Eye Of The Storm© Photo Healy Racing
Runner-up to Pale Mimosa here a year ago, Missunited (Kevin Manning takes the ride for the first time) is back for more in the Listed Seamus & Rosemary McGrath Memorial Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown.
The Golan mare excelled at Galway last summer/autumn by carrying off the Guinness Galway Hurdle and the Listed Ardilaun Hotel Oyster Stakes but has yet to hit the heights in a couple of starts this year.
Her trainer Mick Winters is hopeful nonetheless.
He said: "We won't have a lot of excuses and we'd nearly be expecting her to be in the money. She's well and fit and strong in herself.
"It could be a good run race which would suit but you'd have to be really at your peak and they'd have to be slightly off (Eye Of The Storm and Venus De Milo to win.
"Our mare is an out-and-out galloper as such, while they might have an element of class."
Willie McCreery is not expecting to trouble the Ballydoyle heavyweights either, but a prominent showing is expected from his great servant, the Leopardstown standing dish Leah Claire
The Kildare-based operator is actually two-handed in the prestigious mile and three-quarter event, but he said: "I'd have preferred to go for a handicap with Mindy but the owner wanted to go for this.
"I thought there was a lovely fillies' handicap for her at the Curragh on Sunday but the owner wanted to go for black type with her as she's in foal.
"She should have won the last day when third in a premier handicap. She flew home behind Thomas Edison.
"Leah Claire should like the ground and she loves Leopardstown. There's not much else for her really and she'll probably go back over hurdles then. I'd be hoping she might run into a place." Sir Ector has two wins and a second placing to his name in three spins on the level at Leopardstown and the 102-rated seven-year-old would appear to hold solid each-way claims for James Lambe and Chris Hayes.
Officially assessed at 112 and 113 respectively, the aforementioned pair Eye Of The Storm (Joseph O'Brien) and Venus De Milo (Seamie Heffernan) are strong representatives for Aidan O'Brien but both lack recent form having not been seen in action thus far this year.
In a race where the fairer sex is strong on numbers, another couple of fillies capable of making their respective presences felt are Tarana (John Oxx/Declan McDonogh) and Shu Lewis (Monica Dowdall Blake and Pat Smullen).
