SUMIHA can made a deserved breakthrough at stakes level in the Munster Oaks at Cork on Friday evening.
Dermot Weld’s charge has been runner-up twice in Listed company since taking her maiden last year and she can make her mark now at Group Three level tonight.
The Sea The Stars filly was a touch unlucky over this course and distance in the Noblesse Stakes here in April when meeting some traffic in running.
She had to wait for a gap then before running on to finish second to one of today’s rivals, Thunder Roll, and is fancied to turn around that form now.
On her most recent outing the Aga Khan-owned filly ran really to chase home English raider Candleford in the Orby Stakes and the front two pulled nicely clear that day.
On just her fourth career outing there looks room for more improvement from Sumiha and she can give Weld and jockey Chris Hayes another Oaks.
Obviously Thunder Roll commands plenty of respect having won the Noblesse Stakes here on her comeback this season.
She is a dual Listed winner now and is a smart filly but may not have the same scope for improvement as the selection.
Ballydoyle filly Greenfinch is the sole three-year-old in the field and gets a nice chunk of weight from her elders.
She ran well when fourth in a Guineas trial at Leopardstown on her return this season and is still unexposed.
The preceding Listed Midsummer Sprint Stakes is a hot contest and English raider Clarendon House sets the standard.
He blotted his copybook somewhat when standing in the stalls at the start of the Epsom Dash last time.
The Mehmas gelding had won a competitive sprint handicap at York previously though and has generally been very consistent.
This looks a nice opportunity for Robert Cowell’s charge to make a deserved breakthrough at stakes level. Colin Keane is obviously a positive booking.
Andy Slattery’s filly Easy is a fascinating runner in the race having won a Listed race in some style here back in late March.
That did come on heavy ground though and this will be a completely different test against battled hardened speedsters on this type of going.
The opening fillies maiden could be an informative contest with some beautifully-bred sorts making their debuts.
One that catches the eye is the Ger Lyons-trained Babouche, a daughter of Kodiac and a half-sister to Zarinsk who was a Group Two winner for the yard last season.
