Famous Name can outclass his rivals
Highest rated horse in the contest is Gan Amhras, who has 5lbs in hand of the selection at the weights, but he isn’t the most reliable and is readily passed over.
In contrast, Famous Name never runs a bad race and there are encouraging reports regarding his most recent homework.
He won three times in-a-row last season and then rounded off the campaign with creditable efforts in Group races at Longchamp.
Feature event is the Group 3 P W McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes, but this holds little attraction from a punting point of view.
Aidan O’Brien’s Mikhail Glinka is top rated, but supporting Ballydoyle horses first time out can be a recipe for disaster.
Perhaps, David Wachman’s Icon Dream, impressive when taking a maiden at Tipperary in September, might provide the answer.
Whatever Mikhail Glinka’s fate, O’Brien can supply a winning nap in the shape of September Morn in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Maiden.
The Montjeu colt gave the impression there was better to come when finishing with a flourish behind Mister Carter at Leopardstown last month.
At Naas this afternoon, row in with Dermot Weld’s Lake Worth in the opening Median Auction Maiden.
He performed with distinct promise on his only outing as a juvenile, at Leopardstown, and ran well when beaten three parts of a length by Mujaazef at Cork on his reappearance, on an unsuitably heavy surface.
On that same Cork card, Weld’s Anaverna was beaten seven lengths into second by Tommy Stack’s highly-regarded newcomer, Lolly For Dolly, and will be a popular choice in the goracingatnaasracecourse.com Maiden. A short head way in third was Picture Perfect and the pair again renew rivalry. Picture Perfect was a major drifter in the market then, has the best overall form and is now preferred.
Tramore today looks a complete minefield, but one who should oblige there tomorrow is Willie Mullins’ Clonard Lad in the Bumper.
He’s moderate, but going in the right direction, on the evidence of his neck second to Foildubh at Downpatrick. The fact it was ten lengths back to the third was encouraging.
