Gowran Park preview: Majestic King could be worth the wait
Zia Zabel and Wayne Lordan win for trainer Natalia Lupini from The Publican's Son. Pic: Healy Racing.
Majestic King could be worth waiting for in the Save 33% Buying Tickets Online Handicap, the last of seven races on Tuesday’s Gowran Park card.
A son of Kingman, the lightly-raced Denis Hogan-trained five-year-old made a promising handicap debut when second to the reopposing Kitty Bear at this venue 13 days’ ago, three lengths separating the pair at the line.
While that may look like a significant gap to bridge, the runner-up was doing his best work at the finish in that seven-furlong contest so the step up to a mile ought to play to his strengths.
Should that prove the case, he can shed his maiden tag.
Kitty Bear ran a fine race in the aforementioned seven-furlong Gowran Park win but his exploits did not go unnoticed and an 8lb hike may prevent a follow-up success. On that basis, recent Dundalk runner-up Famous Enough may prove the biggest threat to the selection.
The Publican's Son can get the evening meeting off to the best possible start for punters by winning the opening race, the Societies Welcome At Gowran Park Maiden, for in-form trainer Joseph O’Brien and fit-again champion jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle.
This horse was highly-tried as a juvenile, finishing second at a big price on debut in a Curragh Group 3 before finishing down the field, albeit not beaten all that far, in the Group 1 Middle Park at Newmarket.
He began his three-year-old season by finishing fifth to subsequent 2000 Guineas fifth Thesecretadversary in a Leopardstown Group 3 on his first start this season before finding only Zia Zabel too good at Cork last time out.
Tuesday’s assignment looks a great opportunity for The Publican's Son to make the breakthrough and it’ll be a surprise if he fails to take it.
Later in the card, O’Brien and Browne McMonagle can combine for another winner in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden with Night Of Thunder filly Vauntingly fancied to deliver on debut, chiefly at the expense of the Paddy Twomey-trained Dark Lucinda.
Dermot Weld can also be among the winners, presuming first-time cheekpieces eke out a bit of improvement from recent Dundalk third Kalir in the Thomastown Maiden.
5.07 The Publican's Son (NB)
5.37 Kalir
6.07 Moody
6.38 Faiyum
7.08 Vauntingly
7.38 Beau Army
8.08 Majestic King (Nap)
5.07 Bamako Beach
5.37 Satoyama
6.07 Floresta
6.38 Sindria
7.08 Dark Lucinda
7.38 He's Holding Court
8.08 Famous Enough.
