Longer tripto suit Livingston
John Oxx’s Akeed Mofeed was installed as favourite by the bookmakers earlier in the week and there is no doubt he looked a possible star of the future when taking his maiden by five lengths at Leopardstown.
It remains to be, however, just what he actually achieved and I prefer to rely on David Livingston’s Group 1 performance in the National Stakes at the Curragh.
Partnered by Pat Smullen, he was soon in front and it was well into the final furlong before the son of Galileo gave best to finish third behind Power and Dragon Pulse.
Stepping up another furlong should work in the selection’s favour and, you’d imagine, more restraint will be exercised on this occasion.
The Group 3 C.L Weld Park Stakes — a wide-open contest — may go the way of Jessica Harrington with Princess Sinead.
She revelled in the soft ground when scoring on this track and then seemed to find the surface all too quick subsequently, fifth to Maybe in the Moyglare Stud Stakes, back at the Curragh.
At Navan this afternoon Noel Meade’s Dylan Ross is the hopeful nap choice in the opening 27-runner Maiden Hurdle.
The dual bumper winner shouldn’t really be eligible for this type of contest. At Down Royal last Christmas he was in front, and sure to score, when falling at the final flight.
The long-absent Frawley is his most interesting rival. He hasn’t been seen since producing a cracking effort when third to Cue Card and Al Ferof in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham last year and his travels in the market will be important.
Ted Walsh’s Royal Reveille gets the nod in the Albany Hurdle.
He was a little disappointing when failing to cope with Blazing Beacon at Naas in August, but that may have come a bit soon after his impressive success at Galway previously.
Henry de Bromhead’s seasonal debutant, Loosen My Load, can crop up in the Le Grande Chase. He jumps for fun and it it is well to note that most of his best form last season came in the first part of the campaign.
Feature at Gowran Park today is the Group 3 Denny Cordell Lavarack and Lanwades Stud Fillies Stakes, which has a particularly tricky appearance.
Perhaps, Aidan O’Brien’s Look At Me, third behind Manieree and Sapphire at the Curragh last time, will finally deliver.
John Oxx’s Akeed Wafi, a promising sixth to Learn at the Curragh — Akeed Mofeed was fourth — is the one to beat in the first division of the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Maiden.
At Clonmel tomorrow Rebel Fitz, unsuited by the funerial pace when outspeeded by Earls Quarter at Galway, can set the record straight in the www.clonmelraces.ie Novice Hurdle.
