Nightly Wailing and Rory Cleary (right) bid for their third win at Dundalk in the first division of the 2m handicap © Photo Healy Racing
The 7f maiden for 3-year-olds at 5.00pm has a couple of interesting participants at Dundalk this afternoon, notably Star Harbour who cost 400,000 Euros as a yearling and makes his debut for Ado McGuinness.
The Sea The Stars colt is a half-brother to Listed winner Mind Of Madness and Gavin Ryan, who rode Raphael to success for this yard at Friday’s first meeting of the year on the polytrack, is in the saddle.
It was good to see last year’s champion apprentice in the winners’ enclosure on his first ride back from a shoulder injury sustained in a fall at the Co. Louth venue in November.
McGuinness also runs the Dark Angel newcomer Thrumps Dream, partnered by Chris Hayes who had a double at that opening fixture on Friday.
Joseph O’Brien runs Visualisation who was sixth here on debut and the half-brother to two winners by the recently-deceased Zoffany seems best of those that have had a run.
After a relatively quiet spell with his jumpers over the Christmas period, the Piltown handler was amongst the winners with Scholastic on Friday and will be hopeful that Declan McDonogh’s mount comes on a nice bit from that encouraging debut.
The preceding 6f maiden at 4.30pm is for 4-year-olds and upwards and few would begrudge Jack Davison an overdue victory with Glow Worm
The daughter of Epaulette has been runner-up on ten occasions and the door will surely open for this consistent filly before long.
Joey Sheridan takes off a valuable 5lbs and she may have most to fear from Woodrow who’s been running well in sprint handicaps at this venue, and Abeona who has her second start for in-form Sarah Lynam having been placed several times for Ger Lyons.
The rest of the eight-race card features three divisions of 45-65 rated handicaps over 1m4f, 2m and 1m respectively. This end of the Irish Flat racing spectrum is undoubtedly where the greatest demand exists for opportunities to run and plenty of connections will be pleased to see these horses being catered for at this first of four additional meetings which are scheduled over the coming weeks at Dundalk.
Winners will be tricky enough to find in these events although Nightly Wailing is one that appeals in the first division of the 2m handicap at 3.00pm. Tom Cleary’s Vocalised gelding has only twice had the chance to run over this distance on the polytrack and has won both times, including last time out in November, and has strong claims under the trainer’s son Rory. Harbanaker was placed a couple of times on the all-weather last spring and ran creditably behind progressive sorts Sonnyboyliston and Star Of Cashel when last seen in action in mid-summer. Gavin Cromwell’s 4-year-old has dropped to a mark of 65 and might be able to defy a long absence in the 1m handicap (Division 1) at 5.30pm.
