Golden Pages Premier Handicap is invariably attractive and open, and today's renewal is no exception.
Most of the field holds the McDonogh Handicap engagement at Galway a week on Monday. The choice is the Aidan O'Brien trained five year old Moonbi Range, twice successful over this course and also suited to the distance and fast going.
Considering she was making her first appearance for almost nine months, Moonbi Range ran a fine race to finish just under a length behind Graduated and Hamad over this course and distance two weeks ago, compounding only inside the distance.
She is now 6lb better off with Graduated and also meets Khasib, a close up fourth on that occasion on marginally better terms. She is a summer horse as was evidenced last year by a quick hat trick obtained at Galway and twice over this course, on the latter occasion beating the Galway winner Lenni Lenape in an nine furlong handicap.
The unbeaten Dermot Weld trained Peace Prize will probably start favourite although sharing top weight with fellow three year old Harghar. He beat His Excellence at Naas, but that was over a trip too short for the latter who subsequently ran so well in the Irish Derby. Peace Prize more recently held the challenge of Raiyoun in a conditions race at headquarters.
Harghar also has enough to do for a three year old, but John Oxx's charge ran on well when winning a premier handicap over a mile at the Curragh and he is consistent and tough. Life Support was caught close home by Ilanga in a competitive Curragh handicap and looks sure to run a big race, but this appears to be a good opportunity for the nicely treated Moonbi Range who might have Life Support to fear.
Successful over this course before beating the subsequent Killarney winner Taklif in an apprentice race at the Curragh, Layik could be hard to beat in the listed Ballyroan Stakes, but I prefer the Aga Khan filly Zafzala who ran the subsequent Irish Oaks winner Dance Design to a length and a half in the Pretty Polly Stakes.
Azra, the eight length winner of a three runner race here last time out, having also made all to beat Classic Park in a listed race over the same course, will probably start favourite to win the listed Rochestown Stakes, but I thought Nevada needed further when runner up to the speedy Raphane over five furlongs at the Curragh.
There is little to choose between Basanta and Grief in the Cantrell and Crowley Maiden and Snoozeandyoulose and newcomer Qilla may win their respective races for Aidan O'Brien.
. Kieren Fallon is looking forward to a holiday after ruling out an appeal against his five day riding ban. His fury over the punishment has been eased with the news that he has won a break in Barbados.
Fallon was given a suspension for failing to arrive at an inquiry last week which was to investigate his failure to ride without medical clearance. The jockey was fined £500 for that offence.