3 days ago
Green Impact amongst the favourites for the Glencairn Stakes at Leopardstown
Leopardstown hosts a good card and the listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Glencairn Stakes, which is one of the twin features on the programme, can go the way of Green Impact.
While it hasn't been the luckiest of seasons thus far for trainer Jessica Harrington, there have been positive signs in recent weeks, and considering the team was under a cloud when this fellow finished sixth in the Newmarket 2000 Guineas, significant improvement can be expected this time.
A Group 2 winner in his short juvenile season, he beat leading Epsom Derby fancy Delacroix that day and there is no reason to believe we've already seen the best of him.
In Newmarket, on his return, the pace didn't seem to be strong enough for him, and he found himself towards the head of the field a couple of furlongs from home. He wasn't able to sustain his effort, but he kept going well enough to hold on to sixth place behind Ruling Court.
The step up to nine furlongs should be no problem to him, and the recent rain, which has just taken away any potential fast ground scenario, is a positive for him. Sure, it would be better if the Harrington team was saddling winner after winner, but that day is bound to return and he can give the yard a welcome boost.
Currawood is a consistent sort at this sort of level and should go well, while the Ger Lyons-trained Bravais defied market weakness when winning on his stable debut and any further improvement would put him firmly in the frame here.
Pierre Royal can carry top weight to victory in the BoyleSports Home Of The Early Payout Handicap. Dermot Weld's Kingman colt was no match for the experienced First Wave on his debut but made no mistake on his second start, when leading all the way and winning by a wide margin.
Those efforts earned him an opening mark of 88 and that looks manageable for the three-year-old. Out of Rose De Pierre, who won a Curragh Maiden on debut and followed up in a handicap off a mark of 91, he too can climb to a rating in three figures, and this race can help him on his way there.
The Listed King George V Cup is a tricky looking contest, but there may be some value in siding with the Fozzy Stack-trained Bay Colony, despite the filly having a nice bit to find on official figures.
Last time out, on her first try at today's trip, she shed her maiden status, and there is a strong chance that the form is considerably better than it looked at the time. Better ground won't be a problem and she is just preferred to Arouet and Acapulco Bay.
LEOPARDSTOWN
4:20 Minerva
4:50 Love Billy Boy
5:25 Bay Colony
5:55 Green Impact (nap)
6:25 Pierre Royal (nb)
6:55 Zipster
7:30 Pink Socks
8:05 Great Mover
Next best
4:20 Little Sure Shot
4:50 Fort Vega
5:25 Arouet
5:55 Bravais
6:25 Ja'marr
6:55 Tachos
7:30 Instant Appeal
8:05 Amplitude
