Believed can hit right notes in battle with Amadeus Mozart at Gowran
Pictured at Roscommon Racecourse recently were racecourse manager Michael Finneran and renowned former champion jockey, now trainer, Johnny Murtagh. Pic: Michelle Hughes Walsh
With Galway just days away, this weekend is a quiet one, with the sole Irish meeting coming from Gowran Park on Saturday.
The listed John Fleming Irish EBF Marble City Stakes is the feature at the Kilkenny venue and the progressive Believed is fancied to get the better of Amadeus Mozart.
The Johnny Murtagh-trained Frankel filly has only won one of her four career starts but each run has been an improvement on the one before.
Her most recent outing came at Royal Ascot where she ran a huge race to finish a close third in the King George V Stakes.
A marginal improvement on that fine effort would give her every chance of landing the spoils.
Like the selection, Amadeus Mozart is coming here on the back of a big run in defeat at Royal Ascot, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Wootton Bassett colt finding only 2-1 favourite Lost Boys too good in the Golden Gates Stakes.
That was the third time in five career starts that Amadeus Mozart finished second and he may once again have to settle for minor honours for a trainer whose primary focus this weekend will be on trying to win the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot for a fifth time.
Elsewhere at Gowran Park, Harana can defy topweight in the Highway Safety Developments Handicap.
The Dermot Weld-trained Ghaiyyath filly got off the mark at the fourth time of asking when winning a Ballinrobe maiden in decisive fashion last time out.
Last time out, over nine furlongs at Leopardstown, she was still very much in the mix a furlong out but faded from there to finish fifth of 11, beaten four lengths On that evidence, the decision to drop her back to a mile on Saturday looks a good call and she ought to go close.
It could be another super Saturday for Joseph O’Brien who has a host of chances across the eight-race card, starting with recent Down Royal second Seaxburh in the opening contest, the Irish EBF Auction Series Fillies Maiden.
The daughter of Saxon Warrior will sport cheekpieces for this latest assignment and if they eke out a little improvement she should be hard to beat.
Vishaya in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden and Summer Is Tomorrow in the finale are other likely Carriganóg Racing victors before the focus of Irish racing folk turns to Ballybrit.
(Saturday)
Darren Norris
1.40 Seaxburh
2.12 Princess Chloe
2.44 Jackandthefox
3.22 Believed (Nap)
3.55 Vishaya
4.30 Harana (NB)
5.05 Magna Gee Gee
5.40 Summer Is Tomorrow
Next best
1.40 Diamonds And Dames
2.12 Dawn Flame
2.44 Dynamic Force
3.22 Amadeus Mozart
3.55 Wearing Stars
4.30 No More Porter
5.05 Duchess Anne
5.40 Benevento
