Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown

The most significant race in Britain and Ireland today is the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes for 3yo´s over 10 furlongs at 16.55 CET at Leopardstown. This is a major Derby trial, and Aidan O´Brien won it 4 times running at th beginning of this century, including with subsequent Epsom scorers High Chaparall and Galileo as well as triple Gold Cup winner Yeats. He now runs 4 candidates, and on jockey bookings Fame and Glory (Johnny Murtagh) looks the stable´s number one. He won a Group One in France last autumn, but now carries a 5 lbs penalty, which makes his task no easier, while the stable has yet to strike top form.

Of the remaining 6 runners, half are trained by John Oxx, another trainer who always targets this race, with stable jockey Mick Kinane on board the Aga Khan´s Mourayan, who won twice over this track last season and is regarded as a serious Derby prospect. In the unlikely event that another trainer wins here, it could only be with Fergus McIver (Jim Bolger/ Kevin Manning) or Grace O´Mally (Dermot Weld/ Pat Smullen)- the only filly in the field- both of whom are taking a huge leap in class. The other main event at Leopardstown is the listed mile race at 16.25. Jumbajukiba (Jessica Harrington/ Fran Berry) will love the soft going and has a good record in such races, but it is not clear that he can concede weight to such as Kargali (Oxx/ Kinane), Poet (O´Brien/ Murtagh) and especially Three Rocks (Bolger/ Manning), who has already won 3 races very easily this spring. There is also N.H. racing in Ireland from Tramore. Top race is the 2 3/4 mile chase at 17.15, which can go to Doo neys Gate (Willie Mullins/ Ruby Walsh).

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Xtraxtra - Air Chief Marshal - Market Puzzle
2. Race: Intimate Secret - Zero Point Seven - Rantavan Wood
3. Race: Three Rocks - Kargali - Jumbajukiba
4. Race: Mourayan - Fame And Glory - Vitruvian Man
5. Race: Barrel Of Fun - Stately Home - Silent Decision
6. Race: Ludwigshafen - Silver Tide - Maximo
7. Race: Deputy Consort - Gay Sloane - Apt To Run