Side with Sousa
The Henrythenavigator colt hasn’t been seen for some six months, not since finishing 19th of 20 finishers in the Irish Lincoln, won by Dermot Weld’s Stuccodor, at the Curragh in March.
That poor performance is essentially irrelevant, because the surface was heavy and all of the selection’s previous three outings came on the all weather.
Indeed last season he wasn’t seen for the first time until this particular contest when easily accounting for hot pot, Dabadiyan.
Afonso De Sousa followed by finishing a creditable third to Parish Hall and Manalapan in a Group 3 at Dundalk and ended a short campaign back at the track when third behind Paene Magnus and Manalapan in a Listed event.
Chances are he may well have been used as a lead horse at Ballydoyle over the past few months and so a lack of fitness is hardly going to be a concern.
Ted Walsh’s Approbare, the highest rated in the contest, gets the vote in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Median Auction Race.
He was most disappointing over a mile at Leopardstown on his latest appearance, last of seven to John F Kennedy in a Group 3, but may be better judged on his display at the Curragh previously.
Running over six furlongs - the same trip as tonight’s - Approbare wasn’t disgraced when fifth behind Cappella Sansevero and this certainly represents a drop in class.
Best bet on a dreadful Downpatrick card may be Gordon Elliott’s Definite Ruby in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Beginners Chase.
She proved no match for Willie Mullins’ Alelchi Inois at Galway, but faces nothing of that caliber now.
