The unbeaten Perigee Moon looks set to be the next Ballydoyle classic hope to appear, with Sunday's Castlemartin-La Louviere Gladness Stakes at the Curragh his target.
Aidan O'Brien has seven of the 17 entries left in the Group Three contest but said yesterday: "Perigee Moon is the most likely runner. Black Minnaloushe, Darwin and Bonnard will also be left in."
Giant's Causeway landed the Gladness for O'Brien last year, but after the mixed fortunes enjoyed by the Ballydoyle horses at Leopardstown, there will be a lot of attention on Perigee Moon, who beat Dr Brendler by a length in the Killavullan Stakes last season. The O'Brien four-year-old, Bach, who injured a pelvis last year, had been considered for the Gladness but will more likely be kept for the later Mooresbridge Stakes, so the older brigade could be led in Sunday's race by Dermot Weld's Pine Dance, who has returned from running in Dubai.
Today's fixture is at Ballinrobe, where the trainer to follow should be Willie Mullins. Co Carlow-based Mullins runs Assessed in the two and a half mile maiden hurdle and it will be a surprise if this one cannot get the better of Ask The Builder; and Mossy Green's Fairyhouse second to stable companion Summer In Siberia reads very adequately for the last.
Another man on the double can be jockey Conor O'Dwyer, who travels west to take the mount on Arthur Moore's Penny Native in the beginners' chase. Rated 103 over flights, Penny Native ran last at that landmark February 25th fixture at Naas and should be up to making a winning return.
O'Dwyer also rides Mr Ventura in the two and a half mile handicap hurdle and the forecast soft ground should be to his advantage. Imperial Light, third to O'Dwyer's ride Tiger In The Woods at Cork on Monday, should also be up to winning the opener.
