Rely on Rio
The son of Sadler’s Wells showed absolutely nothing on his debut at Naas in early June, but clearly came on a bundle for that experience in the intervening weeks.
At the Curragh, he was taken to the front with less than two furlongs to run to beat heavily-backed favourite, Eldorado, by a head.
Rio De Janero did swerve across towards the runner-up in the closing stages, but appeared to win on merit and it was certainly a marginal decision to stand him down.
He gets the nod now to cope with Freud Bacon, no match for the selection’s stable companion, Agenda, at the Curragh last month.
Once-raced Premier Dane rates a safe wager in the Irish Stallion Farms’ Median Auction Maiden. Kevin Prendergast’s colt had future winner written all over him when fourth to Carnegie Hall at the Curragh on Sunday and it is encouraging he is turned out again so quickly.
At Cork tonight the oldest horse in the contest, Sir Onside, can prove too sprightly for some useful rivals in the Sand And Gravel Products Hurdle.
He’s clearly had his problems, but seems in good shape right now, on the evidence of an easy success at Kilbeggan and a creditable second to the smart Lance at Roscommon.
Aidan O’Brien’s Desert Tigress cannot be opposed in the Irish Stallion Farms’ Maiden over five furlongs. She is down in class and trip, following her fourth to stable companion, Silk And Scarlet, in a six furlongs Listed event at Leopardstown last week.
