Ireland this evening

Mixed meetings this evening at both Tipperary ( 4 flat races, 3 over hurdles) and Sligo (4 flat, 2 hurdles and a umer) with soft ground at each venue. Best race is the listed 7 1/2 furlongs race for 2yo´s at 20.05 CET at Tipperary, with just 6 runners, and both Aidan O´Brien and Jim Bolger saddling two each. Jockey bookings strongly suggest that Westphalia (Johnny Murtagh) and the unbeaten Marina of Venice (Kevin Manning) are the main hopes of their respective stables, who have been dominating the juvenile events so far in 2008. Also at Tipperary, the maiden hurdle for 4yo´s at 21.10 could be informatie. The maximum field of 20 includes ex-German Avanti Albert (Tony Martin/Ruby Walsh), who has flopped on both his Irish starts so far but was quite a decent performer on the flat last year, winning 3 races including during Baden-Baden´s Grosse Woche. At Sligo, Diamind Star (Dermot Weld/ Shane Gorey), a sister to Irish Derby winner Grey Swallow, should win the opening 10 furlongs race for 3yo maiden fillies at 18.10. She was beaten on her debut, but the stable is now in great form, and can follow up with Theocritus in the conditions race over the same trip at 19.15, where Ballyhaunis (Willie Mullins/ Fran Berry) and Motafaany (Kevin Prendergast/ Declan McDonough), a brother to the smart Mustameet, are two obvious dangers