Solskjaer looking to score again

Solskjaer and Tropical Lady, separated by a head in the Royal Whip Stakes 12 months ago, clash again in the Group Two contest over a mile and a quarter at the Curragh on Sunday.

Solskjaer made all the running to land the spoils for trainer Aidan O’Brien last August and will be accompanied by a stable companion, the lightly-raced three-year-old Portsmouth, this time.

Tropical Lady, trained by Jim Bolger, was considered an unlucky loser last year and bids for revenge in good heart having beaten Lord Admiral by a head in the Group Three Meld Stakes at Leopardstown two weeks ago.

The five-year-old mare had two of Sunday’s rivals behind her that day - Cairdeas and Latino Magic – in the four-runner contest.

Cairdeas, from Dermot Weld’s stable, was three-quarters of a length behind Tropical Lady in third place and beat the O’Brien-trained Yeats at the Curragh earlier in the season.

Robbie Osborne’s Latino Magic hit form with victory in a valuable handicap over an extended mile at the Galway Festival last week.

Irish bookmakers Boylesports quote Cairdeas and Tropical Lady as 5-2 joint-favourites but have just one and a half points between four of the five runners.

Royal Whip Stakes, Boylesports bet: 5-2 Cairdeas, Tropical Lady, 3-1 Latino Magic, 4-1 Solskjaer, 14-1 Portsmouth