Listowel third day

Once again, easily the best racing and the biggest prize-money comes from the Irish meeting at Listowel, now on its third day. Aidan O´Brien could well win both races for 2yo maidens at 15.25 CET with Fort Sam Houston (Seamus Heffernan) and half an hour later with Athens, ridden by his son Joseph. Most valuable race on the card is the handicap hurdle for 4yo´s at 17.55, which looks wide open.

Acapulco Gold (Paul Nolan/ Andrew McNamara) is going for a hat-trick, but has little in hand of Walden Prince (Des Cullen/ EJ O´Connell). Tony McCoy flies over to partner Pat Flynn´s Louisville Lip and he also has a chance, but our fancy is In a Nutshell (Charlie Byrnes/ Davy Russell) who was runner-up to Much Acclaimed (J.Morrison/ PF Mangan) and now meets him on better terms, though h has won nicely in the meantime. Ruby Walsh is being very cautious on his comeback from injury; his only ride is Willie Mullins´ Capisci in the maiden hurdle at 18.25, so he has to be seriously considered.

The best race in the U.K. today is the conditions event over 6 furlongs at 17.40 at Yarmouth, which has attracted some decent performers for the prize-money. Iver Bridge Lad (John Ryan/ Matt O´Connell) is a class act having run on good races in top company in Meydan in the spring, but he may need the race after last running 7th in the Kings Stand at Royal Ascot and he is set to concede a lot of weight to some decent opposition. Our preference is for Gramercy (Michael Bell/ Jsmie Spencer), runner-up in a hot handicap at Ascot last time, but Imperial Guest (George Margarson/ Philip Robinson) and Royal Rock (Chris Wall/ Ted Durcan) r alo in with a chance. Wall and Durcan have another chance with Midnight Rider in the 5 furlongs handicap half an hour later, who finally broke his maiden by winning over this CD 40 days ago and can follow up today. Otherwise we shall keep a wary eye on two ex-Germans here, Aviso (David and Richard Evans) over a mile at 16.40 and Agapanthus (Barney Curley/ Tom Queally) over 1 1/2 miles at 18.40; the two Schlenderhan-breds have been totally inconsistent and unreliable so far in the U.K. but are certainly capable of running well off their current very low ratings.