Ebeyina to regain winning thread
Weld has enjoyed a terrific campaign and this daughter of Oasis Dream, the quicker the surface the better, is fancied to land the nap.
She made a spectacular start at Cork in April, taking a modest maiden by an amazing 23 lengths.
The selection was then absent for over two months, before reappearing at Gowran Park in June, leaving the gate an uneasy odds-on shot to cope with just two rivals.
That unease was well founded, as she failed to cope with Red Rocks Point, going down by a length and a quarter.
Then in early July, Ebeyina was basically back on track when contesting a Listed event at Roscommon, running a cracker to finish third behind Einsteins Folly and Belisarius.
Neither horse has run since, but the fourth, Manalapan, has more than upheld the form in the meantime.
Ebeyina has now been afforded a decent break and shapes as the one to beat.
O'Brien's Archangel Raphael can land the opening Donnellys’ Of Barna EBF Maiden.
The son of Montjeu was easy to back on his debut at Killarney, taking on Weld’s 1-3 shot, Postulation.
In the end Postulation duly won, by a neck, but not until he had been given a real fright by Archangel Raphael.
O’Brien can also take the Irish Stallion Farms' EBF Median Auction Fillies Maiden with Before Long.
His daughter, Ana, retains the partnership, having been in the plate when they ran another Weld hot pot, Bleu Ciel Et Rouge, to a head at Killarney.
Before Long has a favourable draw and, hopefully, will be ridden prominently from the start, over a trip, seven furlongs, that might be a shade on the short side.
