Convergence can make most of plum draw
It brings together possibly three of the best juveniles in the country in East India, Tombelaine and Covergence. Aidan O’Brien’s trains East India and he is the hardest of the trio to assess, having made his debut at the Curragh last month.
Another Ballydoyle inmate, St Patrick’s Day, went off an odds-on favourite in that maiden, but East India was far from neglected in the market.
Those who rowed in with the son of Galileo got it right, as he quickened in the closing stages to beat fellow newcomer, Michael Halford’s Portage, by a neck.
Portage hasn’t been seen since, but the third, I Will Excel, got well beaten at Cork on Tuesday night, so there are question marks regarding the value of that contest.
O’Brien’s inmates, of course, can improve a bundle for an outing, so it will be interesting to note how East India travels in the market. Tombelaine had Convergence a head behind in third when beaten three parts of a length by another of Ballydoyle’s, Gleneagles, in a Group 3 at Leopardstown last time.
Convergence shaped like a thorough stayer then and has the best of the draw now in one. An extra half a furlong will also play to his strengths and he is the nap choice.
Jim Bolger’s Fields Of May gets the vote in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Median Auction Fillies Maiden, although she has to overcome a terrible draw in 16. Fields Of May did, however, hint at having a bright future when fifth to Legatissimo in what looked a decent contest at Galway and is worth risking.
Russian Soul, who won the race a year ago, was returning from a little break when narrowly beaten into second by Darwin at Fairyhouse and might again provide the solution to the Listed Kilfrush Stud Abergwaun Stakes over five furlongs.
