Dundalk and Leopardstown tips: Abstract can make a winning start to the season

Dermot Weld’s horse ran in three maidens last year and performed quite well without threatening to get involved in a finish.

Dundalk is the only Irish meeting this afternoon and Abstract can make a winning start to the season in the Hollywoodbets Horse Racing And Sports Betting Handicap.

Dermot Weld’s horse ran in three maidens last year and performed quite well without threatening to get involved in a finish.

However, the three-year-old son of smart stayer Sense Of Purpose steps up considerably in trip and that can bring about the necessary improvement to make the breakthrough in a modest event.

There is a terrific card tomorrow at Leopardstown, where Bolshoi Ballet can continue the great start to the season for Aidan O’Brien by taking the Group 3 P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes.

Third on debut in a Newmarket maiden, he built on that performance with a comprehensive success in a Leopardstown maiden before finding the step up to 10 furlongs and Group 1 level, just three weeks after his debut, all too much too soon.

Despite the heavy ground also being against him, he wasn’t disgraced in finishing fifth that day, and he remains a top prospect for the season ahead.

Only the rank outsider in tomorrow’s field is not having their first run of the season, and this does not look the strongest of renewals, so Bolshoi Ballet can come through with flying colours.

Prior to the Ballysax, there is a chance for Bolshoi Ballet’s form to be franked as O’Reilly, who finished runner-up to the Ballydoyle horse in the maiden in October, makes his return in the opening race, the Leopardstown Maiden.

Jessica Harrington’s colt was no match for Bolshoi Ballet that day but finished in front of subsequent winners Sir Lamorak and Earlswood, with one of today’s rivals, Salvucci, also behind. He looked a nice prospect that day, and with the stable having found form in recent weeks, he can take this at the expense of HMS Seahorse and interesting newcomer Corps Des Pages.

Harrington’s Ace Aussie has plenty to find on the figures in the listed Ballylinch Stud “Red Rocks” 2000 Guineas Trial but he clearly wasn’t in top form when well beaten in the Beresford Stakes and is better judged on his impressive maiden success.

He has been off since that disappointing effort at the Curragh, but his maiden form was recently franked by runner-up Colour Sergeant, and if he can build on that he can play a leading role in an open-looking race.

Horoscope would appear the pick of the Ballydoyle runners and he is aided by having had a recent run.

That said, he must improve quite markedly for that effort to win at this level. A Case Of You has done nothing wrong since his debut defeat and is respected, while Monaasib is the highest rated in the race and should appreciate the return to seven furlongs.

And the Harrington team also has strong claims in the Group 3 Ballylinch “Priory Belle” 1000 Guineas Trial with Loch Lein, who raced to a high level on all three starts last season.

A promising third on her debut, in a fillies’ maiden, she took on colts and geldings next time and ran a huge race to finish runner-up to the now 120-rated Dewhurst winner St Mark’s Basilica.

She deserved the breakthrough she got next time, and it was a most emphatic victory. She has tremendous potential and, while Shale has the Group 1 form in the book and is the one to beat, Loch Lein looks well ahead of the rest and makes plenty of appeal at each-way odds.

DUNDALK 

Tommy Lyons 

1:10 Silver Surfer (NB) 

1:40 Abstract (Nap) 

2:15 Top Line Tommy 

2:50 Simply A Dream 

3:25 Dazzling Darren 

3:55 Sense Of Worth 

4:30 Is That Love 

5:00 Ozymandis 

Next best 

1:10 Cadamosto 

1:40 Bell Ex One 

2:15 Lady Georgie 

2:50 Call Me Sweetheart 

3:25 Jungle Jungle 

3:55 Maricruz 

4:30 Burning Lake 

5:00 Jeroboam 

LEOPARDSTOWN (Sunday) 

Tommy Lyons

1:40 O’Reilly (NB) 

2:10 Ace Aussie 

2:40 Loch Lein 

3:15 Leadership Race 

3:45 Bolshoi Ballet (Nap) 

4:20 Moon Daisy 

4:50 Shona Mea 

5:20 Tashim 

Next best 

1:40 HMS Seahorse 

2:10 Monaasib 

2:40 Shale 

3:15 Real Appeal 

3:45 Taipan 

4:20 Sir Lamorak 

4:50 Sod’s Law 

5:20 Ballycaines