It's been some time coming, but the last week has seen Aidan O'Brien's Ballydoyle team return from a comparative drought and, with that in mind, Mempari should be very hard to beat in today's Telecom Eireann Brownstown Stakes.
A number of reasonably priced winners at Galway heralded a fine weekend, where Hunan won the Group Three Prix de Cabourg at Deauville and the newcomer, Orpen, travelled to Goodwood to win a decent maiden.
That confirmed the juveniles are starting to spark, and Mempari has done her bit for the older brigade with two recent wins. A casual defeat of Rashay over five furlongs at Naas was franked by the runner-up's subsequent win at Galway, and Mempari did her Galway stint when a very easy winner of a mile conditions race on Wednesday.
The bare form isn't much in today's context where Mempari has to face black type fillies in Heed My Warning and Idle Rich, as well as top handicappers such as the Golden Pages winner, Hasanat. Nevertheless, Mempari has top form to her credit already with a sixth in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, is clearly in the same good form as her stable and is a confident selection.
The juvenile run from Ballydoyle can continue in the Guinness Maiden, where Stravinsky comes with a reputation of being among the better youngsters in the ultra-powerful two-year-old string there.
However, if O'Brien enjoyed his spell in Galway, then Dermot Weld was positively beaming after his record-equalling 10 winners. The Curragh trainer looks set to continue his marauding run today, and one of his Galway winners looks another who can quickly follow up.
Gold Chaser landed some shrewd bets when absolutely sluicing up by six lengths in a mile race on Wednesday, and although he has to carry a 5lb penalty in the Ericsson Handicap, he won with such authority at Galway that he is very hard to ignore.
Weld and Michael Kinane should also be hard to beat in the opening conditions race where they run Hibernian Rhapsody. This colt, sixth to Joleah in a listed race here last time out, hasn't quite lived up to expectations this season but still looks to have too much for his three opponents here.
Weld's Social Graces will also have his supporters when bidding for a treble in the Aer Lingus Handicap; while the veteran Dilgent Dodger will think he has a featherweight in the speed challenge and, in the form he's in at the moment, Kevin Prendergast's charge can go close.
Cork's second long weekend fixture opens with an intriguing clash in the maiden hurdle, and with Frances Crowley's string going so well, the selection is her six-year-old Tuska Ridge.
Tuska Ridge took a rather eventful bumper at Killarney last month by two lengths from Ballydonnelly, who re-opposes today. Tuska Ridge whipped 360 degrees at the start that day but still managed to get back up to win.
The running and riding of Ballydonnelly provoked some rather vocal criticism on the track, but a subsequent inquiry found nothing wrong and Norman Williamson's mount will have his followers today.
Nevertheless, Tuska Ridge is fighting fit after a busy summer campaign which has yielded a number of bumper wins and has had recent hurdles experience. Jessica Harrington's Ardentium, third to Ratoath Gale and It's Time For A Win, at Galway last Monday, is another who must be considered, but Tuska Ridge is preferred.
Granuale was attempting a very difficult task when faced with Gold Chaser at Galway last week and went down by six lengths. It could be that Granuale was attempting something of a mission impossible that time, however, and the EBF Handicap may be an easier option.
The most valuable contest on the card is the £12,000 Heineken Handicap, where Dante's Battle can score for Noel Meade and Paul Carberry; while the O'Brien-trained newcomer, Carambola, by Danehill out of Purchase-paperchase, can make a winning debut in the seven-furlong maiden.
Notluckytochange was caught only in the dying strides at the Curragh last time by Zilina and looks capable of gaining compensation in the Spring Handicap.
Aidan O'Brien's Hunan dented some big reputations with a gutsy win in the £22,222 Group Three Prix de Cabourg (6f) at Deauville on Saturday.
Walter Swinburn's mount belied his outsider status by making all and bravely repelling Danzigaway by three parts of a length in the six runner juvenile test.
