Hand On Heart bids for her hat-trick in Listowel Hand On Heart puts her unbeaten record on the line in the Edmund & Josie Whelan Memorial Listowel Stakes today. The daughter of Mastercraftsman made a big impression when making a winning racecourse debut at Limerick in April and followed up in good style in a conditions race at the Curragh the following month. She makes her first start since in the Listed feature on day two of the Harvest Festival and trainer Fozzy Stack is looking forward to her return. He said: “She wants a bit of an ease in the ground and we said we’d try to plan an autumn campaign with her. “She’s in good form and ready to start back. Being drawn 15 of 16 isn’t exactly ideal, but hopefully she’ll run a nice race.” The Cashel-based trainer has a second string to his bow in the form of Iiex Excelsa. Following successive placed efforts at Limerick and Galway, the three-year-old opened her account on the all-weather at Dundalk last month. Stack added: “The other filly doesn’t mind a bit of ease in the ground either. “If she could run into a place, it’d be great.” A maximum field of 16 plus one reserve has been declared for the nine-furlong contest. Aidan O’Brien has three contenders with Clear Skies, Curly and Hence all in the mix. Willie Mullins, who won last year’s renewal with Riven Light, saddles the consistent Gustavus Vassa. Other contenders include Michael Mulvany’s top-weight On The Go Again, the Denis Hogan-trained Allegio, Dermot Weld’s Gowran maiden winner Dabiyr and Mazzuri from Willie McCreery’s yard.
