4 listed races today

There are 4 listed races today, 3 of them this afternoon in Ireland at Naas and the other at Windsor this evening at 20.00 CET, which looks at the mercy of top-weight Mince (Roger Charlton/ James Doyle); she won 5 races last season, all over tonight´s distance of 6 furlongs, finishing with a Group Three victory for which she must now carry a penalty. However she looks different class to her opponents here and we expect her to keep up the good form of the Charlton/ Doyle Team. At Naas, Johnny Murtagh is both trainer and jockey of Foxtrot Romeo, who runs in the 7 furlongs race at 16.05 CET; he has been running in better company, and his best form last season (when he was trained in England) was his second place in the Irish 2,00 Guineas, where Reply (Aidan and Joseph O´Brien), possibly his main rival today, was just behind in third. The three 3yo´s could be dangerous at these weights, especially the lightly-raced Ghaamer (Dermot Weld/ Pat Smullen), who looks a likely improver, however we think that Foxtrot Romeo can continue Johnny Murtagh´s good start to his training career.

The other listed races are for 2yo´s over 6 furlongs - the colts at 17.05 and the fillies half an hour later. They were won by subsequent classic winners Dawn Approach and Sky Lantern last ydear, so will be watched with interest. The former race has only 4 runners and looks between Club Wexford (Jim Bolger/ Kevin Manning) and Stubbs (Aidan and Joseph O´Brien); we liked the way Stubbs won last time and he is the selection. The fillies race is much more open, with 11 runners, including 3 from Britain, two of them trained by Richard Hannon. both last-time-out winners, Fig Roll (Pat Dobbs) and Corncockle (Wayne Lordan). Richard Fahey´s Sandiva (Smullen) was quite impressive when winning her only start, while O´Brien runs two unraced fillies: Bracelet, Joseph´s chloice, and Adeste Fideles (Seamus Heffernan). The latter has the best pedigree in the field, being a daughter of Giant´s Causeway out of dual classic winner Imagine.

Another interesting pedigree today is that of Juvenile Lead (Sir Michael Stoute/ Ryan Moore), who makes his debut at 15.15 at Leicester. He is the first 2yo to run by first season sire Sea the Stars, in our opinion one of the very best horses seen wordwide this century. This is probably no race for betting purposes, but definitely a must-watch event.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Lottie Dod - One True Love - Violet Hour
2. Race: Reply - Foxtrot Romeo - Parliament Square
3. Race: Fastidious - Slipper Orchid - Flic Flac
4. Race: Stubbs - Club Wexford - Sacha Park
5. Race: Sandiva - Heart Focus - Fig Roll
6. Race: Rain God - Highest Praise - King Oliver
7. Race: Bobskier - Nabat Ali - Empress Of Tara