Race 1 - Tattersalls NH 4yo Geldings Maiden
TROOPER THORN made his debut at Dromahane last month having been picked-up for E65,000 as a three-year-old and he posted a fine initial effort on Good ground which saw him finished just three lengths behind Genietoile, a horse that Rebecca Curtis subsequently purchased for at the recent Cheltenham Sales for 92,000 stg. That form would leave him as the one to beat ahead of Isocrate who finished fourth at the same venue a week earlier in the race that had been won by Croke Park.
Race 2 - Masterlink 5yo Mares Maiden
SUPER DAWN had the recent Ballyknock winner Apple Away over eight lengths behind her when second at Rathcannon in early April and she should gain a deserved breakthrough victory here having had the measure of both the potentially re-opposing Baiser Inedit and Tara Line behind her at Belclare before that. Queen Zoey is another for the shortlist.
Race 3 - Singletons SuperValu 5yo Geldings Maiden
LUCKY ZEBO had to overcome a serious blunder at the final fence en route to finishing second at Lisronagh on his debut and with further improvement likely, it should not leave him far off victory in this. Mark Scallan has his string in top form at present and so his Zalando cannot be discounted if putting his best foot forward, with Master Splinter and Heros De Moutiers others capable of getting involved at the business end.
Race 4 - W & M Kiely Ltd Winner Of Two
GOLDEN BALD looked to have the measure of Focus Point when the latter parted company with his rider at the final fence, and the Louise Lyons-trained six-year-old should be able to confirm that form here once again. Iks Man is a new rival for Golden Bald to face here, and as he had the subsequent Quakerstown winner Meetmeatthearch behind him when opening his account at Ballynoe, he is the one most likely to put it up to the selection.
Race 5 - Blarney Castle Hotel, FBD and Pegus Horse Feeds 5yo Adjacent Maiden
As Kalanisi Dream has now let his supporters down in consecutive outings during the month of April at Dromahane, he is bypassed in favour of KEEP ON DIGGING. Although the sole newcomer in the line-up, his trainer Robert Tyner won a similar race at Dromahane last Sunday with an equally inexperienced horse and could repeat the feat with this son of the stables three-time winner Strange Talk.
Race 6 - Cork Recycling Ltd 6yo Geldings Maiden
ULTIMATE OPTIMIST is clearly a horse that has been pleasing his connections at home as he has been sent off at the top of the market for each of his two outings to date at Lisronagh and Monksgrange. He was still in front when coming down inside the final mile on his latest start and it will be interesting to see if he can deliver on that here. Inchidaly Copper kept on to take second in a strongly-run maiden at Stradbally recently when only finding the previously placed Le Boulevardier too good and that would look to leave him as the big danger, ahead of the track-placed Offaly Star.
