Leopardstown and Kilbeggan tips: Notre Belle Bete poised to get off the mark

Darren Bunyan’s colt was pitched in deep on debut, in a 2000 Guineas Trial at this venue

Fri, 14 May, 2021 - 05:00

Tommy Lyons

Two meetings this afternoon, the Flat at Leopardstown, and Notre Belle Bete can get off the mark in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden.

Darren Bunyan’s colt was pitched in deep on debut, in a 2000 Guineas Trial at this venue, and ran a huge race to finish fourth, beaten two and a half lengths, behind subsequent Newmarket Guineas winner Poetic Flare.

He then went to the Curragh for another listed event and finished fourth behind Lunar Space.

On both occasions, he looked as though the seven-furlong trip was on the sharp side for him and, now in maiden company for the first time and stepping up to a mile, he can get off the mark.

The opening race, a juvenile maiden over seven furlongs, is interesting for the fact Aidan and Donnacha O’Brien both introduce a Churchill newcomer.

The trainers have had some good buckles with their juveniles this season and it will be interesting to see how the market fares for both. Aidan’s is closely related to last year’s Irish Oaks runner-up Cayenne Pepper, while Donnacha’s cost 210,000 guineas and is out of a half-sister to Epsom Derby winner North Light.

The feature on the card is the listed Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes and Melbourne Cup winner Twilight Payment can land the spoils for Joseph O’Brien. Second in this race last year, he comes here with a recent run under his belt and the benefit of that can show. Dual Irish Leger winner Search For A Song must be respected, but she is having her first run of the season and may be better for it.

The National Hunt action is in Kilbeggan and Rayapour, who contests the second division of the Irish Farmers Journal Maiden Hurdle, is one of the more interesting runners on the card. He won one of his six outings on the Flat in France and was beaten just three parts of a length in a listed race on the last of those outings, earning him a rating of 97.

Then owned by HH Aga Khan, he has since been bought by the McNeill family and been sent to Willie Mullins. He hasn’t run since the summer of 2019 but is just a five-year-old and it will be interesting to see what the market makes of him.

LEOPARDSTOWN

Tommy Lyons

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2:30 Notre Belle Bete (Nap)

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