Solness can get off the mark at Tramore
Grey Dawning and Harry Skelton win for trainer Dan Skelton from Solness. Pic: Healy Racing
Solness is the star attraction at Tramore on Saturday and the three-time Grade One-winning chaser can get off the mark at the second time of asking on the Flat in the Griffin Auctioneers Maiden.
The Joseph O’Brien-trained eight-year-old only made his debut on the level last month, finishing fourth of seven in a Curragh maiden.
On the back of that run, he was sent to Ballybrit for the Galway Hurdle where he ran too freely on his first run over the smaller obstacles since October 2024, tiring late on to finish 13th.
It could be argued that he now has something to prove but it’s worth remembering that his most recent Grade One win came as recently as last Christmas and that he showed he can perform to a big level away from Leopardstown, scene of his three top-level triumphs, when going down by just a neck to Grey Dawning in an Aintree Grade One in April.
It’s hard to imagine he’ll ever be as effective on the Flat but Saturday’s assignment looks an ordinary maiden and Solness can make his class count.
Local trainer Henry de Bromhead can bag another Tramore winner in the Morris DIY Rated Race with Maxminelli fancied to make a deserved breakthrough.
The Circus Maximus gelding has run well in each of his last three starts, going down by just a neck in Bellewstown in May before finishing third at Down Royal later that month.
Pitched into handicap company at Limerick last month, he again ran a fine race in defeat, finding only Themis too good.
This look an slightly easier test and it’ll be disappointment if he fails to get the job done.
The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Red God Handicap is the feature on Saturday’s Dundalk card and Star Harbour, runner-up in two of his last four starts, most recently when beat all bar Fixation at Dundalk on Wednesday, may be able to go place better. Follow Me is another for the shortlist in this ultra-competitive €50,000 contest.
Tramore’s four-day August festival concludes on Sunday and Willie Mullins looks likely to run riot.
The champion trainer has a host of chances across the seven-race card and boasts a particularly strong hand in the Victoria House Tramore Mares Beginners Chase.
Three of the nine-runners are Mullins-trained and it’ll be no great surprise if they finish first, second, and third.
Of the trio, preference is for Future Prospect who comes here on the back of successive runner-up finishes at Wexford. The Order Of St George mare can go one place better here, in the hands of Danny Mullins.
Speed For Fun and Lady Lena, both of whom will be ridden by Brian Hayes, are other likely Closutton victors.
Sunday’s Flat fare comes from the Curragh where the feature, the Group 3 Newbridge Silverware Royal Whip Stakes, looks a gilt-edged opportunity for A Boy Named Susie to get back to winning ways.
The Donnacha O’Brien-trained Starspangledbanner colt hasn’t won since scoring on debut at Killarney 13 months ago but he has run some super races in defeat in his seven subsequent starts, most recently when second to the top-class Constitution River in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown last month.
He won’t need to run to that level to gain a confidence-boosting success and will no doubt be priced accordingly.
Elsewhere on the card, the Paddy Twomey-trained Concorde Landed, victorious on debut at Naas at the start of last month before disappointing on her return to the Kildare venue 18 days later, is fancied to bounce back in the William Hill Irish EBF Juvenile Sprint Stakes.
DUNDALK (Saturday) Darren Norris 1.15 Institute 1.50 Hip Hop Chrissy 2.25 I Bid You Ajou 3.00 Punica Granatum 3.30 Ile de France 4.00 Famous Enough 4.35 Star Harbour 5.10 Storm Eric Next best 1.15 Osterode 1.50 Tosca No Candis 2.25 Dark Ace 3.00 Emiza 3.30 Highest Order 4.00 Movin And Groovin 4.35 Follow Me 5.10 Coul Dore TRAMORE (Saturday) Darren Norris 4.50 Sea Of The Celts 5.25 Solness (Nap) 5.55 Maxminelli (NB) 6.25 Limestone Red 6.55 Daboya 7.25 Dream On Baby 7.55 Lariat Next best 4.50 Mawhibah 5.25 Glittering Gem 5.55 Rodeo Blues 6.25 Metamorpheus 6.55 Expound 7.25 Delta 7.55 Bynx CURRAGH (Sunday) Darren Norris 1.35 Banks Of The Boyne 2.10 The Pipeman 2.45 Ella's Gold 3.20 Albany County 3.55 Guinelot 4.25 A Boy Named Susie 4.55 Concorde Landed (NB) 5.25 Bold Optimist Next best 1.35 Mr Montauk 2.10 Coincidenza 2.45 Alto Sax 3.20 Zarak Pasha 3.55 Youcansaythatagain 4.25 Omni Man 4.55 Armor Supreme 5.25 Mary Shoelaces TRAMORE (Sunday) Darren Norris 1.45 Speed For Fun 2.20 Ina Mina 2.55 Lady Lena 3.30 Future Prospect (Nap) 4.05 A Snow White Park 4.35 Kingdom Calling 5.05 Village Dream Next best 1.45 Ivatt 2.20 Liberated Light 2.55 Something Fabulous 3.30 La Note Verte 4.05 Nastya 4.35 Itsalonglongroad 5.05 Myluckymaker
