In terms of profile, high summer may be National Hunt racing's down time, but Sunday's otherwise run-of-the-mill Limerick card is an important one for Barry Geraghty, who starts his new job as JP McManus's jockey with three rides.
It will be a welcome return to action for AP McCoy’s successor, who has been out of action since breaking his shin at Downpatrick in March and who had to be hospitalised with a kidney stone this week.
Whether or not Geraghty caps a tumultuous couple of weeks with a winner for his new boss could depend on whether or not Hash Brown takes to fences in the Beginners Chase, although the fact he rides the locally-trained horse must be encouraging.
Sunday's feature race in Ireland is the Group Three Irish Stallion Farms Brownstown Stakes, for which James Doyle travels to ride Godolphin's latest purchase, Majestic Queen.
Already a dual Group Three winner, Majestic Queen will have to concede weight all-round, and one of the three-year-olds, Queen Nefertiti, could be dangerous despite the presence of Wayne Lordan on her older stable companion Fastnet Mist.
Lordan is very much on Curlylocks in the following seven-furlong maiden however. Still an Irish Oaks entry, the Galileo filly started favourite for her last start over a year ago, where only Words and Raydara got the better of her.
Outspoken’s winning debut at Navan more than a month ago was no surprise to many at Ballydoyle and he is joined by his stable companion Archangel Raphael in an intriguing four-runner finale at Fairyhouse.
A step up to a mile and a half should be ideal for Outspoken and Donnacha O’Brien’s claim could swing things.
