Aidan O’Brien sends a couple of runners to Dundalk on Friday afternoon and both look to have big shouts.
Psalm should benefit from a drop in trip in the 10-furlong maiden on the card and the Sea The Stars colt can gain a deserved success.
He didn’t get home over almost a mile-and-five in the Ulster Derby at Down Royal and it’s no surprise to see him back at this distance now.
His previous runs this season came at 10 and he went well on both occasions down in Cork.
The best of those efforts was when going down by half-a-length to Kinesiology in May and he didn’t do a lot wrong that day against a rival who was narrowly denied in Listed company subsequently.
Cheekpieces were tried on Psalm last time and he travelled nicely in them before failing to get home.
Back at this trip, and with Jack Cleary taking off a useful 7lb, this looks like a nice opportunity now.
His mark of 88 sets the standard and the next best is the Andy Oliver-trained Ozark Daze.
That 85-rated rival was a couple of lengths behind Psalm in Cork and looks held on that form but commands respect on overall form.
The Johnny Murtagh-trained Raydamann was a few lengths behind Ozark Daze when the pair were second and third at the Curragh and is another to consider.
Psalm was a touch disappointing at Down Royal but it may be worth putting that down to the distance and giving him another chance.
In the opening sprint, the assessor has given Alabama a chance having dropped him 3lb on his first outing in a handicap.
The No Nay Never colt has kept really good company throughout his career and gained his sole success over course and distance in a conditions race here last September.
Both his outings this term have come in really hot stakes races and this looks a more suitable task now for the three-year-old.
The handicaps here are as tricky as ever but one that catches the eye is Ateenosix in the three-year-old event over seven furlongs.
He has made all his four starts on the all-weather here and ran with promise on his two most recent outings back in the spring.
His best run was probably over course and distance when fifth to the highly-rated Sakti here in March. That race has thrown up a few winners since.
SELECTIONS
1.25 Alabama
1.57 Cordouan
2.32 Ateenosix (Dbl)
3.07 Shamsuddin
3.42 Venetian
4.15 Lohengrin
4.50 Psalm (Nap)
5.25 Dark Oak
