Ahern's efforts to be rewarded

Eddie Ahern can wind up an exceptionally busy day with success on Crimphill in this evening's EBF Race at Naas

Eddie Ahern can wind up an exceptionally busy day with success on Crimphill in this evening's EBF Race at Naas. The former apprentice champion will be at Royal Ascot in the afternoon to ride Lime Gardens in the Ribblesdale Stakes and as the Group Two contest is the first race, Ahern has the chance to get back to Co Kildare in time.

The hectic schedule should pay off too. Crimphill is a course and distance winner from earlier in the month when she reversed form with the hotpot Ice Dancer and the forecast "good" ground shouldn't hold fears for the daughter of Sadler's Wells.

The equine star of the meeting, however, should come in the first. It's two years since a chestnut son of Storm Cat and Mariah's Storm made a winning debut over the six furlongs at Naas and now a second such colt can do the same.

The first was Giant's Causeway who went on to score in six Group One's and while Roar Of Tiger has an awesome task to emulate his brother's talent, the dream that he might just do that should survive this race anyway.

READ MORE

Charles O'Brien runs the 80rated Ventura in the mile maiden and while the John Oxx newcomer could be the fly in the ointment, Ventura looks the answer to this now she is stepped up to a mile.

The Spectrum filly was well beaten by Just Special at Leopardstown over seven furlongs but that winner is potentially very smart and now the combination of a longer trip and better ground should suit Ventura.

Willyever is used to humping around a lot more weight than he will have to in the seven-furlong handicap while Nebuliser ran a promising enough debut at Cork to suggest a shout in the bumper.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column