Michael Kinane is setting a cracking pace at the top of the jockeys' table and can up the tempo even more with a double at Gowran tonight.
The first seven-furlong maiden of the season for two-year olds looks to give the Aidan O'Brien-trained newcomer Bacha a winning opportunity. Beautifully bred by Caerleon out of Producer, Bach's connections should have a good line to the once-raced Salse colt Salab who was third to Harry's Game and Ostrovsky.
Kinane, however, looks a significant booking for Sharp Gossip who steps back to seven furlongs for the Thomastown Handicap. Declan Gillespie's horse was beaten two lengths by Khaysan over a mile here earlier in the month but didn't turn well soon after the start, lost his place a quarter mile later and then edged left inside the distance.
Clearly Sharp Gossip can be a tricky ride but Kinane is the man to have on such an animal and the partnership could be value to beat the Fairyhouse winner Mrs Evans.
Another newcomer wouldn't have to be out of the ordinary to take the Ormonde Maiden and Dermot Weld's South Of Heaven, a well bred daughter of Fairy King and Epicure's Garden, looks to fit that bill and Benfica could go one better than his short-head second to Privatize at Tipperary in the Brickana Handicap.
The other flat race on the eightrace card is the Ladies Handicap which has the teak tough Iron County Xmas topping the weights, but preference is for Omar who should now be hitting peak race fitness after a decent second to the well backed Irvine at Killarney recently.
The second division of the qualified riders' handicap hurdle and go to the Gowran and Fairyhouse winner Two Sweets, who will be hard to beat with Paul Moloney on board although a slight worry could arise if the ground dries out rapidly.
Enrique is back on course for the Entenmann's Irish 2,000 Guineas on Saturday. The Sagitta 2,000 Guineas runner-up suffered a bruised foot at exercise on Tuesday morning putting his participation at the Curragh in doubt.
But speaking at Goodwood races yesterday the colt's trainer, Henry Cecil, said: "He is very well. He was shod on Monday and worked on Tuesday - and worked really well - but coming back he just tripped once or twice and has got a slight bruise on his foot.
"But he as sound as a bell and there is every chance he will be alright. He went swimming today and his pulse has gone right down and the soreness has come out. With luck, everything will be 100 per cent."
Mick Channon will send last season's Mill Reef Stakes winner Golden Silca over for the Entenmann's Irish 1,000 Guineas at the same venue on Sunday. Golden Silca finished well beaten behind Wince in the Sagitta 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket last time but was unsuited by the underfoot conditions that day.
Channon said yesterday: "Golden Silca was seventh at Newmarket when the ground was too fast for her, the going at the Curragh should be perfect."
