiden Hurdle and Prosperity Square, ridden by 7lb. claimer Ben Dalton, coasted to a smooth success in the Tuskar Rock Beginners’ Chase.

ROYAL ASCOT heroine Banimpire and multiple Group One-winning mare Snow Fairy feature among the entries for the bet365 Lancashire Oaks at Haydock on Saturday.

Godolphin’s Casamento could sidestep the Investec Derby at Epsom on June 4 in favour of a tilt at the French equivalent the following day.

SOUTH African Keagan Latham enjoyed a welcome change of luck when Muckle Bahoochie provided him with his first success of the season in the opening www.dundalkstadium.com 2-Y-0 Maiden at Dundalk last night.

THE odds on offer for Frankel in this afternoon's Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket fall below those that appeal to the average betting shop punter and so much of the concentration on the season's first Classic must surround the effort to find the value against the raging hot favourite.

South African superstar JJ The Jet Plane got himself out of trouble to justify his favourite billing in the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan.

CHELTENHAM seems a bit of a faint memory now and I’m well down from cloud nine after Bostons Angel’s brilliant success in the RSA Chase.

Godolphin’s racing manager Simon Crisford issued a note of caution regarding the likely starting points for Casamento and Dubai Prince.

Tommy Stack served notice of his early-season potency with a double at the Curragh this afternoon.

Ben Curtis restored parity with Gary Carroll in the Irish apprentice jockeys’ championship after claiming a double at Dundalk today.

JOHN OXX is looking forward to renewing his association with Johnny Murtagh after the jockey was retained to ride all of the Aga Khan’s Irish-trained horses in 2011.

Johnny Murtagh has been retained to ride all of the Aga Khan’s Irish-trained horses in 2011.