Zhukova’s stunning Grade 1 success in New York on Saturday night has heralded a return to form for Dermot Weld’s team and Aydoun can keep it going at Killarney on Tuesday evening.
Aydoun races in the Zhukova colours of owner Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez who has also enjoyed classic success when Qualify landed the 2015 Oaks at Epsom.
Killarney's two-mile €13,000 conditions event is a very different kettle of fish but it looks an excellent opportunity for Aydoun to start repaying some of his €200,000 purchase price when bought from the Aga Khan in November.
The son of Mastercraftsman out of a sister to Alamshar won his debut on soft ground at Listowel last September so should be fine in these conditions and his subsequent disappointing effort in an Ascot Listed race hasn’t prevented him securing a handicap mark of 98 already.
Weld also runs two in the opening Killarney maiden and Pat Smullen's mount Muzbid can step up from his Cork debut behind Gold Spinner.
It’s likely to be pretty testing conditions for flat horses at Killarney but that should be no trouble either to Angel Island who won her Cork debut on heavy going while the veteran Apache Gold should also hold claims off a mark of just 48 in the mile handicap.
In other news 36 years after he first won York's Musidora Stakes Jim Bolger will try to win the traditional Oaks trial again when Vociferous Marina lines up in Wednesday's Group 3. The Salsabil Stakes winner will take on the big home hope Shutter Island in a race Bolger has won three times in all.
Condessa was one of the legendary trainer’s first major winners in the 1981 Musidora and the subsequent Irish Oaks winner Give Thanks scored too in 1983. Lush Lashes was also a Musidora winner in 2008.
