Leopardstown hosts its second fixture in three days and after Proud Native's Group Three victory for Britain on Monday, there is a sense of deja vu in tonight's featured Ballycorus Stakes with three cross-channel raiders. However, this time the home team can come out on top.
Brian Meehan's Tumbelweed Ridge was an all-the-way winner of this contest last year and heads a visiting team that includes White Heart and Proud Native's stable companion Referendum.
Tumbelweed Ridge proved his readiness for a repeat with a one-length second to Warningford in the John O'Gaunt Stakes at Haydock on Saturday but the 1999 Ballycorus renewal looks stronger than 12 months ago.
Definitely the most fascinating of the locals is the one time Epsom Derby favourite Second Empire who makes a quick reappearance after finishing a lame last in the Tattersalls Gold Cup behind Daylami.
Considering what a brilliant two-year-old he was, the Ballydoyle team must be disappointed that Second Empire's career has diminished to a Group Three seven-furlong event but the colt has not exactly helped himself.
All Aidan O'Brien's efforts to curb Second Empire's headstrong tendencies haven't worked so far and now the horse has been dropped in trip. This should help Second Empire to last out although he could end up fighting with Tumbelweed Ridge for the lead. If that happens it can only help the top-weight and selection Two-Twenty-Two.
Dermot Weld's admirable colt would probably prefer softer ground than he is going to get but he is a three-time winner at this level, including the Gladness Stakes at the start of the season, and his run in a Group Two behind Handsome Ridge at Sandown was just too bad to be true.
Two-Twenty-Two gets every yard and more of the seven furlongs which may be significant at the end of a strongly run race.
The other black type event is the Listed Glencairn Stakes which has attracted a field of just four headed by the Weld filly Lisieux Rose. Three successes for this one last season culminated in picking up the Blandford Stakes at the Curragh but in truth it wasn't an inspiring Group Two race.
Up against her are Twickenham who is progressing nicely and the one-time Dewhurst runner-up Musical Pursuit who will come on for a run behind Polaire at Naas last time. Marginal preference though is for Lil's Boy who would prefer faster going but does have a 105 rating and should have the tactical speed to help rider Kevin Manning.
Aidan O'Brien introduced a smashing Danzig colt in Monashee Mountain here on Monday and another son of that stallion, Mull Of Kintyre, is impossible to oppose in the opener.
Royal South had an appalling passage through What A Chocolate's race here on Monday and can hardly be that unlucky again in the Roma Handicap while the last leg of the jackpot, which is guaranteed for £15,000, can fall to the Weld newcomer Supreme Certainty. Being by Night Shift out of an Alydar mare, Supreme Certainty has the breeding to back up his name and this is a maiden that shouldn't take a lot of winning.
