Pierre Bonnard can enhance Epsom claims with positive Leopardstown showing
Pierre Bonnard and Freya Frain at morning exercise for trainer Aidan O'Brien. Pic: Healy Racing
While the eyes of the racing world will be on Aintree for the Grand National on Saturday, it’s also a significant weekend on the Flat front and Derby favourite Pierre Bonnard can enhance his Epsom claims by winning the P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes, one of three Group 3s on what promises to be an informative card at Leopardstown on Sunday.
Fourth on debut, the Aidan O’Brien-trained son of Camelot won his three subsequent starts, the last of which was a Group 1 success in Saint-Cloud where he got the better of the reopposing A Boy Named Susie by two lengths.
He should confirm that form here to give O’Brien a record-extending 13th Ballysax win.
Stablemate Christmas Day, who ended last season by getting the better of the aforementioned A Boy Named Susie at Leopardstown, might be the one who gives Pierre Bonnard most to think about.
Ballydoyle are also strongly represented in the Ballylinch Stud Red Rocks Stakes and Flushing Meadows is fancied to get the better of stablemate Dorset.
The selection was no match for North Coast on his final start as a two-year-old but he’s better than that and can make a winning return in the hands of Ryan Moore.
Paddy Twomey can interrupt the Ballydoyle party by winning the Ballylinch Stud Priory Belle Stakes courtesy of Black Caviar Gold.
The Havana Grey filly was an impressive winner of her final two starts last season – the second in Group 3 company at the Curragh – and can pick up where she left off.
True Love, a Group 1 winner as a juvenile, is an obvious threat if she acts on ground that’ll likely be more testing than anything she has encountered before.
Elsewhere on Sunday, there’s a jumps card in Down Royal where Gordon Elliott has a number of chances, most notably Dairy Force in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle and King Gris in the Fast As Fibrus Broadband Novice Handicap Hurdle.
Saturday’s Irish fare comes from Bellewstown where the in-form Joseph O’Brien has a number of chances on a seven-race Flat card.
From a punting perspective, the most appealing Carriganóg contender is Obscenity in the Paddy Woods Memorial Apprentice Handicap.
The selection has yet to win a race in five career starts but ended last season with a career-best effort when fourth in a 25-runner handicap at the Curragh. The addition of cheekpieces might help him get his head in front here.
Darren Norris' picks:
4.17 Flawless Fusion
4.48 Personified (NB)
5.23 Kakori 5.55 Jazzit
6.30 Bay Of Supremacy
7.00 Obscenity (Nap)
7.30 Lady Mairen
4.17 Suspicious Mindz
4.48 Nephin Mountain
5.23 Queen Aethelflaed
5.55 Steel Magnolia
6.30 Venetian
7.00 Justenzia
7.30 Tim Toe
1.55 Miss Doyenne
2.30 Dairy Force
3.05 King Gris
3.35 Duce Bigalow
4.07 Sandor Clegane
4.37 Brucejack
5.07 Plain Or Battered
1.55 Cool Native
2.30 Pleasureofpressure
3.05 Only For Our Man
3.35 Coppola 4.07 Ballybow
4.37 The Gradual Slope
5.07 Snow Punt
2.10 Thundering On
2.45 Alto Sax
3.20 Gotta Catch'em All
3.55 Flushing Meadows (NB)
4.25 Black Caviar Gold
4.55 Pierre Bonnard (Nap)
5.25 Cape Cod
2.10 Institute
2.45 Darwin's Angel
3.20 Faoladh
3.55 Dorset
4.25 True Love
4.55 Christmas Day
5.25 Madbadanddangerous
