Kansas likely to prove tough nut to crack at Dundalk
Runner-up to subsequent Middle Park second Brussels at the Curragh back in May, his other placed efforts included a second to Revival Power in the Group 2 Flying Childers at Doncaster last month and a narrow defeat by Ipanema Queen at the Curragh. Last time out, in Group 1 company, the selection was beaten three and a half lengths when fifth to Wise Approach in the Group 1 Middle Park in Newmarket. Ronan Whelan will be on board Kansas for the first time and, suited by a strong pace, he’s expected to pounce late. In the other listed event, the Star Appeal, 103-rated Andab, ridden for Joseph O’Brien by Joey Sheridan, sets the standard. This colt won his maiden impressively at the Curragh back in May and has acquitted himself well in the intervening months, including a third to classy Albert Einstein in the Marble Hill and, last time, a second to Rayif in a Group 3 over in Deauville. He’s rated 7lb superior to Frescobaldi, who will be joined in the field by fellow Ballydoyle inmate Controlled, successful on debut in Naas. Elsewhere on the Dundalk card, Flawless Fusion, narrowly beaten by Brownstown in a Leopardstown maiden in June, when trained by Jim Bolger, is worth noting, on his stable debut for Joseph O’Brien, in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series 2-Y-0 Fillies Maiden. In Downpatrick, it’s difficult to oppose Ian Donoghue’s Small Town Hero, off a lowly mark of 77, in the Download The Tote App Handicap Chase. Formerly with Christian Williams, this six-year-old is unbeaten in three handicap hurdles since joining new connections, kicking off at Roscommon off 77 and, most recently, scoring impressively at Wexford, off 88. Now rated 100 over hurdles, Small Town Hero jumps and stays well. And it will be surprising if he fails to deliver here. The Gordon Elliott-trained, 124-rated Pour Les Filles looks a cut above his four rivals in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle while Luker’s Tipple, runner-up four times for Andrew Kinirons and sixth to Last Kingdom in Listowel on his stable debut for Gavin Cromwell, might belatedly open his hurdle account in the Randox Maiden Hurdle.