Bubbling can add to Aidan O’Brien’s winning record in Fillies’ Maiden
Jet Setting Jim (left) was unlucky not to make a winning chasing debut at Tipperary, where he crumpled on landing at the lsat. He can gain compensation in the Latin Quarter Beginners’ Chase. Pic: Healy Racing
Aidan O’Brien has won three of the last six runnings of the Colm Quinn BMW Irish EBF Fillies’ Maiden and can make it four in seven with Bubbling.
The once-raced daughter of No Nay Never and Lumiere Noire made her debut earlier this month at Leopardstown and finished an eye-catching fourth behind heavily-supported stablemate Exactly.
Noted doing her best work late, the selection looked like a typical Ballydoyle juvenile insofar as she gave the impression that she would be considerably better for the outing. This stiffer test should help bring about her improvement, and she can land the spoils at the expense of Marazion and interesting newcomer Lady Mairen.
Marazion showed real promise on debut, when sixth behind Lake Victoria, who is a stable companion of the selection. By Sea The Stars out of a filly who won over ten and a half furlongs and ran well enough in the Epsom Oaks, she should be much better for the run and is respected. Lady Mairen represents Paddy Twomey, who won the race in 2023 with Purple Lily. Support for her would be noteworthy.
Jet Setting Jim was unlucky not to make a winning chasing debut at Tipperary, where he had made rapid late progress to challenge at the last and appeared to be going best until crumpling on landing at the back of the obstacles. He has been given four weeks since that outing and can gain compensation in the Latin Quarter Beginners’ Chase.
In that Tipperary race, Thecompanysergeant finished runner-up and this gelding, who was beaten just six lengths when fourth in the Grade 1 Willow Warm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse, certainly deserves a change of luck. Merlin Giant, who has winning form at this track, is difficult to gauge on his first run in almost a year.
The Colm Quinn BMW Mile Handicap, with €120,000 guaranteed, is the feature and Joseph O’Brien, whose team has found top form, can land the spoils with Emporio.
Formerly trained by his brother, Donnacha, for whom he won twice and earned a three-figure rating, he made his debut for his current trainer in a Fairyhouse handicap and given it was also his first outing in more than 15 months, he ran incredibly well behind Verhoyen.
He had no luck in running and effectively finished with plenty left in the tank and was beaten less than three lengths despite finishing seventh of nine.
Rated 94, he gave the impression he was not yet ready to slip back in the ratings. With the team in such good form now, and with that good run under his belt, he can play a leading role in a tremendously competitive race.
This Songisforyou is an obvious player. While he was never really competitive on his only start to date this season, he wasn’t beaten just three and a half lengths behind Timourid and didn’t appear to have a particularly hard race.
Winner of a maiden last season, and runner-up to the smart Up And Under before gaining that win, he remains open to improvement and should go well. The hat-trick-seeking Booyea and the smart Norwalk Havoc are also worth considering.
4:50 Gaucher
5:25 Jet Setting Jim (nb)
6:00 Bubbling (nap)
6:40 No Knee Never
7:10 Emporio
7:45 Alpha Capture
8:15 Pillar Of Hope
4:50 Al Gasparo
5:25 Thecompanysergeant
6:00 Lady Mairen
6:40 Lucky Out
7:10 This Songisforyou
7:45 Shawaamekh
8:15 Drop The Dip
