4:20 – Plusvital Devoy Stakes
Martinstown fits into the “could be anything” bracket and with Ryan Moore booked to ride he is going to be popular in the market. However, after 324-days off he will need to be smart against some battle-hardened rivals and could be worth opposing with SELF BELIEF.
He has a 3lb penalty to shoulder after winning the Listed Trigo Stakes at Leopardstown in October, but he won that in the manner of a progressive horse and after just 3 starts, he is open to any amount of improvement. This race is likely to be run at a true gallop, which should suit and if he can repeat the level of form that he showed in October, he could prove hard to beat.
5:25 – Naas Median Auction Race
This should be a relatively straight forward task for Jim Bolger’s SERIOUS CHALLENGE. Rated 102, he was winner on his 2nd start at Galway in July, before chasing home the Vertem Futurity winner Auguste Rodin at Leopardstown.
He was just 4-lengths behind the current Derby favourite in that Group 2 at Leopardstown and looks to have been fund a great opportunity to get his 3-year-old career off to a winning start in what looks to be a match race with Sprewell. As a gelding, some of his options for this season are limited, but this should set him up nicely for another tilt in Pattern company next time.
