NOT EVERYONE will have been thrilled to see the heavy rain that fell on the Curragh early yesterday, but it was a welcome sight for John Oxx, whose Rayeni can land today’s Group Three feature on the back of it.
Last year’s Irish Guineas runner-up is one of nine in the Tote Minstrel Stakes, a race that has attracted Jeremy Noseda’s Challenge Stakes-winner Arabian Gleam as well as this year’s Irish Guineas runner-up Free Judgement.
The latter pair have some good form on quick ground, but almost an inch-and-a-half of rain fell at headquarters over Thursday night and so, for a soft-ground lover like Rayeni, that was good news.
Runner-up in the Gladness earlier this season, Rayeni’s only subsequent start at Leopardstown can be ignored after he failed to secure a clear passage in a race won by Recharge.
His best form is all on ground with a cut in it, and Rayeni can highlight a good day for the Oxx team.
The trainer’s perseverance with Zaralanta can pay off in the seven-furlong handicap.
Everything is being thrown at Behtarini in the 10-furlong maiden. This one-time classic prospect has first-time cheek-pieces and a first-time tongue strap applied in what is a weak-enough race.
The Mighty Atom secured a valuable success at Dundalk earlier in the week and can follow up in the six-furlong handicap, while the Limerick winner Snow Mountain could defy topweight in the Nursery.
