Tipperary is the pick of seven fixtures across the UK and Ireland, featuring the Listed Churchill Stakes for two-year-olds.
Donnacha O'Brien's Bremen is expected to be well-fancied in the 7½f Listed Churchill Stakes (7:00) after breaking his maiden on the second time of asking. The full-brother to Royal Ascot winner Warm Heart, Bremen lost his race at the start on debut at Tipperary when slowly away and was always playing catch-up, denied by a neck at the line. He was ridden with plenty of confidence at Killarney on his second run, sitting prominently and taking up the lead in the last half furlong. Although the official winning distance was one-and-three-quarters, the Galileo colt won with plenty in hand and the drop back to seven-and-a-half furlongs should not pose a problem.
Dermot Weld is represented by Captain Maverick, who seemed to benefit from the application of first-time cheekpieces on his second start and ran out a neck victory in a maiden at the Galway Festival. He was carried left rounding the final turn but could not be put off the task in hand and produced a late run to deny Aafoor. The Free Eagle colt will have learnt plenty for the Galway experience and he appears ready for the step up to Listed company.
The unbeaten Deepone from the Paddy Twomey yard has looked very impressive in two career starts, registering a three-and-a-half length victory at Killarney last time. Although he has raced keenly on both occasions, the colt has shown little sign of inexperience and trainer Paddy Twomey is in flying form with a 45% strike rate (5-11) from the last fourteen days. As a son of Study Of Man, the colt is expected to improve for a further step up in trip and he may just be vulnerable to a sharper type.
WIN: BREMEN
It may prove difficult to beat Andromeda in the 7½f Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden (6:25), after a promising second at Leopardstown. The filly had to be encouraged to get involved in the race by Seamie Heffernan and shaped as the eye-catcher of the field, making up significant ground in the final furlong. She will have learnt plenty for the experience and as a half-sister to Black Type performers Easter and Peaceful, the daughter of Galileo has the pedigree to suggest a win is not far away.
That said, the experience of Glor Tire could be beneficial against less exposed rivals. She had excuses on her last two runs, finding herself short of room when fifth of eight at the Galway Festival last week and getting blocked by other horses when second at Leopardstown prior. The Jim Bolger-trained filly continues to learn on the job and it does only seem a matter of time before she can put that experience to good use.
WIN: GLOR TIRE
Jessica Harrington may have finally found the winning opportunity for First Gentleman in the 7½f www.tipperaryraces.ie (C & G) Maiden (3yo+) (7:35). The three-year-old has been placed on all of his four runs so far and the steward's have noted incidents which affected his running on three of those occasions. Any lingering doubt that First Gentleman could be quirky or one of those horses who struggles to win may be alleviated by the fact he has been gelded since his last outing.
WIN: FIRST GENTLEMAN
RACING & SPORTS RACE 1 – LADY FOX
RACE 2 – MARIA BRAMWELL
RACE 3 – TAMAZU
RACE 4 – GLOR TIRE
RACE 5 – BREMEN
RACE 6 – FIRST GENTLEMAN
RACE 7 - LONGCLAW
