Killarney preview The four-day Killarney July Festival gets under way on Monday evening with the Listed Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Cairn Rouge Stakes the feature on the seven-race mixed card. Paul Deegan has three runners declared for this valuable contest and speaking on Sunday morning he said: "They are all in very good form and they all seem well. "Whimsical ran very well to finish sixth in a Group Three last time, Achnaha has very solid stakes form but she has got a terrible draw and Talitha Kum should run well as she is good form. "The three of them are in good order and hopefully they will all run nice races." Aidan O'Brien is also triple-handed and Palace is sure to prove popular with punters after she finished second to Carla Bianca in the Listed Oaks Trial at Naas on her last start. Seamie Heffernan will partner the daughter of Fastnet Rock while Colm O'Donoghue will be aboard Terrific and Ana O'Brien on Beyond Brilliance. Sparkle Factor beat subsequent Group Three winner Tobann at the Curragh and is another leading contender for Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen, while Dalkova, Booker (first-time cheekpieces) and Colour Blue are others with solid claims. The Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Median Auction Race starts proceedings at 5.40 and The Ice Meister and Herewego appear the two to focus on here, while the Jim Bolger-trained Teocht will be expected to follow up in the O'Keeffe's Marquee Hire Rathmore Handicap after he won well at Leopardstown on Thursday. Fifteen are set to line-up for the International Hotel Killarney Apprentice Handicap and it looks a wide-open affair with Killourney Empress, Lily The Lioness, Byron Beauty and Hangar Five all likely to feature prominently in the betting. The Jim Ryan Racecourse Services Mares Maiden Hurdle is the first of three races under National Hunt Rules and the Willie Mullins-trained Daisy's Gift should prove hard to beat. Mullins looks to have strong claims of recording a double as he saddles Daring Carlotta in the Don't Forget Ladies Day This Thursday Mares Flat Race. This daughter of Kayf Tara won on her debut at Clonmel last month and the second and third on that occasion have both since won. The remaining contest on the card is the Malton Handicap Hurdle and Ronava, who won with plenty in hand at Wexford recently, can be expected to go well while those for the shortlist include Fantastic Bob, Curragh Golan, Medinah Gold, Benalex Park (first-time cheekpieces) and Baidin Fheilimi (first-time blinkers).
