Meriden can rediscover winning formula at Listowel
KINGDOM RETURN: Meriden completes a fantastic five-timer at Killarney in July. She can get back to winning ways at Listowel on Tuesday. Picture: Healy Racing
With her sights lowered, Meriden can get back to winning ways in the listed Edmund & Josie Whelan Memorial Listowel Stakes on day three of the harvest festival.
The Denis Hogan-trained Bated Breath filly has improved in leaps and bounds this season, completing a fantastic five-timer in a listed race at Killarney in July.
Her winning sequence was finally halted at the Galway festival where Meriden went down to Pivotal Attack by a length and a half in another listed contest.
She was then stepped up in class for the Group 3 Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes where she was a shade disappointing in finishing sixth, beaten over eight lengths.
Despite that underwhelming effort, connections opted to roll the dice in Group 1 company and Meriden made the journey to Leopardstown for the Matron Stakes at the Irish Champions Festival.
Sent off at odds of 125-1, she wasn’t disgraced in finishing seventh of nine, five lengths behind the top-class Blue Bolt.
Should she run to that level in this considerably less demanding assignment, she will surely go close in the hands of Chris Hayes.
Joseph O’Brien can win the first and last races on the card courtesy of Loughrea N Roll and Count Bezukhov.
A son of Lope De Vega, Loughrea N Roll is fancied to land the spoils in the opening SIS Irish EBF Maiden having shaped well on debut at the Curragh last month.
A sluggish start put him on the backfoot but he ran on well once the penny dropped to finish third, three lengths behind Shakespeare.
Sure to be more streetwise for that experience, he can improve sufficiently to get the job done.
Stablemate Count Bezukhov has leading claims in the finale, the Jet, Peggy & Eamonn O'Carroll Memorial Handicap.
Third on debut at Leopardstown in May, the Wootton Bassett colt improved sufficiently to narrowly justify 10-11 favouritism at the Curragh second time out before again finishing third when sent to Doncaster in July.
With the step up to 14 furlongs expected to suit, Count Bezukhov can deliver on his handicap debut.
1.47 Loughrea N Roll
2.22 She's On The Ball
2.57 Mercurial
3.32 Meriden (Nap)
4.07 Banks Of The Boyne
4.41 Highbury See See
5.16 Count Bezukhov (NB)
1.47 Churchill Bond
2.22 Sand Art
2.57 She's Too Kool
3.32 Mixed Feelings
4.07 Romance
4.41 Goal Exceeded
5.16 Sunrush
