Irish racing today

There is a mixed meeting (5 flat races, 2 hurdles and a bumper) at Naas today and an all-jumps card at Cork. Best event is the mile listed race for fillies at 18.05 which has attracted a huge field, including two runners each from the top stables of Aidan O´Brien, Dermot Weld and John Oxx. Given the tremendous form of the Aga Khan, Oxx and stable jockey Mick Kinane, their Zaralanta is a tentative suggestion, even though she has only run once, and that when winning a minor race in March. Pat Smullen, who currenty holds a slight lead over Johnny Murtagh for the Irish jockeys´ championship, can take the 2yo handicap at 16.30, the richest race of the day, with Bygone Age for the Weld stable, but the same team´s ex- German Directa King faces a stiff task under top-weight at 18.35. At Cork, the best horse on view is the German-bred Catch Me (Edward O´Grady/ Andrew McNamara), one of the best Irish hurdlers of the past 3 seasons, who makes his chasing bow at 18.25. The 2 miles handi cap chase here at 17.20 is a good race. Top-weight Newmill (JJ Murphy/ EF Power) is the class act here, but Sizing Africa (Henry de Bromhead/ Andrew Lynch) is the selection here, in view of the impressive win of his stable companion Sizing Europe the other day.

Cork - betting forecast:
1. Race: Imperial Cascade - Brodies Dubrovnik - Sunwake
2. Race: Darceys Dancer - Huckle Buck Shoe - Teach Nua
3. Race: Daytime Dreamer - Bennys Quest - Charming Hymn
4. Race: Newmill - Keelaghan - Sizing Africa
5. Race: Happy Reunion - Windix - Renewed Challenge
6. Race: Catch Me - Fisher Bridge - Tinakellylad
7. Race: Captain Paulie - One Of A Kind - Evolution

Naas - betting forecast:
1. Race: Encompassing - Green Art - Cool Marble
2. Race: Dance Hall Girl - Dinger Belle - Macnas
3. Race: Puncher Clynch - Bewitched - Bygone Age
4. Race: Healys Bar - Silverhand - Baron De`L
5. Race: Dashing Ruby - Armaramak - Montana Slim
6. Race: Mad About You - Totally Devoted - Zaralanta
7. Race: Aristocrat - Moon Indigo - Zaralabad
8. Race: Khorun - Lucky William - Carrie Bradshaw