Now or never for Zaralabad
The selection is 7lbs wrong with both Hayeymm and End Of The Affair and would be a pound better in with Bremen in a handicap. Nevertheless, Charlie Swan’s charge has been desperately unlucky in his last two outings and this course and distance winner looks very much the one to beat.
He contested a hot handicap at Galway and could never get a clear run, finishing fifth to Rajik.
That has been working out particularly well, with Rajik going on to land a Listed event at the Curragh last Saturday.
Fourth placed Gimli’s Rock scored over flights at Ballinrobe on Sunday and Aladdins Cave (sixth) and Bob Le Beau (eighth) have also won in the meantime.
Then at Killarney, Zaralabad again managed to find all the trouble that was going when fourth behind Top Spin in the big race of the week at the four-day meeting, the Kingdom Gold Cup.
This is a hot little heat, in which only Wikaala can be safely dismissed! Bottom line, however, is one has to be forgiven for thinking it really is a case of now or never for Zaralabad.
Jessica Harrington, remarkably in seventh spot in the trainers’ championship, can keep her terrific run going with Back Burner in the Irish Racing Post Auction Maiden.
He stayed on nicely at the end of six furlongs when beaten half a length and the same behind Truly Genius and Expire at Dundalk and should relish the extra two furlongs.
Ibelieveinmiracles, beaten less than a length into fourth in the race won by Patrickswell at Cork earlier in the month, gets the vote in the Lougher Stables Handicap.
Celerina and Flash McGahon, second and third respectively, filled the first two places in a sprint at Cork on Sunday.
