Pearl can sparkle
David Wachman’s lightly-raced daughter of Galileo made a belated, but promising, seasonal debut at the recent Galway Festival.
She finished a length and a quarter and three lengths third behind Rajeh and Flare Star and that is smart form, in the context of this opposition.
The other solid wager on the card, although looking sure to be an odds-on shot, is Le Leopard in the WLR FM Race over 12 furlongs.
He ran a cracker in a competiive handicap and Galway and then made no mistake at Wexford subsequently with a smooth defeat of Warrens Castle.
Always The Groom’s record this season in four runs is three successes and a second. Pat Flynn’s four-year-old has paid the price, but could still be good enough to take the Waterford Crystal Noel M Griffin Memorial Handicap.
He’s gone up a whopping 26lbs and is much worse in with a couple of horses he beat when scoring at Galway. The selection is, however, a tough customer and gets the vote.
Flynn’s Port Jeff looks the business in the Waterford and Tramore Supporters’ Club Maiden Hurdle at the Waterford track tomorrow.
He’s had his problems, but seems on good terms with himself right now, having battled really well to score on the flat here on Thursday night.
Second in that particular contest was John Kiely’s Swiss Hall and this improver, fourth previously in a decent race over flights at Galway, can defy top weight in the Waterford and Tramore Directors’ Mares Handicap Hurdle.
The versatile Dow Jones got off the mark over fences at the first time of asking at Kilbeggan and has to be fancied to make it two from two in the Graun Hill Chase.
At Leopardstown tomorrow, Cool Touch is again entrusted with the nap in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF August Premier Handicap.
Peter Casey’s colt goes from strength to strength and is on a four-timer. He scored in a canter at Gowran Park on Wednesday, indicating the handicapper still has a way to go to catch up with him. Cool Touch competes now under a mandatory 5lbs penalty.
Arabian Prince has a little to find at the weights in the Desmond Stakes, but ran the useful Danak close at Cork and is the choice.
Foreign Affairs, who went far too fast in front for his own good when last of 15 behind Yeats in the Goodwood Cup, can land the Ballyroan Stakes. Previously, at Leopardstown, he made all to slam Mkuzi by three lengths.
