GOWRAN PARK Sun: Royal Ascot may be looming ever closer, but this weekend we look towards the racing at Gowran Park on Sunday, which offers an eight-race card.
⭕ Kicking off the action on Sunday is a two-year-old maiden (1.25pm) over seven-furlongs. An interesting racecourse debutant is Andrew Slattery’s Jolt, by Acclamation and from a black type family. He is one to watch in the betting on debut. It may pay, though, to side with Ken Condon’s first-timer Familiar. This small yard has a good record with two-year-old winners, and the Holy Roman Emperor colt’s pedigree looks more fitting for this trip, with top-class milers on the dam’s side.
⭕ A seven-furlong handicap is next (1.55pm). Though up against classier rivals here, Alfarida should go well again having finished first and second in her last two starts. However, she looks unlikely to beat Elmo Lincoln who, having been second over this course and distance two months ago and run fairly well since, could be the one to beat.
⭕ In the fillies’ and mares’ handicap (2.30pm) over seven furlongs, three-year-old Many Tears – trained by Ger Lyons and a course and distance winner as of a fortnight ago – can keep up her winning form. Equipped with a tongue-strap once again, which had the desired effect last time, she should be able to take another step forward here in handicap company. A fair draw in stall four will not disadvantage her, and she comes from a yard in good form this season, who are doing particularly well with their three-year-olds.
⭕ The fourth race, a mile handicap (3.05pm) looks a fairly weak contest that could be the perfect opportunity for Thomas Cleary’s Kodiac Prince to carry on his upwards curve. Now a six-year-old, the gelding has looked to be regaining his best three-year-old form, having placed twice from three runs this year. Down in the handicap since his last win in 2022, the son of Kodiac should be able to win from his current mark. He may get the better of Pink Socks, another improver who has place claims from stall six, but lacks the experience of Kodiac Prince.
⭕ Division two of the mile handicap follows (3.40pm), in which Jack Davison’s Nyla Rua – who ran third over this course and distance last time – could be in line for another place. With a visor back on, she should keep on an even keel and make the frame, but she is unlikely to beat Andrew Slattery’s Sunset Nova. This experienced gelding has had plenty of runs this year but since his preferred conditions have come around with the drier weather, he has started to hit his best form. Useful on the all-weather, his only winning form on the turf is on good or firmer ground and a promising second place last time out at Listowel should have set him up well for this.
⭕ Next is an apprentice handicap over 1m1½f (4.15pm). Woodcock Flight, who found no extra in the closing stages over seven and a half last time, should benefit from stepping up in trip this time and his pedigree suggests he will stay the distance. Claiming rider Dean Curran also removes a handy seven pounds from the saddle. Drawn beside Jalo, another competitive runner, he should have enough in his favour to get his head in front and finally break his maiden.
⭕ The penultimate race is a fillies’ and mares’ maiden over 1m1½f (4.50pm). Hazalaya, who has achieved a fourth and third place from two runs this year, has a more favourable draw than on her last start, where a wide starting point may have cost her a better result than her eventual third place. This time from gate three, she should have an easier time in the early stages and set herself up better to improve on her last run.
⭕ The day’s racing concludes with the Thomastown Race over 1m1½f (5.25pm). From a pared-back field, Gavin Cromwell’s Sunset Shiraz looks a likely candidate for the placings. The four-year-old Time Test filly should find this easier than her last two outings, in which she ran respectably for fifth and fourth place. Although more open to improvement than her older rivals, she will have to work hard to get past Joseph O’Brien’s Trustyourinstinct, a three-year-old Churchill colt who won impressively on debut last month. There’s no reason why he can’t take this race with significant improvement from that first start expected.
