Queen set to reign
Johnny Murtagh partners Lillie Langtry and so Seamus Hefferna comes in for the ride on both Queen Of Spain and Rudolf Valentino at Naas and they are difficult enough to oppose.
Queen Of Spain can get off the mark at the fourth attempt in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Filllies Maiden.
Following two reasonably promising efforts here at home, the daughter of Holy Roman Emperor was, rather optimistically, sent to Royal Ascot to contest the Group 3 Albany Stakes.
She never looked like getting involved at the business end, but performed solidly to finish seventh of 22 behind Richard Hannon’s Memory and this now represents a major drop in class.
Rudolf Valentino contests a particularly weak looking Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Maiden for colts and geldings and has to be fancied to come on plenty for his fourth behind Longhunter at Leopardstown.
O’Brien, however, introduces the Danehill Dancer newcomer, Sherwood Forest, in this contest and that certainly has the capacity to induce a mildly uneasy feeling!
On an evening when betting opportunities appear especially limited, perhaps John Oxx’s Bass Rock will land the nap in the Panoramic Restaurant Maiden.
He’s clearly not be trusted and was a costly failure on his seasonal debut when only third to Jembatt and Mutamaleq at Tipperary.
Mutamaleq, rated 13lbs inferior to Bass Rock, was a length and a quarter in front of his rival then.
But he then went under to Roicead, rather tamely, at Roscommon and seems to have little scope for improvement.
There is still time for Bass Rock to live up to his currently inflated official rating and this is a bad race.
