Berkeley is one to Note
Mick Halford’s four-year-old was having only her third run of the year when landing a 10 furlongs apprentice handicap on soft going at the Curragh last Saturday.
The Victory Note filly picked up well under Rory Cleary once switched a furlong and a half out and ran on strongly to beat Ask Carol (rec. 1lb) by a couple of lengths.
Berkeley Note carries a mandatory 5lbs penalty today but with leading apprentice Cleary able to utilise his 5lbs claim (unable to do so at the weekend) she looks set for a quick follow-up.
Gypsy King looks another juvenile winner for Aidan O’Brien in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
The Sadler’s Wells colt will not need to be anything special to go in first time of asking here.
John Oxx’s Purple Spirit, a beaten favourite over a mile and a half at Tramore last time, gets another chance in the Gowran Maiden.
Purple Spirit ran below par at the Waterford track and is probably better judged on the form that saw her divide Loyal Focus and subsequent winner Napoleon over this trip on testing ground at Listowel last month.
Optimise is put forward as the answer to the opening Thomastown Nursery Handicap.
Charlie Swan’s Danehill filly shaped with real promise when second behind Lough Gem, a winner twice since, in a similar contest at Down Royal last month.
Optimise has never raced on anything other than a sound surface but, if handling the likely testing conditions, can go close.
Champion apprentice-elect Cathy Gannon can collect with the consistent Peineve in the Gowran Park Golf And Leisure Handicap.
The four-year-old, who is well suited by heavy ground, won over this course and distance in August before going in again in a mile handicap at the Listowel Festival.
Peineve was tackling stronger opposition than she meets here when third to Pantarez in a nine furlongs handicap, also at Listowel, last time.
