Warrior has breeding

The most illustrious winners' list of any of the 15 races on offer tomorrow must be the very first at Gowran, where Hard Warrior…

The most illustrious winners' list of any of the 15 races on offer tomorrow must be the very first at Gowran, where Hard Warrior can make a winning debut.

nAidan O'Brien has dominated the first seven-furlong maiden of the year for juveniles, scoring with the likes of subsequent Group One winners Landseer and Spartacus, as well as Antonius Pius last year.

This time he has Wuthering Heights, who was an odds-on flop on his debut at the Curragh and faces a decent field this time.

Not surprisingly, Globalized found Russian Blue too hot last time out, but, significantly, Dermot Weld unveiled a nice two-year-old winner in Man O World recently, and, as a son of Gulch, Hard Warrior lacks nothing in breeding.

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The Weld camp also look to hold a winning shout in the nine-furlong maiden with Indian Pace, who wasn't disgraced behind the Group performer Lucky on her only start of the season so far, at Leopardstown.

Michael Kinane is on duty in Singapore, which lets in Fran Berry for what looks like a good ride on Sareya in the second division of the fillies maiden.

The first division could be the hotter of the two legs, but Dangle brings Stakes form from her run behind Kanisfluh at the Curragh last October and Eddie Lynam's runner can come out on top.

Fairy Pass is 7lb higher for her victory over Stranded Gentry at the Curragh, a penalty that may not be enough, while Nina Carberry and Ger Lyons team up again for Henry Afrika, who ran on the all-weather over the winter, in the Ladies race.

At Navan, if Burnt Out doesn't live up to his name after running so well for so long behind GVA Ireland at Punchestown, then he will be a danger to all in the 30,000 handicap hurdle.

Some once-promising types meet up in the opening conditions hurdle, but they look vulnerable to the four-year-old More Rainbows, who should find this company more agreeable than that he faced in the Juvenile championship at Punchestown.

Adolphus was four lengths off Wests Awake at Clonmel and the form got a boost when the winner followed up during the week. Timmy Murphy has been in form recently and can make the most of this ride on the Tony Martin runner in the handicap chase.

Loughanelteen has been fourth to both King Carew and Macs Joy in his recent starts, but with Ruby Walsh on board in the second handicap hurdle his turn may have come.

Walsh partners the enigmatic Atlantic Rhapsody in the Beginners Chase, but with just three to beat even Atlantic Rhapsody may not find a reason to lose.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column